The late Baroque façade of the Basilica of St. John Lateran was completed by Alessandro Galilei in 1735 after winning a competition for the design.

The Basilica of St. John Lateran — in Italian, the Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano — is the cathedral church of Rome and the official ecclesiastical seat of the Pope. Officially named Archibasilica Sanctissimi Salvatoris (Archbasilica of the Most Holy Savior), it is the oldest and ranks first (being the only cathedral in Rome) among the four major basilicas of Rome, and holds the title of ecumenical mother church (mother church of the whole inhabited world) among Catholics. The current archpriest of St. John Lateran is Camillo Ruini, Cardinal Vicar General for the Diocese of Rome. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (634x648, 40 KB)Basilica photo from German Wikipedia, taken by German User:Mogantiner at the end of October 2004. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (634x648, 40 KB)Basilica photo from German Wikipedia, taken by German User:Mogantiner at the end of October 2004. ... Alessandro Galilei (1691 - 1736) was a Florentine architect and theorist. ... A cathedral is a Christian church building, specifically of a denomination with an episcopal hierarchy, such as the Anglican, Catholic and some Lutheran churches, which serves as the central church of a diocese, and thus as a bishops seat. ... The current Pope is Benedict XVI (born Joseph Alois Ratzinger), who was elected at the age of 78 on 19 April 2005. ... St. ... The Basilica of St. ... The word ecumenical comes from a Greek word that means pertaining to the whole world. ... A motherchurch or mother church in Christianity is used in three forms. ... An archpriest is the title of a priest which has supervisory duties over a number of parishes. ... Camillo Cardinal Ruini. ...

An inscription on the façade, Christo Salvatore, dedicates the Lateran as Archbasilica of the Most Holy Saviour, for all patriarchal basilicas are dedicated to Christ himself. As the cathedral of the Bishop of Rome, containing the papal throne (Cathedra Romana), it ranks above all other churches in the Catholic Church, even above St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. This article is about the famous building in Rome. ...

Lateran Palace

Main article: Lateran Palace

The site on which the Basilica sits was occupied during the early Roman Empire by the palace of the gens Laterani. The Laterani served as administrators for several emperors; Sextius Lateranus was the first plebeian to attain the rank of consul. One of the Laterani, Consul-designate Plautius Lateranus, became famous for being accused by Nero of conspiracy against the emperor. The accusation resulted in the confiscation and redistribution of his properties. The Lateran Palace, sometimes more formally known as the Palace of the Lateran, is an ancient palace of the Roman Empire and later a Palace of the Popes. ... For other uses, see Roman Empire (disambiguation). ... The quintessential medieval European palace: Palais de la Cité, in Paris, the royal palace of France. ... GENS is an open source emulator for the Sega Genesis (Sega Megadrive). ... Look up Administration in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... An emperor is a (male) monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. ... In Ancient Rome, the plebs was the general body of Roman citizens, distinct from the privileged class of the patricians. ... Consul (abbrev. ... Nero[1] Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (December 15, 37 – June 9, 68), born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, also called Nero Claudius Drusus Germanicus, was the fifth and last Roman Emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty (54–68). ...

The square in front of the Lateran Palace has an obelisk built by Pharaoh Tuthmosis III in Karnak, and placed in the Circus Maximus before being re-erected in its current place.

The Lateran Palace fell into the hands of the emperor when Constantine I married his second wife Fausta, sister of Maxentius. 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 actual date of the gift is unknown but scholars believe it had to have been during the pontificate of Pope Miltiades, in time to host a synod of bishops in 313 that was convened to challenge the Donatist schism, declaring Donatism as heresy. The palace basilica was converted and extended, eventually becoming the cathedral of Rome, the seat of the popes as patriarchs of Rome. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (710x967, 473 KB) Rome, Lateran obelisk, near San Giovanni in Laterano. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (710x967, 473 KB) Rome, Lateran obelisk, near San Giovanni in Laterano. ... The Lateran Palace, sometimes more formally known as the Palace of the Lateran, is an ancient palace of the Roman Empire and later a Palace of the Popes. ... The Luxor obelisk in the Place de la Concorde in Paris For the obelisk punctuation mark, see dagger (typography). ... Thutmose III (also written as Tuthmosis III; called Manahpi(r)ya in the Amarna letters) (? - 1426 BC), was Pharaoh of Egypt in the Eighteenth Dynasty. ... Map of Karnak, showing major temple complexes Interior of Temple Al-Karnak (Arabic الكرنك, in Ancient Egypt was named Ipet Sut, the most venerated place) is a small village in Egypt, located on the banks of the River Nile some 2. ... For other uses, see Circus Maximus (disambiguation). ... The Lateran Palace, sometimes more formally known as the Palace of the Lateran, is an ancient palace of the Roman Empire and later a Palace of the Popes. ... Bronze statue of Constantine I in York, England, near the spot where he was proclaimed Emperor in 306 For other uses, see Constantine I (disambiguation). ... Fausta, as Salus, holding her two sons, Constantine II and Constantius II. Fausta Flavia Maxima was the daughter of the Roman Emperor Maximianus. ... Maxentius as Augustus on a coin. ... Miltiades, or Melchiades (other forms of the name being Meltiades, Melciades, Milciades, and Miltides) was Pope from July 10, 310 or 311 to January 10 or 11, 314. ... A synod (also known as a council) is a council of a church, usually a Christian church, convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. ... Two bishops assist at the Exhumation of Saint Hubert, who was a bishop too, at the église Saint-Pierre in Liège. ... February - Wtf is up mah cracka??. Constantine issues the Edict of Milan, ending all persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire. ... The word schism (IPA: or ), from the Greek σχίσμα, skhísma (from σχίζω, skhízō, to split), means a division or a split, usually in an organization or a movement. ... The Donatists (founded by the Berber christian Donatus) were followers of a belief considered a heresy by the Roman Catholic Church. ... Heresy, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, is a theological or religious opinion or doctrine maintained in opposition, or held to be contrary, to the Catholic or Orthodox doctrine of the Christian Church, or, by extension, to that of any church, creed, or religious system, considered as orthodox. ... St. ...

The official dedication of the Basilica and the adjacent Lateran Palace was presided over by Pope Sylvester I in 324, declaring both to be Domus Dei or "House of God." In its interior, the Papal Throne was placed, making it the Cathedral of the Bishop of Rome. In reflection of the basilica's primacy in the world as mother church, the words Sacrosancta Lateranensis ecclesia omnium urbis et orbis ecclesiarum mater et caput are incised in the main door, meaning "Most Holy Lateran Church, of all the churches in the city and the world, the mother and head." ... Events Constantine becomes the sole emperor of the Roman Empire. ...

The nave of San Giovanni in Laterano.

The Lateran Palace and basilica have been rededicated twice. Pope Sergius III dedicated them to Saint John the Baptist in the 10th century in honor of the newly consecrated baptistry of the Basilica. Pope Lucius II dedicated the Lateran Palace and basilica to Saint John the Evangelist in the 12th century. However, St. John Baptist and St. John the Evangelist are regarded as co-patrons of the Cathedral, the chief patron being Christ the Saviour himself, as the inscription in the entrance of the Basilica indicates, and as is tradition in the Patriachal Cathedrals. Thus, the Basilica remains dedicated to the Saviour. That is why sometimes the Basilica will be referred to by the full title of Archabsilica of the Most Holy Saviour and of Sts. John Baptist and John Evangelist in the Lateran.[1] The church became the most important shrine in honor of the two saints, not often jointly venerated (but see Peruzzi Chapel, Santa Croce, Florence). In later years, a Benedictine monastery was established at the Lateran Palace, devoted to serving the basilica as a devotional to the two saints. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (890x667, 161 KB) from de:wiki with these data: Beschreibung: Das Bild zeigt den Innenraum der Lateransbasilika in Rom. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (890x667, 161 KB) from de:wiki with these data: Beschreibung: Das Bild zeigt den Innenraum der Lateransbasilika in Rom. ... Pope Sergius III, scion of Benedictus, of a noble Roman family, reigned in two intervals between 897 and April 14, 911, during a period of feudal violence and disorder in central Italy, where the Papacy was a pawn of warring aristocratic factions. ... John the Baptist (also called John the Baptizer or John the Dipper) is regarded as a prophet by at least three religions: Christianity, Islam, and Mandaeanism. ... As a means of recording the passage of time, the 10th century was that century which lasted from 901 to 1000. ... Christen redirects here. ... Lucius II, neé Gherardo Caccianemici dal Orso (died February 15, 1145) was Pope from March 12, 1144 until his death. ... Categories: Saints | Ancient Roman Christianity | Christianity-related stubs ... (11th century - 12th century - 13th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 12th century was that century which lasted from 1101 to 1200. ... The Peruzzi were bankers of Florence, among the leading families of the city in the 14th century, before the rise to prominence of the Medici. ... A Benedictine is a person who follows the Rule of St Benedict. ... Monastery of St. ... Devotional songs are hymns that accompany religious rituals. ...

Every pope from Miltiades occupied the Lateran Palace until the reign of the French Pope Clement V, who in 1309 decided to transfer the official seat of the Catholic Church to Avignon, a papal fief that was an enclave within France. During the Avignon papacy, the Lateran Palace and the basilica began to decline. Two destructive fires rampaged through the Lateran Palace and the basilica, in 1307 and again in 1361. In both cases, the Avignon papacy sent money to their bishops in Rome to cover the costs of reconstruction and maintenance. Despite the action, the Lateran Palace and the basilica lost their former splendor. Clement V, born Bertrand de Goth (also occasionally spelled Gouth and Got) (1264 – April 20, 1314), was Pope from 1305 to his death. ... Events August 15 - The city of Rhodes surrenders to the forces of the Knights of St. ... City flag City coat of arms Location Coordinates Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Administration Country France Région Provence-Alpes-Côte dAzur Département Vaucluse (préfecture) Arrondissement Avignon Canton Chief town of 4 cantons Intercommunality Communauté dagglomération du Grand Avignon Mayor Marie-Josée Roig... The Papal palace in Avignon In the history of the Roman Catholic Church, the Avignon Papacy was the period from 1309 to 1377 during which seven popes, all French, resided in Avignon: Pope Clement V: 1305–1314 Pope John XXII: 1316–1334 Pope Benedict XII: 1334–1342 Pope Clement VI... Events July - The Knights Hospitaller begin their conquest of Rhodes. ... Founding of the University of Pavia, Italy. ...

When the Avignon papacy formally ended and the Bishop of Rome again resided in Rome, the Lateran Palace and the basilica were deemed inadequate considering the accumulated damage. The popes took up residency at the Basilica di Santa Maria in Trastevere and later at the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore. Eventually, the Palace of the Vatican was constructed, and the papacy moved in; the papacy remains there today. Santa Maria in Trastevere is one of the oldest churches in Rome. ... The Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore is the largest church in Rome dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. ... The Palace of the Vatican, also called the Papal Palace or the Apostolic Palace, is the official residence of the Pope in the Vatican City. ...

The Holy Door.

Pope Sixtus V tore down the original Lateran Palace and basilica and commissioned replacements. The rebuilt Lateran Palace and the Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano became separate entities. Today the Lateran Palace is home to the Pontifical Museum of Christian Antiquities. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (683x1024, 504 KB) This image was originally posted to Flickr as DCP_2691. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (683x1024, 504 KB) This image was originally posted to Flickr as DCP_2691. ... Sixtus V, born Felice Peretti (December 13, 1521 -– August 27, 1590) was pope from 1585 to 1590. ... The Pontifical Museum of Christian Antiquities is a museum founded by the popes of the Roman Catholic Church housed in the Lateran Palace, adjacent to the Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterno. ...

The square in front of the Lateran Palace has a red granite obelisk, the largest in the world, erected by Thutmose III in Karnak. It was removed to Rome by Constantius II in 357 and re-erected in the Circus Maximus. Sixtus V had it re-erected in 1587 on its present site. The Luxor obelisk in the Place de la Concorde in Paris For the obelisk punctuation mark, see dagger (typography). ... Menkheperre Lasting is the Manifestation of Re Nomen Thutmose Neferkheperu Thoth is born, beautiful of forms Horus name Kanakht Khaemwaset Mighty Bull, Arising in Thebes Nebty name Wahnesytmireempet Enduring in kingship like Re in heaven Golden Horus Sekhempahtydsejerkhaw Powerful of strength, holy of diadems Consort(s) Hatshepsut-Meryetre, Nebtu, Menwi... Map of Karnak, showing major temple complexes Interior of Temple Al-Karnak (Arabic الكرنك, in Ancient Egypt was named Ipet Sut, the most venerated place) is a small village in Egypt, located on the banks of the River Nile some 2. ... Flavius Iulius Constantius, known in English as Constantius II, (7 August 317 - 3 November 361) was a Roman Emperor (337 - 361) of the Constantinian dynasty. ... Events Battle of Strasbourg (357): Julian leads the Roman forces to victory against the Alamanni at Strasbourg Births Deaths Category: 357 ... For other uses, see Circus Maximus (disambiguation). ... 1587 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 10-day slower Julian calendar). ...

The Lateran Palace has also been the site of five Ecumenical councils. See Lateran councils. In Christianity, an Ecumenical Council or general council is a meeting of the bishops of the whole church convened to discuss and settle matters of Church doctrine and practice. ... The Lateran councils were ecclesiastical councils or synods of the Catholic Church held at Rome in the Lateran Palace next to the Lateran Basilica. ...

Reconstruction

The Loggia delle Benedizioni, on the back left side. Annexed, on the left, is the Lateran Palace.

There were several attempts at reconstruction of the basilica before Pope Sixtus V's definitive project. Sixtus hired his favorite architect Domenico Fontana to oversee much of the project. Further renovation of the interior ensued under the direction of Francesco Borromini, commissioned by Pope Innocent X. The twelve niches created by his architecture came to be filled by 1718 with statues of the apostles, using the most prominent Roman Rococo sculptors: Camillo Rusconi (Andrew,Matthew, James the Greater, John the Evangelist), Francesco Moratti (Simon), Angelo de' Rossi (James the Less), Giuseppe Mazzuoli (Philip), Lorenzo Ottoni (Thaddeus), and the Frenchmen Pierre-Étienne Monnot (Peter, Paul) and Pierre Le Gros the Younger^[1] (Bartholomew, Thomas). Image File history File links Roma-san_giovanni. ... Image File history File links Roma-san_giovanni. ... Domenico Fontana (1543 – 1607) was an Italian architect of the late Renaissance. ... Francesco Borromini (September 25, 1599 – August 3, 1667 in Rome) was a prominent and influential Baroque architect, and active in Rome and contemporary with the prolific papal architect and often rival, Gian Lorenzo Bernini. ... Innocent X, born Giovanni Battista Pamphili (May 6, 1574 – January 7, 1655) was Pope from 1644 to 1655. ... Camillo Rusconi was a prominent Italian sculptor of the late Baroque in Rome (Milan, 14 July, 1658- Rome, 1728). ... // Pierre-Étienne Monnot (Orchamps-Vennes, Doubs, Franche-Comté, 9 August 1657 — Rome 24 August 1733) was a French sculptor working mostly in Rome in a late-Baroque idiom. ... Saint Stanislaus Kostka on his deathbed, 1702-05 Pierre Le Gros the Younger (Paris, 12 April 1666 — Rome 3 May 1719) was a prominent sculptor, active almost exclusively in Baroque Rome. ...

The vision of Pope Clement XII for reconstruction was an ambitious one: he launched a competition to design a new façade. Over 23 architects, mostly working in the current Baroque idiom competed. The putatively impartial jury was chaired by Sebastiano Conca, president of the Roman Academy of Saint Luke. The winner of the competition was Alessandro Galilei. The façade as it appears today was completed in 1735. Galilei's façade however removed all vestiges of traditional ancient basilica architecture, and imparted a neo-classical facade. Clement XII, born as Lorenzo Corsini (Florence, April 7, 1652 – Rome, February 6, 1740), Pope from 1730 to 1740, had been an aristocratic lawyer and financial manager under preceding pontiffs. ... Adoration, by Peter Paul Rubens. ... Sebastiano Conca (1679 - 1764), Italian painter of the Florentine school, was born at Gaeta, and studied at Naples under Francesco Solimena. ... Accademia di San Luca, (the Academy of Saint Luke) was an association of artists in Rome, founded in 1593 with the directorship of Federico Zuccari, with the purpose of elevating the work of artists above that of craftsman. ... Alessandro Galilei (1691 - 1736) was a Florentine architect and theorist. ... Events April 16 - The London premiere of Alcina by George Frideric Handel, his first the first Italian opera for the Royal Opera House at Covent Garden. ...

The Papal cathedra, which makes this basilica the cathedral of Rome, is located in the apse. The decorations are in cosmatesque style.

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x683, 645 KB) Description: Popes chair, Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano, Roma, Italy File links The following pages link to this file: Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano Cathedra ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x683, 645 KB) Description: Popes chair, Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano, Roma, Italy File links The following pages link to this file: Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano Cathedra ... Pope John Paul II has reigned since 22 Oct 1978. ... The cathedra of the Pope in the apse of St. ... During Mediaeval ages, in the 12th and 13th centuries, many marble workers created their pieces taking their marble from ancient Roman ruins, and composing the fragments in geometrical decorations. ...

Architectural 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" of Pope Leo III, which was the state banqueting hall. The existing structure (illustration, below left) is not ancient, but it is possible that some portions of the original mosaics have been preserved in the three-part mosaic of its niche: in the centre Christ gives their mission to the Apostles, on the left he gives the keys to St. Sylvester and the Labarum to Constantine, while on the right St. Peter gives the papal stole to Leo III and the standard to Charlemagne. In Roman Era dwellings (particularly those of the wealthy), triclinia were standard issue. ... Leo III (died June 12, 816) was Pope from 795 to 816. ... The Labarum An image of the labarum, with the Greek letters Alpha and Omega inscribed. ... The stole (a liturgical vestment of various Christian denominations) is an embroidered band of cloth, formerly usually of silk, about two and one-half to three metres long and seven to ten centimetres wide, whose ends are usually broadened out. ... A portrait of Charlemagne by Albrecht Dürer that was painted several centuries after Charlemagnes death. ...

Apse depicting mosaics from the Triclinium of Pope Leo III in the ancient Lateran Palace.

Some few remains of the original buildings may still be traced in the city walls outside the Gate of St. John, and a large wall decorated with paintings was uncovered in the eighteenth century within the basilica itself, behind the Lancellotti Chapel. A few traces of older buildings also came to light during the excavations made in 1880, when the work of extending the apse was in progress, but nothing was published of real value or importance. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1109x1600, 330 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Basilica of St. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1109x1600, 330 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Basilica of St. ... The defensive wall of Braşov, Romania. ...

A great many donations from the popes and other benefactors to the basilica are recorded in the Liber Pontificalis, and its splendour at an early period was such that it became known as the "Basilica Aurea", or Golden Basilica. This splendour drew upon it the attack of the Vandals, who stripped it of all its treasures. Pope Leo I restored it around 460, and it was again restored by Pope Hadrian, but in 896 it was almost totally destroyed by an earthquake— ab altari usque ad portas cecidit "it collapsed from the altar to the doors"— damage so extensive that it was difficult to trace the lines of the old building, but these were in the main respected and the new building was of the same dimensions as the old. This second church lasted for four hundred years and then burnt in 1308. It was rebuilt by Pope Clement V and Pope John XXII, only to be burnt down once more in 1360, but again rebuilt by Pope Urban V. The Book of the Popes or the Liber Pontificalis is a major source for early medieval history but was also met with intense critical scrutiny. ... The Vandals were an East Germanic tribe that entered the late Roman Empire during the 5th century and created a state in North Africa, centered on the city of Carthage. ... Pope Leo I was a Roman aristocrat who was Pope from 440 to 461. ... Adrian, or Hadrian I, (died December 25, 795) was pope from 772 to 795. ... Events The Bulgarians, under Simeon I, defeat the Byzantine Empire at Bulgarophygon. ... Clement V, born Bertrand de Goth (also occasionally spelled Gouth and Got) (1264 – April 20, 1314), was Pope from 1305 to his death. ... Pope John XXII, born Jacques Duèze or dEuse (1249 – December 4, 1334), was the son of a shoemaker in Cahors. ... Events October 24 - The Treaty of Brétigny is ratified at Calais, marking the end of the first phase of the Hundred Years War. ... Blessed Urban V, né Guillaume Grimoard (1310 – December 19, 1370), Pope from 1362 to 1370, was a native of Grizac in Languedoc (today part of the commune of Le Pont-de-Montvert, département of Lozère). ...

Through these various vicissitudes the basilica retained its ancient form, being divided by rows of columns into aisles, and having in front a peristyle surrounded by colonnades with a fountain in the middle, the conventional Late Antique format that was also followed by the old St Peter's. The façade had three windows, and was embellished with a mosaic representing Christ, the Saviour of the World. The porticoes were frescoed, probably not earlier than the twelfth century, commemorating the Roman fleet under Vespasian, the taking of Jerusalem, the Baptism of the Emperor Constantine and his "Donation" of the Papal States to the Church. Inside the basilica the columns no doubt ran, as in all other basilicas of the same date, the whole length of the church from east to west, but at one of the rebuildings, probably that which was carried out by Clement V, the feature of a transverse nave was introduced, imitated no doubt from the one which had been added, long before this, at Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls. Probably at this time the church was enlarged. In Roman architecture a peristyle is a columned porch or open colonnade in a building that surrounds a court that may contain an internal garden. ... Interior view, with the nave of the Cattedra in the back St. ... The Roman Navy (Latin: Classis) operated between the First Punic war and the end of the Western Roman Empire. ... Imperator Caesar Vespasianus Augustus (November 17, 9 – June 23, 79), known originally as Titus Flavius Vespasianus and usually referred to in English as Vespasian, was emperor of Rome from 69 to 79. ... Panoramic view from Mt. ... The Donation of Constantine (Latin, Constitutum Donatio Constantini or Constitutum domini Constantini imperatoris) is a forged Roman imperial edict devised probably between 750 and 850. ... Statue in front of the Basilica Basilica di San Paolo fuori le Mura — also known in English as the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls — is one of five churches considered to be the great ancient basilicas of Rome, Italy. ...

Some portions of the older buildings still survive. Among them the pavement of medieval Cosmatesque work, and the statues of St. Peter and Saint Paul, now in the cloisters. The graceful baldacchino over the high altar, which looks so utterly out of place in its present surroundings, dates from 1369. The stercoraria, or throne of red marble on which the popes sat, is now in the Vatican Museums. It owes its unsavoury name to the anthem sung at the papal enthronement, "De stercore erigens pauperem" ("lifting up the poor out of the dunghill", from Psalm 112). During Mediaeval ages, in the 12th and 13th centuries, many marble workers created their pieces taking their marble from ancient Roman ruins, and composing the fragments in geometrical decorations. ... According to tradition, Peter was crucified upside-down, as shown in this painting by Caravaggio. ... Paul of Tarsus (b. ... Cloister of Saint Trophimus, in Arles, France A cloister (from latin claustrum) is a part of cathedral, monastic and abbey architecture. ... The Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller at Rhodes under a canopy of estate, on a dais: there is a cushion under his feet A baldachin, baldachino or baldacchino is a canopy of state over an altar or throne, It had its beginnings as a cloth canopy, but in other... Events King Charles V of France renounces the treaty of Brétigny and war is declared between France and England. ... Entrance to the museum Staircase of the Vatican Museum The Vatican Museums (Musei Vaticani) are the public art and sculpture museums in the Vatican City, which display works from the extensive collection of the Roman Catholic Church. ...

From the fifth century there were seven oratories surrounding the basilica. These before long were incorporated in the church. The devotion of visiting these oratories, which held its ground all through the medieval period, gave rise to the similar devotion of the seven altars, still common in many churches of Rome and elsewhere.

Alessandro Galilei's façade.

Of the façade by Alessandro Galilei (1735), the cliché assessment has ever been that it is the façade of a palace, not of a church. Galilei's front, which is a screen across the older front creating a narthex or vestibule, does express the nave and double aisles of the basilica, 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 provides 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's palace on the Campidoglio. Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Alessandro Galilei (1691 - 1736) was a Florentine architect and theorist. ... The quintessential medieval European palace: Palais de la Cité, in Paris, the royal palace of France. ... The narthex of a church is the entrance or lobby area. ... Categories: Stub ... The Corinthian order as used for the portico of the Pantheon, Rome provided a prominent model for Renaissance and later architects, through the medium of engravings. ... Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (March 6, 1475 – February 18, 1564), commonly known as Michelangelo, was an Italian Renaissance painter, sculptor, architect, poet and engineer. ... The Capitoline Hill (Capitolinus Mons), between the Forum and the Campus Martius, is one of the famous seven hills of Rome, the site of a temple for the Capitoline Triad: the gods Jupiter, his wife Juno and their daughter Minerva. ...

Scala Sancta

Holy Steps

Main article: Scala Sancta

The Scala Sancta (Holy Stairs), white marble steps that encase wooden steps, are, according to Roman Catholic tradition, the staircase leading once to the praetorium of Pilate at Jerusalem, hence sanctified by the footsteps of Jesus Chirst during his Passion. The wooden stairs are visible through openings in the marble risers. Their translation from Jerusalem to the complex of palaces that became the ancient seat of popes in the fourth century is credited to Saint Helena, mother of the Emperor Constantine I. Pontius Pilate (Latin Pontius Pilatus) was the governor of the small Roman province of Judea from 26 until 36? AD although Tacitus believed him to be the procurator of that province. ... Panoramic view from Mt. ... The Passion is the theological term used for the suffering, both physical and mental, of Jesus in the hours prior to and including his trial and execution by crucifixion. ... Bronze statue of Constantine I in York, England, near the spot where he was proclaimed Emperor in 306 For other uses, see Constantine I (disambiguation). ...

In 1589, Pope Sixtus V reocated the steps to their present location in front of the ancient palatine chapel (the Sancta Sactorum). Sixtus V, born Felice Peretti (December 13, 1521 -– August 27, 1590) was pope from 1585 to 1590. ...

Lateran cloister

The cloister of the monastery, with a cosmatesque decoration.

Between the basilica and the city wall there was in former times the great monastery, in which dwelt the community of monks whose duty it was to provide the services in the basilica. The only part of it which still survives is the cloister, surrounded by graceful columns of inlaid marble. They are of a style intermediate between the Romanesque proper and the Gothic, and are the work of Vassellectus and the Cosmati. This beautiful cloister dates to the early 13th century. Image File history File links File links The following pages link to this file: Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano ... Image File history File links File links The following pages link to this file: Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano ... During Mediaeval ages, in the 12th and 13th centuries, many marble workers created their pieces taking their marble from ancient Roman ruins, and composing the fragments in geometrical decorations. ... Deconstructing a Roman pillar. ... Venus de Milo, front. ... Romanesque St. ... See also Gothic art. ... During Mediaeval ages, in the 12th and 13th centuries, many marble workers created their pieces taking their marble from ancient Roman ruins, and composing the fragments in geometrical decorations. ... (12th century - 13th century - 14th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 13th century was that century which lasted from 1201 to 1300. ...

Lateran baptistry

Main article: Lateran Baptistery.

The octagonal Lateran Baptistry stands somewhat apart from the basilica. It was founded by Pope Sixtus III, perhaps on an earlier structure, for a legend grew up that Constantine I had been baptized there and enriched the structure. (He was actually baptised in the East, by an Arian bishop.) This baptistry 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 manuscripts, "The fountain of Life". The domed octagonal Lateran Baptistery stands somewhat apart from the Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano, to which it has become joined by later construction. ... Sixtus III (d. ... Bronze statue of Constantine I in York, England, near the spot where he was proclaimed Emperor in 306 For other uses, see Constantine I (disambiguation). ... This article is about theological views like those of Arius. ... In the strictest definition of illuminated manuscript, only manuscripts decorated with gold or silver, like this miniature of Christ in Majesty from the Aberdeen Bestiary (folio 4v), would be considered illuminated. ... Godescalc Lectionary, commemorating the Baptism of Charlemagnes son in Rome in 781 with an image of the Fountain of Life. ...

Papal Tombs

There are six papal tombs inside the basilica: Alexander III (right aisles), Sergius IV (right aisles), Clement XIII Corsini (left aisle), Martin V (in front of the confessio) by Simone Ghini; Innocent III (right transept); and Leo XIII (left transept), by G. Tadolini (1907). The latter was the last pope not to be entombed in St. Peter's Basilica. Alexander III may refer to any of the following; Pope Alexander III pope from 1159 to 1181 Alexander III of Russia (1845-1894), emperor of Russia Alexander III of Scotland (1241-1286), king of Scotland Alexander III of Macedon, also known as Alexander the Great Categories: | ... Pope Sergius IV, né Pietro Boccapecora (died May 12, 1012) was pope from July 31, 1009 until his death. ... Clement XIII, né Carlo della Torre Rezzonico (Venice, March 7, 1693 - Rome, February 2, 1769) was pope from 1758 to 1769. ... Martin V, né Otto di Colonna (1368 - February 20, 1431), pope from 1417 to 1431, was elected on St Martins day at the Council of Constance by a conclave consisting of twenty-three cardinals and thirty delegates of the council, which after deposing John XXIII, had long experienced much... Innocent III, né Lotario de Conti ( 1161–June 16, 1216), was Pope from January 8, 1198 until his death. ... Pope Leo XIII Supreme Pontiff (1878-1903) Leo XIII, né Gioacchino Pecci (March 2, 1810 - July 20, 1903) was Pope from 1878 to 1903. ... This article is about the famous building in Rome. ...

Twelve Apostles

The twelve niches created by Borromini's architecture went empty for decades till in 1703 when Pope Clement XI encouraged the completion of the decoration, by sponsoring a competition to select the designs for larger-than-life sculptures of the apostles. A committee established led by Carlo Fontana and Carlo Marratti, selected from among the most prominent late baroque sculptors in Rome, including: Clement XI, né Giovanni Francesco Albani (July 23, 1649 – March 19, 1721) was pope from 1700 to 1721. ... Adoration, by Peter Paul Rubens. ...

• Camillo Rusconi

Andrew

Matthew

James the Greater

John the Evangelist

• Francesco Moratti

Simon

• Angelo de' Rossi

James the Less

• Giuseppe Mazzuoli

Philip

• Lorenzo Ottoni

Thaddeus

• Pierre-Étienne Monnot

Peter

Paul

• Pierre Le Gros the Younger

Bartholomew

Thomas

Camillo Rusconi was a prominent Italian sculptor of the late Baroque in Rome (Milan, 14 July, 1658- Rome, 1728). ... // Pierre-Étienne Monnot (Orchamps-Vennes, Doubs, Franche-Comté, 9 August 1657 — Rome 24 August 1733) was a French sculptor working mostly in Rome in a late-Baroque idiom. ... Saint Stanislaus Kostka on his deathbed, 1702-05 Pierre Le Gros the Younger (Paris, 12 April 1666 — Rome 3 May 1719) was a prominent sculptor, active almost exclusively in Baroque Rome. ...

Roman Catholic liturgy

In the liturgical calendar of the Roman Catholic Church, November 9 is the feast of the Dedication of the Basilica of St. John Lateran, often referred to in older missals as the Dedication of the Basilica of St. Saviour (or the holy Saviour). The liturgical year, also known as the Christian year, consists of the cycle of liturgical seasons in some Christian churches which determines when Feasts, Memorials, Commemorations, and Solemnities are to be observed and which portions of Scripture are to be read. ... The Roman Catholic Church or Catholic Church (see terminology below) is the Christian Church in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, currently Pope Benedict XVI. It traces its origins to the original Christian community founded by Jesus of Nazareth, with its traditions first established by the Twelve Apostles and... November 9 is the 313th day of the year (314th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 52 days remaining. ... The Forum for European-Australian Science and Technology Cooperation (FEAST) is a non-government organisation aimed at highlighting and developing collaborative research activities between Europe (European countries and the European Union) and Australia. ...

See also

• Early Christian art and architecture
• Optical illusion has a picture of floor tiles at the Basilica creating an illusion.

The Good Shepherd: Early Christian catacomb art Early Christian art and architecture is the art produced by Christians or under Christian patronage from about the year 200 to about the year 500. ... An optical illusion is characterized by visually perceived images that, at least in common sense terms, are deceptive or misleading. ...

Notes

1. ^ Pierre Le Gros was born in Paris, but his style was formed and his entire career spent in Rome.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano

Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... Wikimedia Commons logo by Reid Beels The Wikimedia Commons (also called Commons or Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ...

External links

• Catholic Encyclopedia Article on the Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano
• Illustrated Guide of the Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano
• Lateran entry from "Guide to the Churches of Rome"
• Satellite Photo of St. John Lateran
• Constantine's obelisk

Papal rituals, symbols & ceremonial
Apostolic Palace • Camauro • Coat of Arms • Conclave • Coronation • Fanon • Holy See • Inauguration • Mitre • Mozzetta • Pallium • Popemobile • Regalia & Insignia • Ring of the Fisherman • St. John Lateran • St. Peter's Basilica • St. Peter's Square • Sedia gestatoria • Sistine Chapel • Tiara • Vatican City

Landmarks of Rome

Apollo Belvedere | Ara Pacis | Aurelian Walls | Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore | Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls | Basilica of St. John Lateran | Baths of Caracalla | La Bocca della Verità | Capitoline Hill | Castel Sant'Angelo | Colosseum | Esposizione Universale Roma | Ghetto | Laocoön and his Sons | Largo di Torre Argentina | Monument of Vittorio Emanuele II | Obelisks in Rome | Palatine Hill | Palazzo Barberini | Palazzo Farnese | Pantheon | Piazza Navona | Quirinal Hill | Roman Forum | Santa Maria in Trastevere | Servian Wall | Sistine Chapel | Spanish Steps | St. Peter's Basilica | Tiber Island | Trevi Fountain | Villa Borghese The current Pope is Benedict XVI (born Joseph Alois Ratzinger), who was elected at the age of 78 on 19 April 2005. ... Image File history File links Emblem_of_the_Papacy. ... View across St. ... A camauro (from the Latin camelaucum, from Greek kamelauchion, meaning camel skin hat) is a cap traditionally worn by the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. ... Every pope of the Roman Catholic Church has his own personal coat of arms that serves as a symbol of his papacy. ... The Sistine Chapel is the location of the conclave. ... Pope Pius XII, in coronation robes and wearing the 1877 Papal Tiara, is carried through St. ... Pope John Paul II wearing the fanon on his shoulders. ... The Holy See (Latin: Sancta Sedes, lit. ... Pope Paul VI (1963-1978) is crowned at the last papal coronation to date, in 1963. ... A mitre. ... Pope Paul VI wearing the papal mozzetta. ... now. ... Pope John Paul II on a popemobile Another popemobile, produced by Fiat Popemobile is an informal name for the specially designed motor vehicle used by the Pope during public appearances. ... The most famous symbol of the Papacy is almost certainly the triregnum (a crown with three levels), also called the tiara or triple crown; recent Popes (since Pope John Paul I) have not, however, worn the triregnum. ... The Ring of the Fisherman or Pescatorio is an official part of the regalia worn by the pope, described by the Roman Catholic Church (of which he is the head) as the successor of Saint Peter, a fisherman by trade. ... This article is about the famous building in Rome. ... Saint Peters Square and Basilica, 1909. ... Error creating thumbnail: convert: unable to open image `/mnt/upload3/wikipedia/en/2/26/A022ht_5_SedeGest. ... The Sistine Chapel (Italian: Cappella Sistina) is a chapel in the Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the Pope, in the Vatican City. ... The Papal Tiara, also known as the Triple Tiara, or in Latin as the Triregnum, and in Italian as the Triregno, is the three-tiered jewelled papal crown, supposedly of Byzantine and Persian origin, that is a symbol of the Roman Catholic papacy. ... Anthem: Inno e Marcia Pontificale (Italian: Hymn and Pontifical March) Capital Vatican City1 Largest city Vatican City Official languages Latin2, Italian Government Absolute elective3 monarchy  - Head of State Pope Benedict XVI  - Secretary of State Tarcisio Cardinal Bertone  - Governor Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo Independence from the Kingdom of Italy   - Lateran Treaty 11... Originally, a landmark literally meant a geographic feature used by explorers and others to find their way back or through an area. ... Nickname: The Eternal City Motto: SPQR: Senatus PopulusQue Romanus Location of the city of Rome (yellow) within the Province of Rome (red) and region of Lazio (grey) Coordinates: Region Lazio Province Province of Rome Founded 21 April 753 BC Mayor Walter Veltroni Area    - City 1,500 km²  (580 sq mi... Image File history File linksMetadata Roma01. ... Apollo Belvedere in Museo Pio-Clementino. ... The Ara Pacis Augustae The Ara Pacis Augustae (Latin for Altar of Augustan Peace, and commonly shortened to Ara Pacis) is an altar to Peace, envisioned as a Roman goddess. ... South section of the walls The Aurelian Walls were city walls built between 270 and 273 in Rome during the reign of the Roman Emperor Aurelian. ... The Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore is the largest church in Rome dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. ... Statue in front of the Basilica Basilica di San Paolo fuori le Mura — also known in English as the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls — is one of five churches considered to be the great ancient basilicas of Rome, Italy. ... The Baths of Caracalla, in 2003 The Baths of Caracalla were Roman public baths, or thermae, built in Rome between 212 and 216 AD, during the reign of the Emperor Caracalla. ... The Mouth of Truth La Bocca della Verità (Italian, the Mouth of Truth) is a river god that used to be a drain cover, but since the Middle ages, has served as a lie detector. ... The Capitoline Hill (Capitolinus Mons), between the Forum and the Campus Martius, is one of the most famous and smallest of the seven hills of Rome. ... Castel SantAngelo from the bridge. ... The Colosseum by night: exterior view of the best-preserved section. ... Palazzo dei Congressi The Esposizione Universale Roma (E.U.R.) is a large complex, built in 1935 by Benito Mussolini as symbol of fascism for the world; he wanted to expand the new Rome in the west, to connect it to the sea. ... The Roman Ghetto was located in the area surrounded by todays Via del Portico dOttavia, Lungotevere dei Cenci, Via del Progresso and Via di Santa Maria del Pianto close to the Tiber and the Theatre of Marcellus, in Rome, Italy. ... Statue of Laocoön and his Sons, Vatican Museums, Rome The statue of Laocoön and his Sons, also called the Laocoön Group, is a monumental marble sculpture, now in the Vatican Museums, Rome. ... Largo di Torre Argentina, Temple A (to Juturna), with part of Temple B on the left. ... The monument of Victor Emmanuel II Monument of Vittorio Emanuele II (Monument of Victor Emmanuel II) or Altare della Patria (Altar of the Nation) or Il Vittoriano is a monument located in Rome, Italy. ... 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Facade of the Pantheon The Pantheon (Latin Pantheon[1], from Greek Πάνθεον Pantheon, meaning Temple of all the Gods) is a building in Rome which was originally built as a temple to the seven deities of the seven planets in the state religion of Ancient Rome, but which has been a... Fountain of the four Rivers with Egyptian obelisk, in the middle of Piazza Navona Piazza Navona is a square in Rome. ... An etching of the Hill, crowned by the mass of the Palazzo del Quirinale, from a series I Sette Colli di Roma antica e moderna published in 1827 by Luigi Rossini (1790 - 1857): his view, from the roof of the palazzo near the Trevi Fountain that now houes the Accademia... This page refers to the main forum in the centre of Rome. ... Santa Maria in Trastevere is one of the oldest churches in Rome. ... The Servian Wall now next to the railway station of Termini. ... The Sistine Chapel (Italian: Cappella Sistina) is a chapel in the Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the Pope, in the Vatican City. ... The Spanish Steps in Rome. ... This article is about the famous building in Rome. ... A view from the south on the Tiber Island. ... Trevi Fountain at night. ... Villa Borghese: the 19th century Temple of Aesculapius built purely as a landscape feature, influenced by the lake at Stourhead, Wiltshire, England. ...