The Lateran Basilica

The Lateran Basilica, officially the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran, is one of the most significant churches in Christianity, located in Rome, Italy. Its full title is the Major Papal, Patriarchal, and Roman Archbasilica Cathedral of the Most Holy Savior and Saints John the Baptist and the Evangelist in the Lateran. As the cathedral of the Diocese of Rome, it serves as the seat of the Pope as the Bishop of Rome and holds the unique status of “Mother and Head of all churches in the city and the world.”

• Foundation (313–324 CE): The basilica’s origins trace to Emperor Constantine the Great, who, after legalizing Christianity with the Edict of Milan in 313 CE, donated the Lateran Palace (originally owned by the Laterani family) to the Church. Around 324 CE, he commissioned the construction of the basilica on the site, making it the first major Christian Basilica in Rome.

• Dedication: Initially dedicated to the Most Holy Savior, it later included dedications to Saints John the Baptist and John the Evangelist. Pope Sylvester I consecrated the basilica in 324 CE.

• Significance: As the Pope’s cathedral, it became the center of Western Christianity, hosting papal coronations and five ecumenical councils between the 7th and 18th centuries.

• Papal Residence: The adjacent Lateran Palace served as the primary papal residence until the 14th century, when the papacy moved to Avignon, France (1309–1377). The basilica remained a key site for papal ceremonies and governance.

• Current Role: It remains the Pope’s cathedral, hosting major liturgical events, including the Pope’s annual Mass on the Feast of Corpus Christi. It is one of the four major basilicas of Rome, alongside St. Peter’s, St. Mary Major, and St. Paul Outside the Walls.

• Cloister and Baptistery: The 13th-century Gothic cloister is renowned for its Cosmatesque mosaics, while the octagonal baptistery, one of the oldest in Christendom, served as a model for later baptisteries.

• Ecumenical Councils: The Lateran Basilica hosted five councils (Lateran I–V, 1123–1517), addressing issues like church reform, crusades, and the Protestant Reformation.

• Papal Authority: As the Pope’s cathedral, it symbolizes the unity of the Catholic Church and its historical continuity from the Roman Empire to the present.

Fr. Andrew