St. John Lateran Basilica
Saturday, November 9th Readings Reflection: Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome
Today is the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome. St. John Lateran Basilica is known as the mother and head of all churches in Rome and in the world, for it is the first Christian church ever to be built. It is the cathedral of the diocese of Rome; it is the pope’s cathedral as the bishop of Rome. The basilica was built in the early 4th century when Emperor Constantine donated his palace to the Church so that a basilica to Our Lord could be built. On November 9, 324, Pope Sylvester I solemnly consecrated the church, the first time a Catholic church was ever consecrated. Like many ancient churches, St. John Lateran has been destroyed several times, being last rebuilt in 1360.
St. John Lateran houses several important relics within its walls, one of which is enshrined within its main altar. Within this altar, the papal altar, is the original wooden altar on which St. Peter offered the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass when he was in Rome. The altar was wood, because the Christians were being persecuted in Rome at that time, and it was often necessary to quickly move to another location in an attempt to avoid arrest, imprisonment, and likely death.
Another precious relic housed within St. John Lateran is the table of the Last Supper. This precious relic is housed in a reliquary with the Last Supper on it.
Another interesting feature of St. John Lateran is the beautiful apse mosaic, which adorns the interior of the church’s dome. The mosaic depicts Our Lord in the center surrounded by angels. Below him are Our Lady, St. John the Baptist, Ss. Peter and Paul, Ss. John the Evangelist and Andrew, Ss. Francis of Assisi and Anthony of Padua, and Pope Nicholas IV, the first Franciscan pope. The image of Our Lord in this apse mosaic is believed to be miraculous; pious tradition holds that Christ Himself physically visited the basilica when it was consecrated and left an image of His Face on the ceiling. The oldest parts of this mosaic are from the 4th century; the latest additions were completed in the 13th century under Pope Nicholas IV.
The dedication of a Church is a very important event, and each individual church has traditionally always celebrated its anniversary each year with a solemn Mass. Since St. John Lateran is the mother of all churches, it is only fitting that the entire Church celebrate this important anniversary. Today is a particularly important anniversary for St. John Lateran, as it marks 1700 years since the basilica was first consecrated by Pope Sylvester I. May today’s feast remind us of the universality of the Catholic Church, whose practices and traditions stretch from generation to generation, until Christ Himself comes again in glory.
