The Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran (officially the ''Major Papal, Patriarchal and Roman Archbasilica, Metropolitan and Primatial Cathedral of the Most Holy Savior and Saints John the Baptist and the Evangelist in Lateran, Mother and Head of All Churches in Rome and in the World''), commonly known as the Lateran Basilica or Saint John Lateran, is the Catholic

cathedral A cathedral is a church (building), church that contains the of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, Annual conferences within Methodism, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually s ...

of the

Diocese of Rome The Diocese of Rome (; ), also called the Vicariate of Rome, is a Latin diocese of the Catholic Church under the direct jurisdiction of the pope, who is Bishop of Rome and hence the supreme pontiff and head of the worldwide Catholic Church. As ...

in the city of

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

, Italy. It serves as the

seat A seat is a place to sit. The term may encompass additional features, such as back, armrest, head restraint but may also refer to concentrations of power in a wider sense (i.e " seat (legal entity)"). See disambiguation. Types of seat The ...

of the bishop of Rome, the

pope The pope is the bishop of Rome and the Head of the Church#Catholic Church, visible head of the worldwide Catholic Church. He is also known as the supreme pontiff, Roman pontiff, or sovereign pontiff. From the 8th century until 1870, the po ...

. The only "''arch''basilica" in the world, it lies outside of

Vatican City Vatican City, officially the Vatican City State (; ), is a Landlocked country, landlocked sovereign state and city-state; it is enclaved within Rome, the capital city of Italy and Bishop of Rome, seat of the Catholic Church. It became inde ...

proper, which is located approximately northwest. Nevertheless, as

properties of the Holy See The properties of the Holy See are regulated by the 1929 Lateran Treaty signed with the Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946), Kingdom of Italy. Although part of Italy, Italian territory, some of them enjoy extraterritoriality similar to those of foreig ...

, the archbasilica and its adjoining edifices enjoy an extraterritorial status from Italy, pursuant to the terms of the

Lateran Treaty The Lateran Treaty (; ) was one component of the Lateran Pacts of 1929, agreements between Italy under Victor Emmanuel III and Benito Mussolini and the Holy See under Pope Pius XI to settle the long-standing Roman question. The treaty and ass ...

of 1929. Dedicated to Christ the Savior, in honor of

John the Baptist John the Baptist ( – ) was a Jewish preacher active in the area of the Jordan River in the early first century AD. He is also known as Saint John the Forerunner in Eastern Orthodoxy and Oriental Orthodoxy, John the Immerser in some Baptist ...

and

John the Evangelist John the Evangelist ( – ) is the name traditionally given to the author of the Gospel of John. Christians have traditionally identified him with John the Apostle, John of Patmos, and John the Presbyter, although there is no consensus on how ...

, the place name – (

Lateran 250px, Basilica and Palace - side view Lateran and Laterano are names for an area of Rome, and the shared names of several buildings in Rome. The properties were once owned by the Lateranus family of the Roman Empire. The Laterani lost their p ...

) – comes from an ancient Roman family (''

gens In ancient Rome, a gens ( or , ; : gentes ) was a family consisting of individuals who shared the same ''nomen gentilicium'' and who claimed descent from a common ancestor. A branch of a gens, sometimes identified by a distinct cognomen, was cal ...

''), whose palace (''

domus In ancient Rome, the ''domus'' (: ''domūs'', genitive: ''domūs'' or ''domī'') was the type of town house occupied by the upper classes and some wealthy freedmen during the Republican and Imperial eras. It was found in almost all the ma ...

'') grounds occupied the site. The adjacent

Lateran Palace The Apostolic Palace of the Lateran (; ), informally the Lateran Palace (), is an ancient palace of the Roman Empire and later the main pope, papal residence in Rome. Located on Saint John's Square in Lateran on the Caelian Hill, the palace is ...

was the primary residence of the pope until the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

. The church is the oldest and highest ranking of the four major papal basilicas, and it is one of the

Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome 7 (seven) is the natural number following 6 and preceding 8. It is the only prime number preceding a cube (algebra), cube. As an early prime number in the series of positive integers, the number seven has symbolic associations in religion, myt ...

. Founded in 324, it is the oldest public church in the city of Rome, and the oldest

basilica In Ancient Roman architecture, a basilica (Greek Basiliké) was a large public building with multiple functions that was typically built alongside the town's forum. The basilica was in the Latin West equivalent to a stoa in the Greek Eas ...

in the Western world. It houses the ''

cathedra A ''cathedra'' is the throne of a bishop in the early Christian basilica. When used with this meaning, it may also be called the bishop's throne. With time, the related term ''cathedral'' became synonymous with the "seat", or principa ...

'' of the Roman bishop, and it has the title of ecumenical

mother church Mother church or matrice is a term depicting the Christian Church as a mother in her functions of nourishing and protecting the believer. It may also refer to the primary church of a Christian denomination or diocese, i.e. a cathedral church, or ...

of the Catholic faithful. The building deteriorated during the Middle Ages and was badly damaged by two fires in the 14th century. It was rebuilt in the late 16th century during the reign of Pope

Sixtus V Pope Sixtus V (; 13 December 1521 – 27 August 1590), born Felice Piergentile, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 24 April 1585 to his death, in August 1590. As a youth, he joined the Franciscan order, where h ...

. The new structure's interior was renovated in the late 17th century, and its façade was completed in 1735 under Pope

Clement XII Pope Clement XII (; ; 7 April 16526 February 1740), born Lorenzo Corsini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 12 July 1730 to his death in February 1740. Clement presided over the growth of a surplus in the papal ...

. The current Rector is

Cardinal Cardinal or The Cardinal most commonly refers to * Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds **''Cardinalis'', genus of three species in the family Cardinalidae ***Northern cardinal, ''Cardinalis cardinalis'', the common cardinal of ...

Archpriest The ecclesiastical title of archpriest or archpresbyter belongs to certain priests with supervisory duties over a number of parishes. The term is most often used in Eastern Orthodoxy and the Eastern Catholic Churches and may be somewhat analogo ...

Baldassare Reina Baldassare Reina (born 26 November 1970) is an Italian Catholic prelate who has served as vicar general of the Diocese of Rome since 2024. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop there from 2022 to 2024. He also served in his native Archdi ...

, Vicar General for the Diocese of Rome since 6 October 2024. The

president of the French Republic The president of France, officially the president of the French Republic (), is the executive head of state of France, and the commander-in-chief of the French Armed Forces. As the presidency is the supreme magistracy of the country, the pos ...

, currently

Emmanuel Macron Emmanuel Jean-Michel Frédéric Macron (; born 21 December 1977) is a French politician who has served as President of France and Co-Prince of Andorra since 2017. He was Ministry of Economy and Finance (France), Minister of Economics, Industr ...

, is ''

ex officio An ''ex officio'' member is a member of a body (notably a board, committee, or council) who is part of it by virtue of holding another office. The term '' ex officio'' is Latin, meaning literally 'from the office', and the sense intended is 'by r ...

'' the "First and Only Honorary

Canon Canon or Canons may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Canon (fiction), the material accepted as officially written by an author or an ascribed author * Literary canon, an accepted body of works considered as high culture ** Western canon, th ...

" of the archbasilica, a title that the heads of state of France have possessed since King Henry IV. The large Latin inscription on the

façade A façade or facade (; ) is generally the front part or exterior of a building. It is a loanword from the French language, French (), which means "frontage" or "face". In architecture, the façade of a building is often the most important asp ...

reads: ''Clemens XII Pont Max Anno V Christo Salvatori In Hon SS Ioan Bapt et Evang''. This abbreviated inscription translates as: "The Supreme Pontiff

, in the fifth year f his Pontificate, dedicated this buildingto Christ the Savior, in honor of Saints John the Baptist and

ohn Ohn is a Burmese name, used by people from Myanmar. Notable people with the name include: * Daw Ohn (1913–2003), Burmese professor in Pali * Ohn Gyaw (born 1932), Burmese Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1991 to 1998 * Ohn Kyaing (born 1944), Bur ...

the Evangelist". As Christ the Savior is its primary dedication, its titular feast day is 6 August, the

Transfiguration of Christ The Transfiguration of Jesus is an event described in the New Testament where Jesus is transfigured and becomes radiant in glory upon a mountain. The Synoptic Gospels (, , ) recount the occasion, and the Second Epistle of Peter also refers t ...

. As the cathedral of the pope as bishop of Rome, it ranks superior to all other churches of the Catholic Church, including

Saint Peter's Basilica The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican (), or simply St. Peter's Basilica (; ), is a church of the Italian Renaissance architecture, Italian High Renaissance located in Vatican City, an independent microstate enclaved within the cit ...

Name

Inscription Ecclesiarum Mater San Giovanni in Laterano 2006-09-07

The archbasilica's Latin name is ', which in English is the Archbasilica of the Most Holy Savior and Saints John the Baptist and John the Evangelist at the Lateran, and in Italian '.

History

Lateran Palace

The archbasilica stands over the remains of the ''

Castra Nova equitum singularium The Castra Nova equitum singularium was an ancient Roman fort in Rome housing part of the emperor's cavalry bodyguard. The site of the fort now lies beneath the Basilica of St John Lateran. The ''Castra Nova'', or "new fort", was one of two cav ...

'', the "New Fort of the Roman imperial cavalry bodyguards". The fort was established by

Septimius Severus Lucius Septimius Severus (; ; 11 April 145 – 4 February 211) was Roman emperor from 193 to 211. He was born in Leptis Magna (present-day Al-Khums, Libya) in the Roman province of Africa. As a young man he advanced through cursus honorum, the ...

in AD 193. Following the victory of

Emperor Constantine the Great Constantine I (27 February 27222 May 337), also known as Constantine the Great, was a Roman emperor from AD 306 to 337 and the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity. He played a pivotal role in elevating the status of Christ ...

over

Maxentius Marcus Aurelius Valerius Maxentius ( 283 – 28 October 312) was a Roman emperor from 306 until his death in 312. Despite ruling in Italy and North Africa, and having the recognition of the Senate in Rome, he was not recognized as a legitimate ...

(for whom the ''Equites singulares augusti'', the emperor's mounted bodyguards had fought) at the

Battle of the Milvian Bridge The Battle of the Milvian Bridge took place between the Roman Emperors Constantine the Great, Constantine I and Maxentius on 28 October AD 312. It takes its name from the Milvian Bridge, an important route over the Tiber. Constantine won the batt ...

, the guard was abolished and the fort demolished. Substantial remains of the fort lie directly beneath the

nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...

. The remainder of the site was occupied during the early

Roman Empire The Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The Roman people, Romans conquered most of this during the Roman Republic, Republic, and it was ruled by emperors following Octavian's assumption of ...

by the

palace A palace is a large residence, often serving as a royal residence or the home for a head of state or another high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word is derived from the Latin name palātium, for Palatine Hill in Rome whi ...

of the ''

'' Laterani. Sextius Lateranus was the first

plebeian In ancient Rome, the plebeians or plebs were the general body of free Roman citizens who were not patricians, as determined by the census, or in other words "commoners". Both classes were hereditary. Etymology The precise origins of the gro ...

to attain the rank of

consul Consul (abbrev. ''cos.''; Latin plural ''consules'') was the title of one of the two chief magistrates of the Roman Republic, and subsequently also an important title under the Roman Empire. The title was used in other European city-states thro ...

, and the Laterani served as

administrators Administrator or admin may refer to: Job roles Computing and internet * Database administrator, a person who is responsible for the environmental aspects of a database * Forum administrator, one who oversees discussions on an Internet forum * N ...

for several emperors. One of the Laterani, Consul-designate Plautius Lateranus, became famous for being accused by

Nero Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ( ; born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus; 15 December AD 37 – 9 June AD 68) was a Roman emperor and the final emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, reigning from AD 54 until his ...

of conspiracy against the Emperor. The accusation resulted in the confiscation and redistribution of his properties. The

fell into the hands of the

Emperor The word ''emperor'' (from , via ) can mean the male ruler of an empire. ''Empress'', the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), mother/grandmother (empress dowager/grand empress dowager), or a woman who rules ...

when

Constantine the Great Constantine I (27 February 27222 May 337), also known as Constantine the Great, was a Roman emperor from AD 306 to 337 and the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity. He played a Constantine the Great and Christianity, pivotal ro ...

married his second wife

Fausta Flavia Maxima Fausta ''Augusta'' (died 326 AD) was a Roman empress. She was the daughter of Maximian and wife of Constantine the Great, who had her executed and excluded from all official accounts for unknown reasons. Historians Zosimus and ...

, sister of

. Known by that time as the ''Domus Faustae'' or "House of Fausta", the Lateran Palace was eventually given to the Bishop of Rome by Constantine the Great during the pontificate of

Pope Miltiades Pope Miltiades (, ''Miltiádēs''), also known as Melchiades the African ( ''Melkhiádēs ho Aphrikanós''), was the bishop of Rome from 311 to his death on 10 or 11 January 314. It was during his pontificate that Emperor Constantine the Great i ...

, in time to host a

synod A synod () is a council of a Christian denomination, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. The word '' synod'' comes from the Ancient Greek () ; the term is analogous with the Latin word . Originally, ...

bishop A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...

s in 313 that was convened to challenge the Donatist

schism A schism ( , , or, less commonly, ) is a division between people, usually belonging to an organization, movement, or religious denomination. The word is most frequently applied to a split in what had previously been a single religious body, suc ...

, declaring

Donatism Donatism was a schism from the Catholic Church in the Archdiocese of Carthage from the fourth to the sixth centuries. Donatists argued that Christianity, Christian clergy must be faultless for their ministry to be effective and their prayers and ...

to be

heresy Heresy is any belief or theory that is strongly at variance with established beliefs or customs, particularly the accepted beliefs or religious law of a religious organization. A heretic is a proponent of heresy. Heresy in Heresy in Christian ...

. The palace

was converted and extended, becoming the residence of

Pope Sylvester I Pope Sylvester I (also Silvester, before 284 – 31 December 335) was the bishop of Rome from 31 January 314 until his death on 31 December 335. He filled the See of Rome at an important era in the history of the Western Church, though very lit ...

, eventually becoming the Cathedral of Rome, the seat of the Popes as the Bishops of Rome.

Early Church

presided over the official dedication of the archbasilica and the adjacent Lateran Palace in 324, changing the name from ''Domus Fausta'' to ''Domus Dei'' ("House of God"), with a dedication to Christ the Savior (''Christo Salvatori''). When a ''cathedra'' became a symbol of episcopal authority, the papal ''cathedra'' was placed in its interior, rendering it the cathedral of the Pope as Bishop of Rome. When

Gregory the Great Pope Gregory I (; ; – 12 March 604), commonly known as Saint Gregory the Great (; ), was the 64th Bishop of Rome from 3 September 590 until his death on 12 March 604. He is known for instituting the first recorded large-scale mission from Rom ...

sent the

Gregorian mission The Gregorian missionJones "Gregorian Mission" ''Speculum'' p. 335 or Augustinian missionMcGowan "Introduction to the Corpus" ''Companion to Anglo-Saxon Literature'' p. 17 was a Christian mission sent by Pope Pope Gregory I, Gregory the Great ...

to England under

Augustine of Canterbury Augustine of Canterbury (early 6th century in England, 6th century – most likely 26 May 604) was a Christian monk who became the first archbishop of Canterbury in the year 597. He is considered the "Apostle to the English". Augustine ...

, some original churches in Canterbury took the Roman plan as a model, dedicating a church both to Christ as well as one to Saint Paul, outside the walls of the city. The church name "Christ Church", so common for churches around the world today in Anglophone Anglican contexts, originally came from this Roman church, central to pre-medieval Christian identity. The anniversary of the dedication of the church has been observed as a feast since the 12th century. In the

General Roman Calendar The General Roman Calendar (GRC) is the liturgy, liturgical calendar that indicates the dates of celebrations of saints and Sacred mysteries, mysteries of the Lord (Jesus Christ) in the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church, wherever this liturgic ...

of the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

, 9 November is the

feast A banquet (; ) is a formal large meal where a number of people consume food together. Banquets are traditionally held to enhance the prestige of a host, or reinforce social bonds among joint contributors. Modern examples of these purposes inc ...

of the Dedication of the (Arch)Basilica of the Lateran (''Dedicatio Basilicae Lateranensis''), referred to in older texts as the "Dedication of the Basilica of the Most Holy Savior".

The Middle Ages

On the archbasilica's front wall between the main portals is a plaque inscribed with the words ("Most Holy Lateran Church, mother and head of all the churches in the city and the world"); a visible indication of the declaration that the basilica is the "mother church" of all the world. In the twelfth century the canons of the Lateran claimed that the high altar housed the Ark of the Covenant and several holy objects from Jerusalem. The basilica was thus presented as the Temple of the New Covenant. The archbasilica and Lateran Palace were re-dedicated twice.

Pope Sergius III Pope Sergius III ( − 14 April 911) was the bishop of Rome and nominal ruler of the Papal States from 29 January 904 to his death. He was pope during a period of violence and disorder in central Italy, when warring aristocratic factions soug ...

dedicated them in honor of

Saint John the Baptist John the Baptist ( – ) was a Jewish preacher active in the area of the Jordan River in the early first century AD. He is also known as Saint John the Forerunner in Eastern Orthodoxy and Oriental Orthodoxy, John the Immerser in some Baptist ...

in the 10th century, occasioned by the newly consecrated

baptistry In Christian architecture the baptistery or baptistry (Old French ''baptisterie''; -4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to talk of the beginnings of French, that is, when it wa ... ''baptisterie''; Latin ''baptist ...

of the archbasilica.

Pope Lucius II Pope Lucius II (died 15 February 1145), born Gherardo Caccianemici dal Orso, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 9 March 1144 to his death in 1145. His pontificate was notable for the unrest in Rome associated with ...

dedicated them in honor of

in the 12th century. Thus, Saint John the Baptist and Saint John the Evangelist became co-patrons of the archbasilica, while the primary Titular is still Christ the Savior, as the inscription in the entrance indicates and as is traditional for patriarchal cathedrals. Consequently, the archbasilica remains dedicated to the Savior, and its titular feast is the Feast of the Transfiguration of Christ on 6 August. The archbasilica became the most important shrine of the two Saint Johns, albeit infrequently jointly venerated. In later years, a

Benedictine The Benedictines, officially the Order of Saint Benedict (, abbreviated as O.S.B. or OSB), are a mainly contemplative monastic order of the Catholic Church for men and for women who follow the Rule of Saint Benedict. Initiated in 529, th ...

monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of Monasticism, monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in Cenobitic monasticism, communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a ...

was established in the Lateran Palace, and was devoted to serving the archbasilica and the two saints. Every pope, beginning with

, occupied the Lateran Palace until the reign of the French

Pope Clement V Pope Clement V (; – 20 April 1314), born Raymond Bertrand de Got (also occasionally spelled ''de Guoth'' and ''de Goth''), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 5 June 1305 to his death, in April 1314. He is reme ...

, who in 1309 transferred the seat of the papacy to

Avignon Avignon (, , ; or , ; ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southeastern France. Located on the left bank of the river Rhône, the Communes of France, commune had a ...

, a papal fiefdom that was an enclave in

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

. The Lateran Palace has also been the site of five

ecumenical council An ecumenical council, also called general council, is a meeting of bishops and other church authorities to consider and rule on questions of Christian doctrine, administration, discipline, and other matters in which those entitled to vote are ...

s (see Lateran councils).

Fires and reconstruction

During the time the papacy was seated in Avignon, France, the Lateran Palace and the archbasilica deteriorated. Two fires ravaged them in 1307 and 1361. After both fires the pope sent money from Avignon to pay for their reconstruction and maintenance. Nonetheless, the archbasilica and Lateran Palace lost their former splendor. When the papacy returned from Avignon and the pope again resided in Rome, the archbasilica and the Lateran Palace were deemed inadequate considering their accumulated damage. The popes resided at the

Basilica di Santa Maria in Trastevere The Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere () or Our Lady in Trastevere is a titular minor basilica in the Trastevere district of Rome, and one of the oldest churches of Rome. The basic floor plan and wall structure of the church date back to the ...

and later at the

Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore Santa Maria Maggiore (), also known as the Basilica of Saint Mary Major or the Basilica of Saint Mary the Great, is one of the four major papal basilicas and one of the Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome. The largest Marian church in Rome, it is ...

. Eventually, the

Palace of the Vatican The Apostolic Palace is the official residence of the Pope, the head of the Catholic Church, located in Vatican City. It is also known as the Papal Palace, the Palace of the Vatican and the Vatican Palace. The Vatican itself refers to the build ...

was built adjacent to the

Basilica of Saint Peter The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican (), or simply St. Peter's Basilica (; ), is a church of the Italian Renaissance architecture, Italian High Renaissance located in Vatican City, an independent microstate enclaved within the cit ...

, which existed since the time of Emperor

Constantine I Constantine I (27 February 27222 May 337), also known as Constantine the Great, was a Roman emperor from AD 306 to 337 and the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity. He played a Constantine the Great and Christianity, pivotal ro ...

, and the popes began to reside there. It has remained the official residence of the pope, though Pope Francis chose to reside in the

Domus Sanctae Marthae The Domus Sanctae Marthae (Latin for House of Saint Martha; ) is a building adjacent to St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. Completed in 1996, during the pontificate of Pope John Paul II, it is named after Martha of Bethany, who was a sibli ...

in the Vatican City, not in the

Papal apartments The papal apartments is the non-official designation for the collection of apartments, which are private, state, and religious, that wrap around a courtyard (the Courtyard of Sixtus V, ''Cortile di Sisto V'') on two sides of the third (top) floo ...

. There were several attempts at reconstruction of the archbasilica before a definitive program of

Pope Sixtus V Pope Sixtus V (; 13 December 1521 – 27 August 1590), born Felice Piergentile, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 24 April 1585 to his death, in August 1590. As a youth, he joined the Franciscan order, where h ...

. Sixtus V hired his favorite architect,

Domenico Fontana Domenico Fontana (154328 June 1607) was an Italian"Domenico Fontana."
''

San Giovanni Addolorata Hospital The Azienda Ospedaliera San Giovanni Addolorata in Rome (Italy) is one of the largest hospitals in central Italy; the current administrative designation refers to one of the largest and oldest hospitals in the city, commonly designated as San Gio ...

and the largest standing ancient Egyptian

obelisk An obelisk (; , diminutive of (') ' spit, nail, pointed pillar') is a tall, slender, tapered monument with four sides and a pyramidal or pyramidion top. Originally constructed by Ancient Egyptians and called ''tekhenu'', the Greeks used th ...

in the world, known as the

Lateran Obelisk The Lateran Obelisk (; ) is the largest standing ancient Egyptian obelisk in the world, and it is also the tallest obelisk in Italy. It originally weighed , but after collapsing and being re-erected shorter, now weighs around . It is located in ...

. It weighs an estimated 455 tons. It was commissioned by the Egyptian Pharaoh Thutmose III and erected by

Thutmose IV Thutmose IV (sometimes read as Thutmosis or Tuthmosis IV, Thothmes in older history works in Latinized Greek; Ancient Egyptian: ''ḏḥwti.msi(.w)'' "Thoth is born") was the 8th Pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty of Egypt, who ruled in approximately t ...

before the great

Karnak The Karnak Temple Complex, commonly known as Karnak (), comprises a vast mix of temples, pylons, chapels, and other buildings near Luxor, Egypt. Construction at the complex began during the reign of Senusret I (reigned 1971–1926 BC) in the ...

temple of

Thebes, Egypt Thebes (, , ''Thēbai''), known to the ancient Egyptians as Waset, was an ancient Egyptian city located along the Nile about south of the Mediterranean. Its ruins lie within the modern Egyptian city of Luxor. Thebes was the main city of the fo ...

. Intended by

Emperor Constantine I Constantine I (27 February 27222 May 337), also known as Constantine the Great, was a Roman emperor from AD 306 to 337 and the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity. He played a pivotal role in elevating the status of Christ ...

to be shipped to

Constantinople Constantinople (#Names of Constantinople, see other names) was a historical city located on the Bosporus that served as the capital of the Roman Empire, Roman, Byzantine Empire, Byzantine, Latin Empire, Latin, and Ottoman Empire, Ottoman empire ...

, the very preoccupied

Constantius II Constantius II (; ; 7 August 317 – 3 November 361) was Roman emperor from 337 to 361. His reign saw constant warfare on the borders against the Sasanian Empire and Germanic peoples, while internally the Roman Empire went through repeated civ ...

had it shipped instead to Rome, where it was erected in the

Circus Maximus The Circus Maximus (Latin for "largest circus"; Italian language, Italian: ''Circo Massimo'') is an ancient Roman chariot racing, chariot-racing stadium and mass entertainment venue in Rome, Italy. In the valley between the Aventine Hill, Avent ...

in AD 357. At some time it broke and was buried under the Circus. In the 16th century it was discovered and excavated, and Sixtus V had it re-erected on a new pedestal on 3 August 1588 at its present site. Further renovation of the interior of the archbasilica ensued under the direction of

Francesco Borromini Francesco Borromini (, ), byname of Francesco Castelli (; 25 September 1599 – 2 August 1667), was an Italian architect born in the modern Switzerland, Swiss canton of Ticino

, commissioned by

Pope Innocent X Pope Innocent X (6 May 1574 – 7 January 1655), born Giovanni Battista Pamphilj (or Pamphili), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 15 September 1644 to his death, in January 1655. Born in Rome of a family fro ...

. The twelve niches created by his architectural scheme were eventually filled in 1718 with statues of the

Apostles An apostle (), in its literal sense, is an emissary. The word is derived from Ancient Greek ἀπόστολος (''apóstolos''), literally "one who is sent off", itself derived from the verb ἀποστέλλειν (''apostéllein''), "to se ...

, sculpted by the most prominent Roman

Rococo Rococo, less commonly Roccoco ( , ; or ), also known as Late Baroque, is an exceptionally ornamental and dramatic style of architecture, art and decoration which combines asymmetry, scrolling curves, gilding, white and pastel colours, sculpte ...

sculptors. Lazio Roma SGiovanni1 tango7174

The vision of

Pope Clement XII Pope Clement XII (; ; 7 April 16526 February 1740), born Lorenzo Corsini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 12 July 1730 to his death in February 1740. Clement presided over the growth of a surplus in the papal ...

for reconstruction was an ambitious one in which he launched a competition to design a new façade. More than 23 architects competed, mostly working in the then-current

Baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...

idiom. The putatively impartial jury was chaired by

Sebastiano Conca Sebastiano Conca (8 January 1680 – 1 September 1764) was an Italian painter. Biography He was born at Gaeta, then part of the Kingdom of Naples, and apprenticed in Naples under Francesco Solimena. In 1706, along with his brother Giovanni, wh ...

, president of the Roman

Academy of Saint Luke The Accademia di San Luca () is an Italian academy of artists in Rome. The establishment of the Accademia de i Pittori e Scultori di Roma was approved by papal brief in 1577, and in 1593 Federico Zuccari became its first ''principe'' or director; ...

. The winner of the competition was

Alessandro Galilei Alessandro Maria Gaetano Galilei (25 August 1691 – 21 December 1737) was an Italian mathematician, architect and theorist, and a distant relative of Galileo Galilei. Biography Born in Florence to the patrician Galilei family, he received archi ...

. The façade as it appears today was completed in 1735. It reads in Latin: ''Clemens XII Pont Max Anno V Christo Salvatori In Hon SS Ioan Bapt et Evang''; this highly abbreviated inscription is expanded thus: ''Clemens XII, Pont fexMax

mus Mus or MUS may refer to: Abbreviations * MUS, the ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 country code for Mauritius * MUS, the IATA airport code for Minami Torishima Airport * MUS, abbreviation for the Centre for Modern Urban Studies on Campus The Hague, Leiden Un ...

nAnno V, edicavit hoc aedificiumChristo Salvatori, in hon

rem Rem or REM may refer to: Music * R.E.M., an American rock band * ''R.E.M.'' (EP), by the band Green * "R.E.M." (song), by Ariana Grande Science and technology * Rapid eye movement sleep, a phase of sleep * Roentgen equivalent man (rem), a unit ...

anctorumIoan sBapt istaeet Evang listae'. This translates as "

, Pontifex Maximus, in the fifth year of his reign, dedicated this building to Christ the Savior, in honor of Saints John the Baptist and John the Evangelist". Galilei's façade removed all vestiges of traditional, ancient, basilical architecture and imparted a neo-classical facade. File:Rom, San Giovanni in Laterano, Innenansicht.jpg,

Nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...

File:Rom, Basilika San Giovanni in Laterano, Decke der Basilika 2.jpg, Ceiling File:Lateran Obelisk HD.jpg, The

File:San Giovanni in Laterano - Seitenansicht.jpg, The ''Loggia delle Benedizioni'', on the rear left side. Annexed, on the left, is the Lateran Palace.

World War II

During the Second World War, the Lateran and its related buildings were used under Pope

Pius XII Pope Pius XII (; born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli; 2 March 18769 October 1958) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 2 March 1939 until his death on 9 October 1958. He is the most recent p ...

as a safe haven from the Nazis and Italian Fascists for numbers of Jews and other refugees. Among those who found shelter there were

Meuccio Ruini Meuccio Ruini (14 December 1877 – 6 March 1970) was an Italian jurist and socialist politician who served as the president of the Italian Senate and the minister of the colonies. Biography After graduating in law from the University of Bologna, ...

Alcide De Gasperi Alcide Amedeo Francesco De Gasperi (; 3 April 1881 – 19 August 1954) was an Italian politician and statesman who founded the Christian Democracy party and served as prime minister of Italy in eight successive coalition governments from 1945 t ...

Pietro Nenni Pietro Sandro Nenni (; 9 February 1891 – 1 January 1980) was an Italian socialist politician and statesman, the national secretary of the Italian Socialist Party (PSI) and senator for life since 1970. He was a recipient of the Lenin Peace Priz ...

and others. The

Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul The Company of the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul (; abbreviated DC), commonly called the Daughters of Charity or Sisters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul, is a society of apostolic life for women within the Catholic Church. ...

and the sixty orphan refugees they cared for were ordered to leave their convent on the Via Carlo Emanuele. The Sisters of Maria Bambina, who staffed the kitchen at the

Pontifical Major Roman Seminary The Pontifical Roman Major Seminary () is the major seminary of the Diocese of Rome. It is located at the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran. Since 2017, the rector of the seminary has been Gabriele Faraghini, a priest of the Little Brothers ...

at the Lateran offered a wing of their convent. The grounds also housed Italian soldiers.

Vincenzo Fagiolo Vincenzo Fagiolo (5 February 1918 in Segni – 22 September 2000) was an Italian cardinal and President of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts from 1990 until 1994. Biography Fagiolo was educated at the Seminary of Segni, the S ...

and

Pietro Palazzini Pietro Palazzini (19 May 1912 – 11 October 2000) was an Italian cardinal, who helped to save the lives of Jewish people in World War II. He was consecrated bishop by the pope in 1962 and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1973. He has been comm ...

, vice-rector of the seminary, were recognized by

Yad Vashem Yad Vashem (; ) is Israel's official memorial institution to the victims of Holocaust, the Holocaust known in Hebrew language, Hebrew as the (). It is dedicated to preserving the memory of the Jews who were murdered; echoing the stories of the ...

for their efforts to assist Jews.

Architecture

The Papal Throne in San Giovanni in Laterano

History

An apse lined with mosaics and open to the air still preserves the memory of one of the most famous halls of the ancient palace, the "

Triclinium A ''triclinium'' (: ''triclinia'') is a formal dining room in a Ancient Rome, Roman building. The word is adopted from the Greek language, Greek ()—from (), "three", and (), a sort of couch, or rather chaise longue. Each couch was sized to ...

" of

Pope Leo III Pope Leo III (; died 12 June 816) was bishop of Rome and ruler of the Papal States from 26 December 795 to his death on 12 June 816. Protected by Charlemagne from the supporters of his predecessor, Adrian I, Leo subsequently strengthened Charlem ...

, which was the state banqueting hall. The existing structure is not ancient, but some portions of the original mosaics may have been preserved in the tripartite mosaic of its niche. In the center Christ gives to the

their mission; on the left he gives the keys of the kingdom of heaven to

and the

Labarum The labarum ( or λάβουρον) was a '' vexillum'' (military standard) that displayed the "Chi-Rho" symbol ☧, a christogram formed from the first two Greek letters of the word "Christ" (, or Χριστός) – '' Chi'' (χ) and ''Rho'' (� ...

; and on the right

Peter Peter may refer to: People * List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Peter (given name) ** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church * Peter (surname), a su ...

gives the papal stole to

and the standard to

Charlemagne Charlemagne ( ; 2 April 748 – 28 January 814) was List of Frankish kings, King of the Franks from 768, List of kings of the Lombards, King of the Lombards from 774, and Holy Roman Emperor, Emperor of what is now known as the Carolingian ...

. Some few remains of the original buildings may still be traced in the

city walls A defensive wall is a fortification usually used to protect a city, town or other settlement from potential aggressors. The walls can range from simple palisades or earthworks to extensive military fortifications such as curtain walls with to ...

outside the Gate of Saint John, and a large wall decorated with paintings was uncovered in the 18th century within the archbasilica behind the Lancellotti Chapel. A few traces of older buildings were also revealed during the excavations of 1880, when the work of extending the apse was in progress, but nothing of importance was published. A great many donations from the Popes and other benefactors to the archbasilica are recorded in the ''

Liber Pontificalis The ''Liber Pontificalis'' (Latin for 'pontifical book' or ''Book of the Popes'') is a book of biography, biographies of popes from Saint Peter until the 15th century. The original publication of the ''Liber Pontificalis'' stopped with Pope Adr ...

'', and its splendor at an early period was such that it became known as the "Basilica Aurea", or "Golden Basilica". This splendor drew upon it the attack of the Vandals, who stripped it of all its treasures.

Pope Leo I Pope Leo I () ( 391 – 10 November 461), also known as Leo the Great (; ), was Bishop of Rome from 29 September 440 until his death on 10 November 461. He is the first of the three Popes listed in the ''Annuario Pontificio'' with the title "the ...

restored it around AD 460, and it was again restored by

Pope Hadrian I Pope Adrian I (; 700 – 25 December 795) was the bishop of Rome and ruler of the Papal States from 1 February 772 until his death on 25 December 795. Descended from a family of the military aristocracy of Rome known as ''domini de via Lata'', h ...

. In 897, it was almost totally destroyed by an earthquake: ''ab altari usque ad portas cecidit'' ("it collapsed from the altar to the doors"). The damage was so extensive that it was difficult to trace the lines of the old building, but these were mostly respected and the new building was of the same dimensions as the old. This second basilica stood for 400 years before it burned in 1308. It was rebuilt by

and

Pope John XXII Pope John XXII (, , ; 1244 – 4 December 1334), born Jacques Duèze (or d'Euse), was head of the Catholic Church from 7 August 1316 to his death, in December 1334. He was the second and longest-reigning Avignon Papacy, Avignon Pope, elected by ...

. It burned once more in 1360, and was rebuilt by

Pope Urban V Pope Urban V (; 1310 – 19 December 1370), born Guillaume de Grimoard, was head of the Catholic Church from 28 September 1362 until his death, in December 1370 and was also a member of the Order of Saint Benedict. He was the only Avignon pope ...

. Through vicissitudes the archbasilica retained its ancient form, being divided by rows of columns into aisles, and having in front a

peristyle In ancient Ancient Greek architecture, Greek and Ancient Roman architecture, Roman architecture, a peristyle (; ) is a continuous porch formed by a row of columns surrounding the perimeter of a building or a courtyard. ''Tetrastoön'' () is a rare ...

surrounded by colonnades with a fountain in the middle, the conventional Late Antique format that was also followed by the old

. The façade had three windows and was embellished with a mosaic representing Christ as the Savior of the world. The porticoes were frescoed, probably not earlier than the 12th century, commemorating the Roman fleet under

Vespasian Vespasian (; ; 17 November AD 9 – 23 June 79) was Roman emperor from 69 to 79. The last emperor to reign in the Year of the Four Emperors, he founded the Flavian dynasty, which ruled the Empire for 27 years. His fiscal reforms and consolida ...

, the taking of

Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...

, the Baptism of

and his "Donation" of the Papal States to the

. Inside the archbasilica the columns no doubt ran, as in all other basilicas of the same date, the whole length of the church, from east to west. In one of the rebuildings, probably that which was carried out by

, a transverse nave was introduced, imitated no doubt from the one which had been added, long before this, to the

Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls The Papal Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls (, ) is one of Rome's four major papal basilicas, along with the basilicas of Saint John in the Lateran, Saint Peter's, and Saint Mary Major, as well as one of the city’s Seven Pilgrim Ch ...

. Probably at this time the archbasilica was enlarged. SanGiovanniChiostro2

Some portions of the older buildings survive. Among them the pavement of medieval

Cosmatesque Cosmatesque, or Cosmati, is a style of geometric decorative inlay stonework typical of the architecture of Medieval Italy, and especially of Rome and its surroundings. It was used most extensively for the decoration of church floors, but was also ...

work, and the statues of

Saint Peter Saint Peter (born Shimon Bar Yonah; 1 BC – AD 64/68), also known as Peter the Apostle, Simon Peter, Simeon, Simon, or Cephas, was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus and one of the first leaders of the Jewish Christian#Jerusalem ekklēsia, e ...

and

Saint Paul Paul, also named Saul of Tarsus, commonly known as Paul the Apostle and Saint Paul, was a Christian apostle ( AD) who spread the teachings of Jesus in the first-century world. For his contributions towards the New Testament, he is generally ...

, now in the

cloister A cloister (from Latin , "enclosure") is a covered walk, open gallery, or open Arcade (architecture), arcade running along the walls of buildings and forming a quadrangle (architecture), quadrangle or garth. The attachment of a cloister to a cat ...

. The graceful ciborium over the high altar, which looks out of place in its present surroundings, dates from 1369. The throne of red marble on which the Popes sat, is now in the

Vatican Museums The Vatican Museums (; ) are the public museums of the Vatican City. They display works from the immense collection amassed by the Catholic Church and the papacy throughout the centuries, including several of the best-known Roman sculptures and ...

. It was part of a pair, but the other was plundered and taken away by

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

and is now in the Louvre. Another papal throne, the ''sedia stercoraria'', is now in the Lateran Cloister. It owes its unsavory name to the anthem sung at previous Papal coronations, "De ''stercore'' erigens pauperem" ("lifting up the poor out of the dunghill", from

Psalm 112 Psalm 112 is the 112th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD". In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint and Latin ...

). From the 5th century, there were seven oratories surrounding the archbasilica. These before long were incorporated into the church. The devotion of visiting these oratories, which was maintained through the Mediaeval Ages, gave rise to the similar devotion of the seven altars, still common in many churches of Rome and elsewhere. Of the façade by

(1735), the cliché assessment has been that it is the façade of a

, not of a church. Galilei's front, which is a screen across the older front creating a

narthex The narthex is an architectural element typical of Early Christian art and architecture, early Christian and Byzantine architecture, Byzantine basilicas and Church architecture, churches consisting of the entrance or Vestibule (architecture), ve ...

or vestibule, does express the nave and double aisles of the archbasilica, which required a central bay wider than the rest of the sequence. Galilei provided it, without abandoning the range of identical arch-headed openings, by extending the central window by flanking columns that support the arch, in the familiar Serlian motif. By bringing the central bay forward very slightly, and capping it with a pediment that breaks into the roof balustrade, Galilei provided an entrance doorway on a more than colossal scale, framed in the paired colossal Corinthian pilasters that tie together the façade in the manner introduced at

Michelangelo Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (6March 147518February 1564), known mononymously as Michelangelo, was an Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet of the High Renaissance. Born in the Republic of Florence, his work was inspir ...

's palace on the Campidoglio. In the narthex of the church, is a 4th-century statue of emperor Constantine. It was found elsewhere in Rome, and moved to this site by order of

. Between the archbasilica and the city wall there was a great monastery, in which dwelt the community of monks whose duty it was to provide the services in the archbasilica. The only part of it which still survives is the 13th century

, surrounded by

column A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. In other words, a column is a compression member ...

s of inlaid

marble Marble is a metamorphic rock consisting of carbonate minerals (most commonly calcite (CaCO3) or Dolomite (mineral), dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2) that have recrystallized under the influence of heat and pressure. It has a crystalline texture, and is ty ...

. They are of a style intermediate between the Romanesque proper and the

Gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, a Germanic people **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Gothic alphabet, an alphabet used to write the Gothic language ** Gothic ( ...

, and are the work of

Vassellectus Cosmatesque, or Cosmati, is a style of geometric decorative inlay stonework typical of the architecture of Medieval Italy, and especially of Rome and its surroundings. It was used most extensively for the decoration of church floors, but was also ...

and the

Cosmati The Cosmati were a Roman family, seven members of which, for four generations, were skilful architects, sculptors and workers in decorative geometric mosaic, mostly for church floors. Their name is commemorated in the genre of Cosmatesque work, o ...

Statues of the Apostles

The twelve niches created in

Francesco Borromini Francesco Borromini (, ), byname of Francesco Castelli (; 25 September 1599 – 2 August 1667), was an Italian architect born in the modern Switzerland, Swiss canton of Ticino

's architecture were left vacant for decades. When in 1702

Pope Clement XI Pope Clement XI (; ; ; 23 July 1649 – 19 March 1721), born Giovanni Francesco Albani, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 23 November 1700 to his death in March 1721. Clement XI was a patron of the arts an ...

and Benedetto Cardinal Pamphili, archpriests of the archbasilica, announced their grand scheme for twelve larger-than-life sculptures of the

(

Judas Iscariot Judas Iscariot (; ; died AD) was, according to Christianity's four canonical gospels, one of the original Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ. Judas betrayed Jesus to the Sanhedrin in the Garden of Gethsemane, in exchange for thirty pieces of sil ...

replaced by

, instead of

Saint Matthias Matthias (; Koine Greek: , , from Hebrew ; ; died ) was, according to the Acts of the Apostles, chosen by God through the apostles to replace Judas Iscariot following the latter's betrayal of Jesus and his subsequent death. His calling as ...

) to fill the niches, the commission was opened to all the premier sculptors of late

Rome. Each statue was to be sponsored by an illustrious prince with the Pope himself sponsoring that of

and Cardinal Pamphili that of

Saint John the Evangelist John the Evangelist ( – ) is the name traditionally given to the author of the Gospel of John. Christians have traditionally identified him with John the Apostle, John of Patmos, and John the Presbyter, although there is no consensus on h ...

. Most of the sculptors were given a sketch drawn by Pope Clement's favorite painter,

Carlo Maratta Carlo Maratta or Maratti (18 May 162515 December 1713) was an Italian Baroque painter and Drawing, draughtsman, active principallly in Rome where he was the leading painter in the second half of the 17th century. He was a fresco and canvas painte ...

, to which they were to adhere, but with the notable exception being

Pierre Le Gros the Younger Pierre Le Gros (12 April 1666 Paris – 3 May 1719 Rome) was a French sculptor, active almost exclusively in Baroque Rome where he was the pre-eminent sculptor for nearly two decades.Gerhard Bissell, ''Pierre le Gros, 1666–1719'', Reading ...

, who successfully refused to sculpt to Maratta's design and consequently was not given a sketch. The sculptors and their sculptures follow and are dated according to Conforti (the dates reflect archival findings but models for most must have existed before): *

Pierre-Étienne Monnot Pierre-Étienne Monnot (9 August 1657 – 24 August 1733) was a French sculptor from the Franche-Comté who settled in Rome in 1687 for the rest of his life. He was a distinguished artist working in a late-Baroque idiom for international clients. ...

**''

'' (1704–1708) **''

'' (1704–1711) *Francesco Moratti **'' Saint Simon'' (1704–1709) *

Lorenzo Ottoni Lorenzo Ottoni, also known as Lorenzo Ottone or Lorenzone, (1658–1736) was an Italian sculptor who was commissioned by the papacy and various noble houses of Renaissance Italy. Life Ottoni was born in Rome in 1658 and spent the majority of h ...

**'' Saint Jude Thaddeus'' (1704–1709) * Giuseppe Mazzuoli **''

Saint Philip Saint Philip, São Filipe, or San Felipe may refer to: Saints * Philip the Apostle (died 54 or 80), one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ * Philip the Evangelist (died first century), also known as Philip the Deacon, one of the Seventy Disci ...

'' (1705–1711) * Pierre Le Gros **'' Saint Thomas'' (1705–1711) **''

Saint Bartholomew Bartholomew was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus according to the New Testament. Most scholars today identify Bartholomew as Nathanael, who appears in the Gospel of John (1:45–51; cf. 21:2). New Testament references The name ''Bartholomew ...

'' (–1712) *

Angelo de' Rossi Angelo de Rossi (1671 – June 12, 1715) was an Italian sculptor. Born in Genoa, he was apprenticed to Filippo Parodi in 1680; Parodi's influence is clear in his first pre-1689 work, a ''Small Satyr'' in marble. Nearly unavoidably, he was also inf ...

**'' Saint James the Lesser'' (1705–1711) *

Camillo Rusconi Camillo Rusconi (14 July 1658 – 8 December 1728) was an Italian sculptor of the late Baroque in Rome. His style displays both features of Baroque and Neoclassicism. He has been described as a Carlo Maratta in marble. Biography Early life and ...

**''

Saint Andrew Andrew the Apostle ( ; ; ; ) was an apostle of Jesus. According to the New Testament, he was a fisherman and one of the Twelve Apostles chosen by Jesus. The title First-Called () used by the Eastern Orthodox Church stems from the Gospel of Jo ...

'' (1705–1709) **''

Saint John Saint John or St. John usually refers to either John the Baptist or John the Apostle. Saint John or St. John may also refer to: People Saints * John the Baptist ( – ), preacher, ascetic, and baptizer of Jesus Christ * John the Evangelis ...

'' (1705–1711) **''

Saint Matthew Matthew the Apostle was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus. According to Christian traditions, he was also one of the four Evangelists as author of the Gospel of Matthew, and thus is also known as Matthew the Evangelist. The claim of his g ...

'' (1711–1715) **''

Saint James the Greater James the Great ( Koinē Greek: Ἰάκωβος, romanized: ''Iákōbos''; Aramaic: ܝܥܩܘܒ, romanized: ''Yaʿqōḇ''; died AD 44) was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. According to the New Testament, he was the second of the apostles t ...

'' (1715–1718) South wall File:Simone a San Giovanni in Laterano.jpeg , ''Saint Simon''
by Moratti File:Bartholomaeus San Giovanni in Laterano 2006-09-07.jpg , ''Saint Bartholomew''
by Le Gros File:Jacobus Minor San Giovanni in Laterano 2006-09-07.jpg , ''Saint James the Lesser''
by de' Rossi File:Johannes San Giovanni in Laterano 2006-09-07.jpg , ''Saint John''
by Rusconi File:Andreas San Giovanni in Laterano 2006-09-07.jpg , ''Saint Andrew''
by Rusconi File:Petrus San Giovanni in Laterano 2006-09-07.jpg , ''Saint Peter''
by Monnot North wall File:Paulus San Giovanni in Laterano 2006-09-07.jpg , ''Saint Paul''
by Monnot File:Jacobus Major San Giovanni in Laterano 2006-09-07.jpg , ''Saint James the Greater''
by Rusconi File:Thomas San Giovanni in Laterano 2006-09-07 n2.jpg , ''Saint Thomas''
by Le Gros File:Philippus San Giovanni in Laterano 2006-09-07.jpg , ''Saint Philip''
by Mazzuoli File:Matthaeus San Giovanni in Laterano 2006-09-07.jpg , ''Saint Matthew''
by Rusconi File:Thaddeus San Giovanni in Laterano 2006-09-07.jpg , ''Saint Jude Thaddeaus''
by Ottoni

Papal tombs

There are six extant papal tombs inside the archbasilica: Alexander III (right aisles), Sergius IV (right aisles),

(left aisle),

Martin V Pope Martin V (; ; January/February 1369 – 20 February 1431), born Oddone Colonna, was the head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 11 November 1417 to his death in February 1431. His election effectively ended the West ...

(in front of the confessio);

Innocent III Pope Innocent III (; born Lotario dei Conti di Segni; 22 February 1161 – 16 July 1216) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 8 January 1198 until his death on 16 July 1216. Pope Innocent was one of the most power ...

(right transept); and

Leo XIII Pope Leo XIII (; born Gioacchino Vincenzo Raffaele Luigi Pecci; 2March 181020July 1903) was head of the Catholic Church from 20 February 1878 until his death in July 1903. He had the fourth-longest reign of any pope, behind those of Peter the A ...

(left transept). Leo XIII was the last pope not to be entombed in

for over a century, until the

death Death is the end of life; the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain a living organism. Death eventually and inevitably occurs in all organisms. The remains of a former organism normally begin to decompose sh ...

Pope Francis Pope Francis (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio; 17 December 1936 – 21 April 2025) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 13 March 2013 until Death and funeral of Pope Francis, his death in 2025. He was the fi ...

in 2025, who is buried at

Santa Maria Maggiore Santa Maria Maggiore (), also known as the Basilica of Saint Mary Major or the Basilica of Saint Mary the Great, is one of the four Basilicas in the Catholic Church#Major and papal basilicas, major papal basilicas and one of the Seven Pilgrim C ...

. Twelve additional papal tombs were constructed in the archbasilica starting in the 10th century, but were destroyed during the two fires that ravaged it in 1308 and 1361. The remains of these charred tombs were gathered and reburied in a

polyandrion The polyandrion is the archaeological term for a communal tomb in ancient Greece, where more than one body, usually warriors, are buried. For the marking of polyandria during the 7th century BCE, in addition to the form of the toumba in Northern ...

. The popes whose tombs were destroyed are:

Pope John X Pope John X (; died 28 May 928) was the bishop of Rome and nominal ruler of the Papal States from March 914 to his death. A candidate of the counts of Tusculum, he attempted to unify Italy under the leadership of Berengar of Friuli, and was in ...

(914–928),

Pope Agapetus II Pope Agapetus II (died 8 November 955) was the bishop of Rome and ruler of the Papal States from 10 May 946 to his death. A nominee of the princeps of Rome, Alberic II of Spoleto, his pontificate occurred during the period known as the ''Saecul ...

(946–955),

Pope John XII Pope John XII (; 14 May 964), born Octavian, was the bishop of Rome and ruler of the Papal States from 16 December 955 to his death in 964. He was related to the counts of Tusculum, a powerful Roman family which had dominated papal politics for ...

(955–964),

Pope Paschal II Pope Paschal II (; 1050 1055 – 21 January 1118), born Raniero Raineri di Bleda, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 13 August 1099 to his death in 1118. A monk of the Abbey of Cluny, he was creat ...

(1099–1118),

Pope Callixtus II Pope Callixtus II or Callistus II ( – 13 December 1124), born Guy of Burgundy, was the head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from February 1119 to his death in 1124. His pontificate was shaped by the Investiture Controversy ...

(1119–1124),

Pope Honorius II Pope Honorius II (9 February 1060 – 13 February 1130), born Lamberto Scannabecchi,Levillain, pg. 731 was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 21 December 1124 to his death in 1130. Although from a humble background, ...

(1124–1130),

Pope Celestine II Pope Celestine II (; died 8 March 1144), born Guido di Castello,Thomas, pg. 91 was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 26 September 1143 to his death on 8 March 1144. Early life Guido di Castello, possibly the son of ...

(1143–1144),

(1144–1145),

Pope Anastasius IV Pope Anastasius IV ( – 3 December 1154), born Corrado Demetri della Suburra, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 8 July 1153 to his death in 1154. He is the most recent pope to take the name "Anastasius" upon his ...

(1153–1154),

Pope Clement III Pope Clement III (; 1130 – 20 March 1191), was the head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 19 December 1187 to his death in 1191. He ended the conflict between the Papacy and the city of Rome, by allowing the electi ...

(1187–1191),

Pope Celestine III Pope Celestine III (; c. 1105 – 8 January 1198), was the head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 30 March or 10 April 1191 to his death in 1198. He had a tense relationship with several monarchs, including Emperor ...

(1191–1198), and

Pope Innocent V Pope Innocent V (; c. 1225 – 22 June 1276), born Pierre de Tarentaise, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 21 January to 22 June 1276. A member of the Order of Preachers, he acquired a reputation as an effective ...

(1276). Popes who reigned during this period, whose tombs are unknown, and who may have been buried in the archbasilica include

Pope John XVII Pope John XVII (; died 6 November 1003), born John Sicco, was the bishop of Rome and nominal ruler of the Papal States for about seven months in 1003. He was one of the popes chosen and eclipsed by the patrician John Crescentius. Family Joh ...

(1003),

Pope John XVIII Pope John XVIII (; died June or July 1009) was the bishop of Rome and nominal ruler of the Papal States from January 1004 (25 December 1003 NS) to his abdication in July 1009. He wielded little temporal power, ruling during the struggle betwee ...

(1003–1009), and

Pope Alexander II Pope Alexander II (1010/1015 – 21 April 1073), born Anselm of Baggio, was the head of the Roman Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 1061 to his death in 1073. Born in Milan, Anselm was deeply involved in the Pataria reform mo ...

(1061–1073).

was the first pope buried within the walls of Rome, and was granted a prominent burial due to rumors that he was murdered by

Theodora Theodora may refer to: * Theodora (given name), a given name of Greek origin, meaning "God's gift" Historical figures known as Theodora Byzantine empresses * Theodora (wife of Justinian I) ( 500 – 548), saint by the Orthodox Church * Theodo ...

during a historical period known as the . Cardinals Vincenzo Santucci and Carlo Colonna are also buried in the archbasilica. The skull of Saint Peter is also claimed to reside in the archbasilica since at least the ninth century, alongside the skull of Saint Paul.

Baptistery and Holy Stairs

The octagonal Lateran baptistery stands somewhat apart from the archbasilica. It was founded by

Pope Sixtus III Pope Sixtus III, also called Pope Xystus III, was the bishop of Rome from 31 July 432 to his death on 18 August 440. His ascension to the papacy is associated with a period of increased construction in the city of Rome. His feast day is celebrate ...

, perhaps on an earlier structure, for a legend arose that

was baptized there and enriched the edifice. The baptistery was for many generations the only baptistery in Rome, and its octagonal structure, centered upon the large basin for full immersions, provided a model for others throughout Italy, and even an iconic motif of

illuminated manuscript An illuminated manuscript is a formally prepared manuscript, document where the text is decorated with flourishes such as marginalia, borders and Miniature (illuminated manuscript), miniature illustrations. Often used in the Roman Catholic Churc ...

s known as "the

fountain of life The Fountain of Life, or in its earlier form the Fountain of Living Waters, is a Christian iconography symbol associated with baptism and/or eucharist, first appearing in the 5th century in illuminated manuscripts and later in other art forms suc ...

". The ''Scala Sancta'', or Holy Stairs, are white marble steps encased in wooden ones. They supposedly form the staircase which once led to the praetorium of

Pontius Pilate Pontius Pilate (; ) was the Roman administration of Judaea (AD 6–135), fifth governor of the Judaea (Roman province), Roman province of Judaea, serving under Emperor Tiberius from 26/27 to 36/37 AD. He is best known for being the official wh ...

and which, therefore, were sanctified by the footsteps of

Jesus Christ Jesus (AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the Jesus in Chris ...

during His

Passion Passion, the Passion or the Passions may refer to: Emotion * Passion (emotion), a very strong feeling about a person or thing * Passions (philosophy), emotional states as used in philosophical discussions * Stoic passions, various forms of emotio ...

. The marble stairs are visible through openings in the wooden risers. Their translation from Jerusalem to the Lateran Palace in the 4th century is credited to Saint Empress Helena, the mother of the then-Emperor

. In 1589,

relocated the steps to their present location in front of the ancient palatine chapel named the

Sancta Sanctorum The ''Chiesa di San Lorenzo in Palatio ad Sancta Sanctorum'' ( English: Church of St. Lawrence in the Palace of the Holy of Holies), known simply as the Sancta Sanctorum, is a Catholic chapel in Rome featuring the '' Scala Sancta'' (Holy Stairs) ...

Ferraù Fenzoni Ferraù FenzoniName also written as Ferrau Fenzoni, Faenzoni, Fanzoni, Fanzone (1562 – 11 April 1645) was an Italian painter and draughtsman.

completed some of the frescoes on the walls.

Tabula Magna Lateranensis

File:Tabula Magna Lateranensis 1 reliquie (XIII secolo) - Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano Roma 2025-05-26.jpg, Tabula Magna Lateranensis (13th century), located on the left side of the sacristy door, in which are listed the main relics preserved in the basilica. File:Tabula Magna Lateranensis 2 lavori (XIII secolo) - Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano Roma 2025-05-26.jpg, Thirteenth-century panel similar to the Tabula Magna Lateranensis (the title at the top, added in the nineteenth century, is misleading), located on the right side of the sacristy door, describing some works done in the ninth century.

Notable people

Archpriests

Pope Boniface VIII Pope Boniface VIII (; born Benedetto Caetani; – 11 October 1303) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 24 December 1294 until his death in 1303. The Caetani, Caetani family was of baronial origin with connections t ...

instituted the office of Archpriest of the Archbasilica circa 1299. List of Archpriests of the Archbasilica: *

Gerardo Bianchi Gerardo Bianchi (1220/1225 – March 1, 1302), also known as Gerardo da Parma or Gerard of Parma, was an Italian churchman and papal diplomat, an important figure of the War of the Sicilian Vespers. Life Gerardo was born in Gainago, in the dio ...

(c.1299–1302) *

Pietro Valeriano Duraguerra Pietro is an Italian masculine given name. Notable people with the name include: People * Pietro I Candiano (c. 842–887), briefly the 16th Doge of Venice * Pietro Tribuno (died 912), 17th Doge of Venice, from 887 to his death * Pietro II C ...

(1302) *

Matteo Rosso Orsini Matteo Rosso Orsini (1178–1246), called the Great, was an Italian politician, the father of Pope Nicholas III. He was named ''senatore'' of the City of Rome by Pope Gregory IX in 1241: in this capacity he took a firm stand against the ventur ...

(1302–1305) *

Pietro Colonna Pietro Colonna (born around 1260; died 14 January 1326) was an Italian cardinal. Biography Pietro came from the Roman aristocratic family of Colonna. He was brother of Sciarra Colonna and Stephen the Older, and nephew of Cardinal Giovanni Co ...

(1306–1326) *

Bertrand de Montfavez Bertrand may refer to: Places * Bertrand, Missouri, US * Bertrand, Nebraska, US * Bertrand, New Brunswick, Canada * Bertrand Township, Michigan, US * Bertrand, Michigan * Bertrand, Virginia, US * Bertrand Creek, state of Washington * Saint-Bertr ...

(1326–1342) * Giovanni Colonna (1342–1348) *

Pierre Roger de Beaufort Pope Gregory XI (; born Pierre Roger de Beaufort; c. 1329 – 27 March 1378) was head of the Catholic Church from 30 December 1370 to his death, in March 1378. He was the seventh and last Avignon pope and the most recent French pope. In 1377, ...

(1348–1370) *

Ange de Grimoard Angel de Grimoard (ca. 1315/1320 in Grizac, Languedoc – 13 April 1388 in Avignon), also recorded as Angelic or Anglic, was a French canon regular and a Cardinal. He was the younger brother of Pope Urban V. He was born about 1315 in the Cas ...

(1371–1388) * Pietro Tomacelli (1388?–1389) *Francesco Carbone (1389–1405) *

Antonio Caetani (seniore) Antonio Caetani, seniore (1360–1412) was a Roman Catholic cardinal. Wikipedia:SPS, References

1360 births 1412 deaths 15th-century Italian cardinals Clergy from Rome {{Italy-RC-cardinal-stub ...

(1405–1412) * Oddone Colonna (1412–1417) * Alamanno Adimari (1418–1422) *

Guillaume Fillastre Guillaume Fillastre, sometimes called the Elder (1348 – 6 November 1428), was a French cardinal, canonist, humanist, and geographer. Life Fillastre was born at La Suze, Maine. After graduating as doctor ''juris utriusque'', Fillastre taugh ...

(1422–1428) * Alfonso Carillo de Albornoz (1428–1434) * Lucido Conti (1434–1437) * Angelotto Fosco (1437–1444) *

António Martinez de Chaves Antonio is a masculine given name of Etruscan origin deriving from the root name Antonius. It is a common name among Romance language–speaking populations as well as the Balkans and Lusophone Africa. It has been among the top 400 most popular ...

(1444–1447) *

Domenico Capranica Domenico Capranica (1400 – 14 July 1458) was an Italian theologian, canonist, statesman, and cardinal. Life Cardinal Capranica was born in Capranica Prenestina. His younger brother, Angelo, also became a cardinal. After studies in canon ...

(1447–1458) *

Prospero Colonna Prospero Colonna (1452–1523), sometimes referred to as Prosper Colonna, was an Italian condottiero. He was active during the Italian wars and served France, Spain, the Holy Roman Empire and various Italian states. His military career spanned ...

(1458–1463) *

Latino Orsini Latino Orsini (1411 – 11 August 1477) was an Italian Cardinal. Life Of the Roman branch of the Orsini family, he was the fourth child of Carlo and Paola Gironima Orsini. He entered the ranks of the Roman clergy as a youth, became subdeacon ...

(1463–1477) *

Giuliano della Rovere Pope Julius II (; ; born Giuliano della Rovere; 5 December 144321 February 1513) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 1503 to his death, in February 1513. Nicknamed the Warrior Pope, the Battle Pope or the Fearsome ...

(1477–1503) * Giovanni Colonna (1503–1538) * Alessandro Farnese (1508–1534) * Giovanni Domenico de Cupis (1534–1553) * Ranuccio Farnese (1553–1565) * Mark Sitticus von Hohenems (1565–1588) *

Ascanio Colonna Ascanio Colonna (April 3, 1560 – May 17, 1608) was an Italian Cardinal who in his lifetime enjoyed a reputation for eloquence and learning.Franca Petrucci,Colonna, Ascanio, in ''Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani'', vol. 27 (1982) Life Colon ...

(1588–1608) *

Scipione Caffarelli-Borghese Scipione Caffarelli-Borghese (; 1 September 1577 – 2 October 1633) was an Italian cardinal, art collector and patron of the arts. A member of the Borghese family, he was the patron of the painter Caravaggio and the artist Bernini. His legac ...

(1608–1620) *

Giambattista Leni Giambattista Leni (1573–1627) was a Roman Catholic cardinal.on consistory of 20 November 1608 was created cardinal by Pope Paul V On 20 July 1608, he was consecrated bishop by Ottavio Paravicini, Cardinal-Priest of Santi Bonifacio ed Alessio, ...

(1620–1627) * Francesco Barberini (1627–1629) *

Girolamo Colonna Girolamo Colonna (23 March 1604 – 4 September 1666) was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church and member of the noble Colonna family. Biography Colonna was born at Orsogna into the Colonna family and his extended family included m ...

(1629–1666) * Flavio Chigi (1666–1693) *

Paluzzo Paluzzi Altieri degli Albertoni Paluzzo Paluzzi Altieri degli Albertoni (8 June 1623 – 29 June 1698) was an Italian Catholic Cardinal and Cardinal-Nephew to Pope Clement X. Biography Altieri was born Paluzzo Paluzzi degli Albertoni in Rome, the eldest of two sons to Antoni ...

(1693–1698) *

Benedetto Pamphili Benedetto Pamphili (often with the final ''long i'' orthography, Pamphilj) (25 April 1653 – 22 March 1730) was an Italian cardinal, patron of the arts and librettist for many composers. Life Pamphili was born in Rome on 25 April 1653 int ...

(1699–1730) *

Pietro Ottoboni Pope Alexander VIII (; 22 April 1610 – 1 February 1691), born Pietro Vito Ottoboni, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 6 October 1689 to his death in February 1691. He is the most recent pope to take the ...

(1730–1740) *

Neri Maria Corsini Neri Maria Corsini (19 May 1685 – 6 December 1770) was an Italian nobleman, a Catholic priest and cardinal and a leading patron of the arts. A scion from an old Florentine family, he began his career in the service of the Grand Dukes of Tus ...

(1740–1770) *

Mario Marefoschi Compagnoni Mario Compagnoni Marefoschi (10 September 1714 – 23 December 1780) was a cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He was born in the Palazzo Compagnoni Marefoschi in Macerata, Italy. Pope Clement XIV made him a cardinal ''in pectore'' on 29 Ja ...

(1771–1780) * Carlo Rezzonico (1781–1799) *

Francesco Saverio de Zelada Francesco Saverio de Zelada (27 August 1717, in Rome – 19 December 1801, in Rome) was a cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, born of a Spanish family, who served in the Papal Curia and in the diplomatic service of the Holy See. He was educat ...

(1800–1801) *

Leonardo Antonelli Leonardo Antonelli (6 November 1730 – 23 January 1811) was an Italian Catholic cardinal. Biography A native of Senigallia, Antonelli was the nephew of Cardinal Nicolò Maria Antonelli. During the early part of his long diplomatic career, ...

(1801–1811) *

Bartolomeo Pacca Bartolomeo Pacca (27 December 1756, Benevento – 19 April 1844, Rome) was an Italian cardinal, scholar, and statesman as Cardinal Secretary of State. Pacca served as apostolic nuncio to Cologne, and later to Lisbon. Biography Bartolomeo Pacca ...

(1830–1844) *

Benedetto Barberini Benedetto Barberini (22 October 1788 – 10 April 1863) was a Catholic Cardinal and Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals. Personal life Barberini was born 22 October 1788, the youngest of ten children to his father ''Carlo Maria Barb ...

(28 April 1844 – 10 April 1863) * Lodovico Altieri (1863–1867) *

Costantino Patrizi Naro Costantino Patrizi Naro JUD (4 September 1798 – 17 December 1876) was a long-serving Italian Cardinal who became Dean of the College of Cardinals. Biography Born in Siena, Patrizi Naro was the son of Giovanni Patrizi Naro Montoro, 8th Marqui ...

(1867–1876) * Flavio Chigi (24 December 1876 – 1885) *

Raffaele Monaco La Valletta Raffaele Monaco La Valletta S.T.D. J.U.D. (23 February 1827 – 14 July 1896) was a Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church who served as Secretary of the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Holy Office. Education Raffaele Monaco La Vallet ...

(1885–1896) *

Francesco Satolli Francesco Satolli (21 July 1839 – 8 January 1910) was an Italian theologian, professor, cardinal, and the first Apostolic Delegate to the United States. Biography He was born on 21 July 1839, at Marsciano near Perugia. He was educated at ...

(16 December 1896 – 8 January 1910) *

Pietro Respighi Pietro Respighi S.T.D. JUD (22 September 1843 – 22 March 1913) was an Italian Catholic prelate who served as Archpriest of the Basilica of Saint John Lateran and vicar general of Rome. He was made a cardinal in 1899. Biography H ...

(10 January 1910 – 22 March 1913) *

Domenico Ferrata Domenico Ferrata JUD (4 March 1847 – 10 October 1914) was an Italian Roman Catholic Cardinal who spent most of his career in the diplomatic service of the Holy See and in the Roman Curia. Life Ferrata was born in Gradoli, near Viterbo to Gio ...

(7 April 1913 – 10 October 1914) *

Basilio Pompili Basilio Pompili (16 April 1858 – 5 May 1931) was an Italian Catholic prelate who served as Vicar General of Rome from 1913 until his death. He was elevated to the cardinalate in 1911. Biography Basilio Pompili was born in Spoleto, and studie ...

(28 October 1914 – 5 May 1931) *

Francesco Marchetti-Selvaggiani Francesco Marchetti Selvaggiani (1 October 1871 – 13 January 1951) was an Italian Catholic prelate who served as Secretary of the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, Vicar General of His Holiness, Secretary of the Holy Office, ...

(26 May 1931 – 13 January 1951) *

Benedetto Aloisi Masella Benedetto Aloisi Masella (29 June 1879 – 30 September 1970) was an Italian cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church who served as prefect of the Discipline of the Sacraments from 1954 to 1968, and as chamberlain of the Roman Church (or camerl ...

(27 October 1954 – 30 August 1970) *

Angelo Dell'Acqua Angelo Dell'Acqua (9 December 1903 – 27 August 1972) was an Italian cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church who served as vicar general of Rome from 1968-1972, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1967. Biography Dell'Acqua was born in ...

(7 November 1970 – 27 August 1972) *

Ugo Poletti Ugo Poletti (19 April 1914 – 25 February 1997) was an Italian cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church who served as Vicar General of Rome from 1973 to 1991, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1973. Biography Born in Omegna, Poletti studied ...

(26 March 1973 – 17 January 1991) *

Camillo Ruini Camillo Ruini (; born 19 February 1931) is an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church who was made a cardinal in 1991. He served as president of the Italian Episcopal Conference from 1991 to 2007 and as Vicar General of the Diocese of Rome from ...

(1 July 1991 – 27 June 2008) *

Agostino Vallini Agostino Vallini (born 17 April 1940) is an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church. He has been a cardinal since 2006. From 2008 to 2017, he served as Vicar General of Rome. He is also the Archpriest emeritus of the Archbasilica of St. John L ...

(27 June 2008 – 26 May 2017) *

Angelo De Donatis Angelo De Donatis (born 4 January 1954) is an Italian Catholic prelate who has served as Major Penitentiary since 2024. He was Cardinal Vicar (officially Vicar General of His Holiness) and Archpriest of the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran fr ...

(26 May 2017 – 6 April 2024) *

(6 October 2024 – present)

Others

* Giuseppe Olivieri, Italian composer who was

maestro di cappella ( , , ), from German (chapel) and (master), literally "master of the chapel choir", designates the leader of an ensemble of musicians. Originally used to refer to somebody in charge of music in a chapel, the term has evolved considerably in i ...

at the archbasilica in 1622–1623.

Gallery

File:Rome Scala Santa 2020 P01.jpg, The

Scala Sancta The (, ) are a set of 28 white marble steps located in an edifice on extraterritorial property of the Holy See in Rome, Italy proximate to the Archbasilica of Saint John in Laterano. Officially, the edifice is titled the Pontifical Sanctuary ...

File:Sgio1.JPG,

completed the late Baroque façade of the archbasilica in 1735 after winning a competition for the design. File:St John Lateran claim as head church in the world.jpg, Next to the main entrance is the inscription of the archbasilica's declaration to being the

of the world. File:Rom, Basilika San Giovanni in Laterano, Hl. Johannes der Täufer 2.jpg, Statue of

. File:St John Lateran ceiling.jpg, The decorated ceiling. File:Triclinium of Leo III.jpg,

Apse In architecture, an apse (: apses; from Latin , 'arch, vault'; from Ancient Greek , , 'arch'; sometimes written apsis; : apsides) is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical Vault (architecture), vault or semi-dome, also known as an ' ...

depicting

mosaic A mosaic () is a pattern or image made of small regular or irregular pieces of colored stone, glass or ceramic, held in place by plaster/Mortar (masonry), mortar, and covering a surface. Mosaics are often used as floor and wall decoration, and ...

s from the

in the ancient Lateran Palace. File:Latran intérieur.jpg, The cloister of the attached monastery, with a

cosmatesque Cosmatesque, or Cosmati, is a style of geometric decorative inlay stonework typical of the architecture of Medieval Italy, and especially of Rome and its surroundings. It was used most extensively for the decoration of church floors, but was also ...

decoration. File:Rom, Lateran, Kreuzgang des Klosters.JPG, The cloister of the attached monastery. File:Rome San Giovanni in Laterano 2020 P19 Black Madonna of Czestochowa.jpg,

Our Lady of Częstochowa Our or OUR may refer to: * The possessive form of " we" Places * Our (river), in Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany * Our, Belgium, a village in Belgium * Our, Jura, a commune in France Other uses * Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR), a governm ...

depicted in the archbasilica. File:Papal Archbasilica of St. John In Lateran Inside Photo.jpg, Interior picture of the Apse in the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran containing the Papal cathedra.

References

Notes

Citations

Sources

* * * * * *

External links

*
High-resolution virtual tour of Saint John Lateran
from the Vatican.
Satellite Photo of Saint John Lateran

*High-resolution 360° Panoramas and Images o
Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran , Art Atlas

Interactive Nolli Map Website

"Beggar's Rome"
- A self-directed virtual tour of St. John Lateran Basilica and other Roman churches {{DEFAULTSORT:Saint John Lateran John Lateran Burial places of popes Roman Catholic cathedrals in Italy Extraterritorial properties of the Holy See in Rome John Lateran Baroque architecture in Rome John Lateran

St John Lateran The Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran (officially the ''Major Papal, Patriarchal and Roman Archbasilica, Metropolitan and Primatial Cathedral of the Most Holy Savior and Saints John the Baptist and the Evangelist in Lateran, Mother and Head of A ...

Alessandro Galilei buildings Burned buildings and structures in Italy Neoclassical architecture in Rome

Name

History

Lateran Palace

Early Church

The Middle Ages

Fires and reconstruction

World War II

Architecture

History

Statues of the Apostles

Papal tombs

Baptistery and Holy Stairs

Tabula Magna Lateranensis

Notable people

Archpriests

Others

Gallery

See also

References

Notes

Citations

Sources

External links