The property for this Cathedral was given by Constantine (reigned 306-337 AD) to Pope St. Miltiades (311-314) for a church and the papal residence. Pope St. Sylvester (314-335) completed the first structure on the site. It took the name Lateran because the property had formerly belonged to Plautius Lateranus. The church was sacked, twice, restored twice, damaged by an earthquake, restored, rebuilt, remodeled twice, and now stands in the condition—for the most part—that Innocent X left it (1644-1655).
We began our tour around the back with the baptistry, which also dates to the time of Constantine and has undergone some changes through the centuries. For many years it was the only baptistry in Rome.
This was a long day. We had already visited St. Peter’s and taken the Scavi tour by this point.
There was a legend that Constantine was baptized here, but most scholars now agree that did not happen at the Lateran since he chose to defer baptism until close to his death.
The dome of the baptistry has oil paintings depicting scenes from the life of St. John the Baptist.
As the Cathedral of Rome—the seat of the Bishop of Rome (aka the Pope)—this is the highest church in all of Christendom (even above St. Peter’s) and is the only one to carry the title of Archbasilica.
This church was the host of five ecumenical councils (1123, 1139, 1179, 1215, 1512). The papal residence was located here from the time of Constantine until 1304, when they moved to Avignon. Upon their return from the “Avignon captivity” in 1377, the Vatican became the papal residence.
Walking into the cathedral, you step into a long nave flanked by larger-than-life statues of the apostles dating from the 17th century.
The ceiling dates from the renaissance and was restored in the late 18th century.
First batch of Apostles (l to r) Paul, James the Greater, Thomas, Philip, Matthew, and Thaddeus
Second group of Apostles (l to r) Simon, Bartholomew, James the Less, John, Andrew, and Peter.
Who did they leave out? Paul wasn’t one of the original twelve, after all. You could argue they left out two: Matthias and Judas Iscariot. (He was an apostle, after all, even if his tenure ended poorly.) Did you figure it out first it? If not, only seems fair…
I’m not sure why I didn’t get a closer picture of the main altar, but here is the confession beneath it. (I told you it was a long day.)
To the left of the main altar is the tomb of Leo XIII (1878-1903).1 His statue is in the center, with a laborer on the left commemorating his encyclical Rerum Novarum on the rights of workers, the foundational document of modern Catholic social teaching.2 The worker has a rosary in his upraised hand. I’m not sure if that is original or a later addition, but it is fitting since Leo wrote extensively on the rosary as well. To the right is a figure representing religion.
The door underneath his tomb leads to the sacristy, which is not open to the public.
Behind the main altar is the apse with it’s stunning mosaic, and the Bishop’s chair.
The apse has a long history and parts of it may well date back to the original church completed by Pope St. Sylvester. Underneath the apse sits the Bishop’s chair, or in Latin cathedra, from which we derive the word cathedral. It is the seat of the bishop. This, being the Cathedral of Rome, is the seat of the Pope, so that is his chair. Symbolically it is very significant, since Catholic dogma holds when a Pope speaks ex cathedra (from the chair) it is infallible teaching, though actually occupying the chair while giving such a pronouncement is not a requirement. The only act of infallible teaching by a Pope given since that dogma was defined at the First Vatican Council, was not promulgated from the actual chair, but from the Vatican. Seems like a missed opportunity, but I wasn’t born by 1950 for Pope Pius XII to ask my opinion.
Between the tomb of Leo XIII and the left transept altar (above) is the Colonna chapel, where we had our Mass for the day.
The painting behind the altar is of Jesus, St. John the Baptist, and St. John the Evangelist.
Grace & peace,
Chris
I really don’t understand why there hasn’t been a cause for his canonization. I think one could make a case he should be a declared a Doctor of the Church as well. Maybe someday.
One of only 2 encyclicals that have had other encyclicals published in commemoration of them in history. St. Paul VI’s Populorum Progressio being the other one so honored. It deals with similar themes, so even it traces back to Rerum Novarum.
When I got to St John Lateran, I was so disappointed in the exterior. Then I walked inside and nearly wept over its beauty. It’s in a class of its own. I’m so grateful I got to see it.