Dedication of the Lateran Basilica, 2014 It surprises many to learn that St. Peter s Basilica is not the Cathedral church of the diocese of Rome. The church which is the Pope s cathedral, where his papal throne is placed, and is known as the head and the mother of all the churches of the city of Rome and of the entire world is the Cathedral of the Most Holy Saviour and St. John the Baptist and St John the Evangelist at the Lateran, or better known by its abbreviated name of St. John Lateran. Located in the vicinity of the Coliseum and the ancient neighbourhoods of the Eternal City, the site of the cathedral of all Catholics once belonged to the Laterni family, who were among the nobility of the Roman Empire. In the 4 th century the land and palaces of the Laterni were acquired by the Emperor Constantine who gave them to Pope Sylvester I. Shortly after the Pope moved into the Lateran palace and it became the principle church for the Christians of Rome. At first they adapted and remodeled the large basilica (which was building common in ancient Rome to use for large gatherings of people) in the Lateran palace to become a church. They then dedicated it to Christ the Most Holy Saviour and later to St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist (and it is the ancient tradition that the heads of St. Peter and St. Paul are contained in gold reliquaries above the high altar).
Soon the people of Rome and nobility throughout Christendom began to adorn the church with gold and fine mosaics, so that in time it was called the Basilica Aurea or Golden Basilica. But its wealth was taken when Rome was sacked by the Vandals in the 5 th century and over the next few centuries the building also suffered from an earthquake which almost destroyed it and two devastating fires. When the Popes moved from Rome to take up residence in Avignon, France in the 14 th century, the basilica fell into disrepair and for centuries was greatly neglected and in need of major renovations. These came once the Popes returned to Rome and began major reconstructions of St. John Lateran, enlarging it to fit more people for Masses and large celebrations like priestly ordinations, while also changing its architectural design and embellishing it with sacred art, statues and the tombs of Popes. By the 1800 s the Cathedral looked nothing like its ancient design from the 4 th century. Such was the need for change, rebuilding, and reassessing how best the Cathedral of Rome could serve the needs of the People of the Eternal City and the world over for all the pilgrims who go to pray there, and in doing so acquire a
sense of how this house of prayer is truly a sign of unity and vitality for every Catholic parish the world over. There is no denying that it is the architectural beauty and antiquity on which St. John Lateran resides that is partly what inspires those who pray within its sacred walls. You are standing in a place that has shaped so much of what it means to be Catholic and as you look at the massive statues of the 12 apostles and St. Paul that lines the church s main columns, you realize that this cathedral is so much more than just its grandiose structure. It is also a powerful symbol of the Universal Church s permanence and ability to rebuild and reform so as to continue to be a light in the midst of darkness. If some horrendous deed of terrorism or a natural disaster or a fire was to destroy St. John Lateran, the fact that it remains the Cathedral of the entire Catholic world and a symbol of unity would not disappear. It would arise once again to serve the needs of the people of that time because it is more than a building; it is an outward sign of what the Church is called to be: the transforming presence of Jesus Christ in the world! We know that just because buildings are destroyed or new ones are built in their place, the truth for which they stand for continues. Consider the Temple in
Jerusalem. Nothing remains of it except one of its outer retaining walls that the Jewish people continue to pray at every day. But the truth that Ezekiel beheld in his vision of life giving water flowing from its inner sanctuary to give vitality to the stagnant waters of the world is a reality we encounter in our own times. How can this be when the Temple is no more? It is because Ezekiel saw something greater than the temple as a building. He saw the coming of Jesus Christ, the true temple. From his pierced side flowed the life giving water of baptism, which purifies and sweetens the stagnant water of sin that hold too many in bondage to the flesh, the world and the devil. The Lord continues to lavish this gift of salvation through the ministry of his Church, whether we be privileged enough to have an actual church building to offer these sacraments or the parish in Africa that has had its church building burned down by terrorists, but in courageous defiance gather Sunday after Sunday in its ruins to celebrate Mass and the other sacraments! It is this kind of faith that reveals whether or not a parish s identity is truly founded on Jesus Christ and his call to evangelize and be transformed by him or if their identity is tied to more passing and temporal realities that when they are taken from people, they abandon Christ and the Church to go and pray elsewhere?
My friends, is there a torrent of life giving water flowing from this parish family? Is the foundation and identity of our parish truly Jesus Christ or is it more attached to temporal things? And what are we willing to do to assure that ours is a home for all Catholics, of all ages, sustainable, and with longevity for the needs of our community as they have changed and developed since the founding of the Catholic Church in our city? Imagine if St. John Lateran had never undergone major renovations, adaptations and changes to meet the needs of the Church over 1700 years? Had it simply remained as it once was it would have collapsed and been forgotten! Sadly many of its architectural treasures were lost over time but new ones were added to uphold its beauty and grandeur. By both honouring its past and changing over the course of history, St. John Lateran remains, because it is founded on Jesus Christ, the cornerstone of our faith. Are we prepared and willing to undertake something similar in our parish?