Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica

Outside of one’s parish church, it’s unusual to observe the anniversary of the dedication of a church.  But today, we pause and reflect on the importance of the Basilica of St. John Lateran.  It really is the Pope’s cathedral – not St. Peter’s – it’s St. John.  It dates back to the 4th Century – not the original building, it was burnt, destroyed, and rebuilt.

If you ever go to Rome, there’s a magnificent baptistery right next to the Church.  When I was in Rome on sabbatical, we had a priest instructing us on the importance of liturgy and also architecture.  He was really enthused about the baptistery, and he had one of those laser things showing us.  He got halfway up and said the rest is all medieval, don’t worry about it.

I read a story about John Lateran that I had not heard before.  When St. Francis of Assisi was trying to get a movement recognized by the Church, he went to Rome and was not received very well by some power at be that thought it was much too radical the way he proposed it.  The Pope at the time had a dream.  In his dream, the walls of John Lateran were collapsing, and a figure dressed in a brown robe came and kept the walls from crumbling.  He took it as a sign that Francis was going to save the Church, and it was an important movement and it is an important movement.

Maybe as we have the Pope’s Basilica remembered today, we might remember the Pope – Francis, and just offer a prayer for him.  I think he needs all the support that he can get.

Monsignor Daniel Hoye