Every Sunday, Bishop Edward Malesic writes a Scripture reflection for the faithful. Follow the bishop on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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Many people mistakenly believe that Saint Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican is the Pope’s cathedral. Not true. As splendid and historic as it is, St. Peter’s is not where the Pope presides over the Church of Rome, and by that fact, over the universal Church. That is reserved for the church building whose dedication we celebrate today — the Lateran Basilica in Rome.
When Christianity was finally accepted following the conversion of the emperor Constantine in 312 A.D., and Christians were able to practice their faith publicly after the Edict of Milan in 313 A.D., the Lateran Palace was given to the pope for his use. The Lateran Palace was then converted into the residence of the pope who, along with his successors, lived there for the next 1000 years. It also became a place of worship for Christians in Rome, being dedicated for that purpose in 324 A.D. The basilica of the Lateran Palace was dedicated to St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist, and that is why the church in the Lateran Palace has been known more commonly as St. John Lateran ever since. It is within St. John Lateran Basilica that the cathedra (bishop’s chair) is placed and from which the Bishop of Rome, the pope, sits, even to this day, as servant leader, principal teacher, and high priest over the one, holy, Catholic and apostolic Church spread throughout the world.
If our Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in downtown Cleveland is the mother church of our diocese (and it is), the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome has much greater significance. That is why inscribed above the facade to the Lateran Basilica are Latin words, which when transcribed read, “The mother and head of all churches in Rome and the world.”
We celebrate the dedication of a physical church, the Basilica of St. John Lateran, today to show our connection to the universal church and our unity with the Holy Father, currently Pope Leo XIV, who presides as Vicar of Christ, Servant of the Servants of God, Supreme Pontiff, and Successor of St. Peter.
May the history of this historic building remind us of our connection to the early Christians who professed faith in Jesus, often in the face of persecution and with the real possibility of martyrdom. May it be a symbol of our unity with each other under the leadership of the Holy Father, who presides over us from there. May the grand beauty of St. John Lateran and all beautiful church buildings inspire us to have souls that are even more beautiful to the honor and glory of God. May the physical stones and mortar of this and all church structures remind us of the spiritual reality that we stand together as living stones built on the solid foundation of Jesus Christ, our savior, and the one in whom we place our faith.
Have a blessed week everyone.