Rome – Tomorrow, November 9, at 9:30 a.m., Pope Leo XIV will preside over the Holy Mass for the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in the Basilica of Saint John Lateran. A celebration that gathers the entire universal Church, for it is the only church whose dedication is commemorated in every community around the world.
The Basilica of the Most Holy Savior — its original name — was dedicated on November 9, 324, after its construction was commissioned by Saint Helena and Emperor Constantine, following the Edict of Milan, which granted freedom of worship to Christians. Until then, believers met in private domus or in the catacombs, hidden from the eyes of imperial authority. That building, erected on the Lateran estate, marked a turning point: the Church stepped out of private homes to become visible, and with it, its Lord. Its dedication to the Santissimo Salvatore proclaimed that Christ is the true King, to whom Queen Helena gave the title of “Basilica” — the house of the basileus — transferring that imperial dignity from the Roman Forum to the new temple of the living God.
Only later were the names of Saint John the Baptist and Saint John the Evangelist added, yet the core of its identity remained unchanged: it is the Pope’s cathedral, the church of his Episcopal See. From this Cattedra, every Pontiff takes possession of the Diocese of Rome and begins his ministry as Pastor of the universal Church. Fittingly, above the entrance still stands the ancient inscription: “Omnium urbis et orbis ecclesiarum mater et caput” — Mother and head of all the churches of the City and the world.
Even after the papal residence was moved to the Vatican in the 14th century, the Lateran retained its primacy. For this reason, it remains today the only church in the world bearing the title of Archbasilica, a sign and bond of unity for the whole Church.
Tomorrow, Pope Leo XIV will therefore celebrate in his own cathedral, one year after the solemn commemoration of the XVII centenary of its Dedication (324–2024). With his presence, the Pope wishes to renew the meaning of that anniversary: the Lateran Basilica is not merely a monument, but a living sign of ecclesial communion, a constant reminder of the unity of God’s People around their Shepherd.
As the collect of the Mass prays: “O God, who in your providence have prepared this place to be a visible sign of the Church’s universal maternity, grant that we may be strengthened in faith and remain united in the bond of charity.”
In the heart of Rome, the Mother of all Churches will once again become a place of memory and prophecy, where stone and faith continue to tell one and the same story: the story of God, who makes His Church a home for all.
f.G.T.
Silere non possum