Exploring Rome: The Magnificent St. John Lateran Basilica

PART 135: It might be interesting to share how we pulled off living in Italy for part of the year. I will post some steps and what we are learning along the way.

We love every minute of it, and what was once a dream is our life!

We live in Tuscany in the Fall, then back again in the Spring, and in California for the rest of the time (in a previous blog, I explained why we live in Italy only part of the year).

Step 1: As we explore areas in Italy, we discover some gems worth sharing. Some are well-known tourist magnets, and others are lesser-known but always amazing.

This week, let's explore St. John Lateran and how I was able to touch history.

Step 2: As I write this, I am currently in Rome and have decided to do something different. I hopped on the #87 bus and rode over to St. John Lateran to see what it is all about.

Step 3: The area

Before and after my visit to the Basilica, I took some time to explore the surrounding area. I was struck by how residential the San Giovanni zone is, especially the stretch from the Lateran to the nearby Santa Croce basilica. Along this route is a park filled with families, children playing, and dogs running. It was a vibrant, refreshing space where locals enjoy their daily lives, and I noticed that tourists seemed to be in the minority.

Step 4: My history

I lived in Rome during the 1980s while pursuing my university studies, and for several years, I resided near the Lateran, which I saw every day. Most days, I would take a 45-minute walk to school, allowing me to clear my head and enjoy the beauty of Rome. However, it was a difficult time in my life as I searched for answers within the context of seminary life.

As a result, my memories of St. John Lateran are intertwined with the sadness of that period. However, I wanted to experience this remarkable piece of history in a new light. I was eager to return, leave the past behind, and embrace the Basilica's history as something fresh and new.

Step 5: Lateran History: Why this is an incredible place to visit

The Basilica of Saint John Lateran was built in the fourth century on the Horti Laterani, an ancient estate that belonged to the Lateran family. This land was confiscated during the reign of Emperor Nero.

The estate and the palace later came into Emperor Constantine's possession after he married Fausta, the daughter of former Emperor Maximian, in 307 AD.

Tradition holds that Constantine commissioned the construction of the Basilica as a gesture of gratitude following his victory at the Battle of Milvian Bridge in 312 AD.

The Basilica was consecrated in 324 AD by Pope Sylvester I, who dedicated it to Christ the Savior.

The present day St. John Lateran features five large naves separated by rows of massive columns. In the apse, a stunning golden mosaic dates from the 4th to the 6th centuries (it has been restored several times since). The central nave, which was entirely redesigned by Borromini to conceal the original columns, contains niches with statues of saints and apostles. Above these niches, paintings inspired by the New and Old Testaments reflect those from the Imperial era.

St. John Lateran Basilica in Rome is recognized as the mother church of all Catholic churches in the Western world. Inscribed on the church facade are the Latin words "omnium urbis et orbis ecclesiarum mater et caput," which translates to "The mother and head of all the churches of the city and of the world."

The church houses some fascinating historical and legendary objects, as described below.

Step 6: Touching History

One of the most remarkable features of St. John Lateran is actually located outside the church. If you can visit, take a moment to stand in front of the massive bronze doors and touch them. These doors are the very same ones that once adorned the Senate House in the Roman Forum. Consider who may have touched them 2,000 years ago—who crafted and passed by them. Experience the weight of history.

Step 7: Myths, Legends, and cool stories

Above the Papal Altar in this church are two busts representing St. Peter and St. Paul. According to tradition, these busts contain the skulls, or parts of the skulls, of the two apostles.

Beneath the Papal Altar lies a wooden table, said to be the one on which St. Peter celebrated Mass.

Above a side chapel, to the left of the main altar, there is another ancient piece of wood. If you look up behind a bronze relief depicting the Last Supper, you will find what tradition holds as a part of the table used during the Last Supper.

I cannot say whether these stories are based on history, myth, or legend. However, these and other objects within the Basilica tell tales that bring the place to life and make it a very cool place to visit.

Step 8: The Mosaics in the Apse

The mosaic illustrates the Crucifixion, featuring Christ on the cross with Mary and John the Baptist. Surrounding saints hold scrolls affirming Christ's divinity, while streams of water symbolize spiritual thirst and connect to Ezekiel's vision of healing waters.

This artwork conveys that Christ's cross fulfills Ezekiel's promise of salvation, restoring nature to God's grace and echoing the four rivers of Eden. Below, the Tree of Life and the New Jerusalem reinforce this theme.

On the left, figures include St. Paul, St. Peter, St. Francis, and Pope Nicholas IV; on the right, St. John the Baptist, St. Anthony, St. John the Evangelist, and St. Andrew. The scrolls they hold feature scriptural references that highlight Christ's role.

This mosaic, which includes elements from the 4th to 6th centuries, was repeatedly restored and added to, starting in the 13th century.

Step 9: What this visit meant to me

Yesterday's visit to the Lateran helped me replace old memories with new ones. Rather than a symbol of a sad period in my life, the Basilica became a place where I could touch history (the bronze doors), walk on a 15th-century floor, gaze at a piece of wood said to be from the Last Supper, wander behind the altar to see the historical apse mosaics, and sit on one of the many chairs to let the place speak to me.

I now have a new appreciation and a sense of belonging to a great history along with the Lateran Basilica.

More next time.

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