San Giovanni in Laterano:
The Cathedral of Rome

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Map of the Churches of Rome

San Giovanni in Laterano

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The Arcibasilica di San Giovanni in Laterano (Archbasilica of St John Lateran), which is the cathedral of Rome, was consecrated on November 9th 324 by Pope Sylvester I (r. 314-335). St John Lateran is the only archbasilica in the world. It is called an archbasilica, because it is the most important of the four major papal basilicas, all of which are in Rome.  

San Giovanni in Laterano, which was the first Christian basilica to be erected in Rome, was initially dedicated to Christ the Saviour; St John the Baptist and St John the Evangelist were later added to the dedication. It also boasts the title of being the Omnium Urbis et Orbis Ecclesiarum Mater et Caput (The Mother and Head of all the Churches of the City and the World). 

Facade Inscription

Over the centuries, the basilica has been rebuilt and remodelled on several occasions. The last major reconstruction took place during the reign of Pope Innocent X (r. 1644-55), who entrusted the task to Francesco Borromini (1599-1667).

The magnificent facade was added by the Florentine architect Alessandro Galilei (1691-1737), at the behest of Pope Clement XII (r. 1730-40), who is interred in the basilica. The inscription proclaims: CLEMENS · XII · PONT · MAX · ANNO · V · CHRISTO · SALVATORI · IN · HON · SS · IOAN · BAPT · ET · EVANG (Clement the Twelfth, Pontifex Maximus, in his fifth year, to Christ the Saviour in honour of Saints John the Baptist and John the Evangelist). ​

Upper Inscription

The long inscription beneath the loggia, which is a copy of a medieval one, reads: DOGMATE PAPALI DATVR AC SIMVL IMPERIALI QVOD SIM CVNCTARVM MATER ET CAPVT ECCLESIARVM HINC SALVATORIS CELESTIA REGNA DATORIS NOMINE SANXERVNT CVM CVNCTA PERACTA FVERVNT QVESVMVS EX TOTO CONVERSI SVPPLICE VOTO QVOD HEC AEDES TIBI CHRISTE SIT INCLITA SEDES (By a papal decree, together with an Imperial one, it is given that I am the head and mother of all churches. When everything was finished, they made this [place] sacred by the name of the Saviour, who gives the heavenly kingdom. We, [your] servants by vow, beseech you, Christ, by our supplications that this temple may be for you a glorious seat). ​

Fragment of a Mosaic by Jacopo Torriti

In the centre of the pediment, there is a fragment of a mosaic by Jacopo Torriti, which is all that survives of the decoration of the mediaeval portico. It depicts the head of Christ and is enclosed in a wreathed tondo, which is being held by a pair of angels, the work of the sculptor Paolo Ciampi.

Christ the Saviour by Paolo Benaglia

The facade is crowned with a statue of Christ the Saviour, the work of Paolo Benaglia. Christ is flanked, albeit at a lower level, by St John the Baptist and St John the Evangelist. They, in turn, are flanked by St Gregory the Great and St Jerome. 

The pedestal on which Christ stands is decorated with the Chi-Rho, one of the earliest examples of a Christogram. Also known as a Chrismon, the Chi-Rho is formed by superimposing the first two letters, Chi (X) and Rho (Ρ), of the Greek word for Christ (ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ), in such a way that the vertical stroke of the Rho intersects the centre of the Chi.​

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Bronze Doors of the Ancient Roman Curia

The large entrance portico or narthex has a coffered barrel vault.  There are five doors. The central door was once the entrance to the Curia Julia in the Forum, the seat of the Roman Senate. It was moved here in 1660, on the orders of Pope Alexander VII (r. 1655-67), who added the eight-pointed stars, a reference to Alexander VII's coat of arms. 

Coat of arms of Pope Clement XII

​The coat-of-arms of Pope Clement XII appears in both the ceiling and the pavement of the portico.

Constantine the Great

​At the left end of the narthex is a statue of the emperor Constantine the Great (r. 306-337), which was found in the ruins of the Baths of Constantine on the Quirinal Hill. 

Naming of John by Zechariah

John the Baptist Reproves Herod

​The four rectangular bas-relief panels depict scenes from the life of St John the Baptist: The Naming of John by Zechariah by Bernardino Ludovisi, John the Baptist Preaching in the Desert by Giovanni Battista Maini, John the Baptist Reproves Herod by Pietro Bracci and The Decapitation of St John the Baptist by Filippo della Valle.

Holy Door

The bronze door on the far right is the Porta Santa (Holy Door), the work of Floriano Bodini (1933-2005), which was commissioned by Pope John Paul II (r. 1978-2005) for the Holy Year of 2000.

The door depicts the Virgin Mary and Child standing in front of the crucified Christ. Unlike the vast majority of images of the Crucifixion, Bodini has correctly depicted the nails piercing Christ's wrists and not his hands. The simple Latin inscription proclaims: CHRISTUS HERI HODIE SEMPER (Christ Yesterday Today Always). 

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North Facade

The facade on the north side of San Giovanni in Laterano was designed by Domenico Fontana (1543-1607), at the behest of Pope Sixtus V (r. 1585-90). The inscription proclaims: SIXTVS · PP · V · AD · BENEDICTIONES · EXTRVXIT · M · D · LXXXVI (Pope Sixtus V built this for blessings, 1586).

The spandrels of the arches have eight-pointed stars, pyramids of three hills, and lions holding pear-boughs, all references to the coat of arms of Pope Sixtus V.

Coat of Arms of Pope Clement XII

​The wrought-iron railings were added by Pope Clement XII (r. 1730-40) and incorporate his heraldry. 

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Continue Reading:

• The Nave
• The Transepts & Sanctuary 
• The Aisles