The Basilica of St John Lateran or St Giovanni in Laterano is the third of the Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome that the group from Bamberg visits.
It is one of the most important churches in Rome as it is also the Catholic cathedral of the Diocese of Rome which means that it is the seat of the bishop of Rome, the pope. It is the only “archbasilica” in the world.
The name Lateran (Laterano) derives from a Roman family who was accused of having participated in the conspiracy against the Emperor Nero and whose properties were consequently confiscated. Adjacent to today’s basilica is the Lateran Palace and the former private chapel Sancta Sanctorum.
According to the legend, the Emperor Constantine was cured of a disease after being baptised, and so he gifted the property and sufficient money to build a church (4th century).
Originally, the church was dedicated to Christ the Saviour. Hence, the Catholics around the world still celebrate the day of the dedication of the Basilica of St John Lateran on 9 November
Centuries later, the basilica was dedicated to St John the Baptist and St John the Evangelist.
There were five Lateran Councils that took place next to the church, in the Lateran Palace where the popes had their residence until the Middle Ages.
When the pilgrims arrive here, they quickly learn that it is the highest ranking of the four major papal basilicas: there is a security check before you can enter the church.
While it is easy to enter most other churches, this basilica is fenced off. The only entrance is through a gate guarded by police. Just like at the airport, bags must be placed on a conveyor belt to go through an x-ray security screening machine. Any visitors need to first pass through this gate to make sure no potential weapons are taken into the church.
How sad that this is necessary to protect the people and the property!
Small nail files and scissors are confiscated and can be picked up after the visit. One pilgrim has an apple with a little knife in his rucksack. He cautiously throws the knife into the next rubbish bin before reaching the check point.
Once everyone is cleared and ready to approach the basilica, the group gathers in front of the Holy Door, the Porta Santa. Cameras and mobile phones are held up as the pilgrims are crossing the threshold.
Above the door are the dates when the popes opened the Holy Door for a Jubilee Year: Paul VI in 1975, John Paul II in 2000 and Pope Francis in 2015.
According to the Vatican, “The opening of the Holy Door by the Pope marks the beginning of the Jubilee. The Holy Year of 2025 includes this ritual, followed by the celebration of Holy Mass on Christmas Eve inside St. Peter’s Basilica. The inner wall sealing the Holy Door was recently dismantled, and the metal box containing the key to open the door was retrieved. The Pope symbolically pushes the door open, while the traditional use of a hammer to strike the brick seal on the outside has been discontinued for safety reasons. After the ceremony, the door remains open for the entire year to allow pilgrims to pass through. This gesture signifies a complete experience of the indulgence associated with the Holy Year.
Crossing this threshold also symbolizes the journey of conversion, sealed by the encounter with Christ, the “door”, uniting us with the Father. The Jubilees are part of a profound history of faith that opens its doors to the world—a journey in which the steps of the Pontiff join those of the people of God, along the paths of forgiveness.”
It was here, in the Lateran Basilica, that Boniface VIII declared the first Holy Year in 1300.
When entering the church, the visitor’s attention is immediately drawn towards the high altar and the Gothic ciborium (14th century). The relic of the original wooden altar used by St Peter comprises the high altar. Above the ciborium are statues of St Peter and St Paul.
In the 12th century it was claimed that the high altar housed the Ark of the Covenant and several holy objects from Jerusalem, and the basilica was thus presented as the Temple of the New Covenant.
The papal cathedra, the seat of the pope, is located in its apse. The mosaic in the apse reflects the understanding of hierarchy at the time: Jesus, Mary and the Apostles and Evangelists are depicted much bigger than “minor” saints like St Francis of Assisi and St Antonius and then, even smaller, Pope Nicolaus IV. In the centre of the mosaic is a so-called Croce Gemmata, or a gemmed cross with the Holy Spirit on the top.
The twelve niches created in Francesco Borromini’s architecture were left vacant for decades until Pope Clement XI commissioned twelve larger-than-life sculptures of the Apostles in 1702.
Several popes were buried in this archbasilica, twelve of these tombs were destroyed during fires, but the tombs of six popes are still there, among them the tomb of Leo XIII. He was the last pope not to be entombed in Saint Peter’s Basilica for over a century, until the death of Pope Francis, who is buried at Santa Maria Maggiore.
The current pope, Pope Leo XIV, chose his regnal name in honour of Pope Leo XIII who is quoted with:
The branch has the same form when it has been cut off from the vine; but of what profit for it is the form, if it does not live from the root?
BM
Series Diary of a Pilgrim
