Today is the anniversary of the dedication of the Lateran church in Rome, the mother church, which was dedicated on November 9, 324 AD. King Constantine had built the original church on a plot of land owned by the Laterani family. It was pillaged and attacked and desecrated over the years, but it survived. However, an earthquake in the 9th century destroyed it completely. The Lateran Basilica along with the Palace adjacent to it have been rebuilt and rededicated twice. Pope Sergius III dedicated them to Saint John the Baptist in the 10th century, while Pope Lucius II dedicated them to Saint John the Evangelist in the 12th century. Two destructive fires in 1307 and 1361 ravaged the Palace and Basilica. The successive Popes had to move to Avignon, and the Avignon Papacy sent money for their reconstruction and maintenance. However they never regained their former splendor, until Pope Clement XII launched a competition to design a new façade. In the meantime, the Popes returned to Rome, but settled now at the Vatican, where they still remain.
Over 23 architects took part
in the competition and the winner was Alessandro Galilei. The majestic façade
as it appears today was completed in 1735. I was fortunate to visit the
Basilica in May 2012 and took quite a few photos, 2 of which are accompanying this post. I was
especially impressed with 12 massive statues of the 12 apostles situated inside
the basilica, sculpted by the best sculptors in Rome in the early 18th century:
Rusconi, Moratti, Rossi, Mazzuoli, Ottoni, Monnot and Le Gros. An elaborate baldacchino
stands above the main altar, surrounded by various paintings and an intricate
mosaic in the apse. It is believed that the table on which the Last Supper
was held is preserved in the Cathedral. as well as the skulls of both St Peter
and Saint Paul.
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