1700 Years of the Basilica of Saint John Lateran

by Duncan G. Stroik, appearing in Volume 46

 • 312 - Battle of the Milvian Bridge. Constantine was victorious after seeing a vision of the Chi-Rho, a symbol of Christ.

 • 313 - Emperor Constantine issued the Edict of Milan, legalizing Christianity in the Roman Empire.

 • c. 313 - Constantine began the construction of a basilica on the site of the barracks of the imperial cavalry which had been erected by Septimius Severus. The family of the Laterani also had a residence on this site, which is the source of the geographic reference in the basilica’s common name, in Laterano.

 • 324 - Dedication of the Basilica on November 9, 324, allegedly by Pope Sylvester I. It was dedicated to Christ the Savior.

 • 4th century - Baptistery built by Constantine adjacent to the basilica.

 • mid-7th century - First known reference to the basilica having a secondary dedication to Saint John the Baptist and Saint John the Evangelist.

 •  mid-8th century - First reference to the basilica as the “head and summit of all churches on earth” (caput et vertex omnium ecclesiarum in universo orbe terrarum) in a document called The Donation of Constantine, proposed as a letter from Constantine to Pope Sylvester but later proved to be a forgery.

 •  769 - Synod against Iconoclasm.

 • 840s - A portico was built on the east façade by Pope Sergius II, replacing an earlier structure.

 • 897 - “Cadaver synod.”

 • 897 - Roof destroyed by an earthquake.

 • 960s - Southern section of the east portico closed off by Pope John XII to create the chapel of Saint Thomas, used as a private sacristy by the pontiff.

 • 1123 - First Lateran council called by Pope Callistus II.

 • c. 1135 - Alterations to the west end of the basilica (sanctuary and transept area) under Pope Anacletus II (later regarded as an anti-pope).

 • 1139 - Second Lateran council called by Pope Innocent II.

 • 1179 - Third Lateran council called by Pope Alexander III.

 • 1180-1200 - The remaining arched bays of the east façade portico were replaced by six columns and an entablature. Mosaics added to the frieze included scenes from the life of Constantine, the beheading of Saint John the Baptist, and the attempted martyrdom of Saint John the Evangelist. This is the portico depicted in Giotto’s fresco Dream of Innocent III in the basilica of Saint Francis in Assisi, 1300.

 • 1215 - Fourth Lateran council called by Pope Innocent III.

 •  c. 1225 - Cloister built on the south side of the basilica by the Vasselletto marble family. It is the largest medieval cloister in Rome.

 • 1277 - Earthquake.

 • 1291-1293 - Transepts built by Pope Nicholas IV, including adding two towers on the north transept. Also reinforced and adorned the east façade, adding a mosaic tondo of the Savior which was reused on the current eighteenth-century façade. The Constantinian apse was renovated. Mosaics on the interior of the apse were restored by Jacopo Torriti and a mosaic bust of the Savior from the Constantinian basilica was preserved and reinserted. A new high altar was added.

 • c. 1300 - A loggia and balcony was built by Pope Boniface VIII in front of the north transept, known as the Loggia of Benediction. It was frescoed by Giotto, but only one fragment remains, now inside the basilica.

 • 1305 - The Avignon period of the papacy began.

 • 1308 - Nave roof destroyed by fire, some damage to the interior.

 • 1349 - Earthquake.

 • 1361 - Another fire caused greater damage to the basilica.

 • 1364-1370 - Interior rebuilt under Pope Urban V by architect Giovanni di Stefano. Some destroyed columns were replaced by brick piers. Reliquaries were commissioned for the heads of Saints Peter and Paul. (The presence of these relics was first referenced in the eleventh century.) A new baldacchino over the high altar was added with an enclosure for these reliquaries.

 • 1372 - Papal bull by Pope Gregory XI declared the preeminence of the Lateran basilica over all other churches in Rome and in the world.

 • 1377 - Pope Gregory XI returned to Rome, but chose the Vatican palace as the papal residence.

 • 1370s - New Gothic portal added to the north transept entrance by Pope Gregory XI.

 • 1411 - Twelfth-century campanile on the east façade was struck by lightning and torn down.

 • 1426-1432 - Restoration under Pope Martin V and continued by Pope Eugenius IV, including new paintings in the nave of prophets and scenes from the life of Saint John the Baptist, new Cosmatesque mosaic flooring, and a new façade on the north transept.

 • 1492 - The triumphal arch between the nave and the transept was added using two of the original granite columns from the nave.

 • 1512-1517 - Fifth Lateran council called by Pope Julius II and continued by Pope Leo X.

 • 1538 - The equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius was relocated from the piazza in front of the north transept to Michelangelo’s renovated Campidoglio piazza. In medieval times, the statue was thought to be of Emperor Constantine.

 • 1563-1567 - New ceiling in the nave begun by Pope Pius IV and completed by Pope Pius V. It was designed by Daniele da Volterra, possibly based on a design by Michelangelo.

 • 1569 - Papal bull by Pope Pius V reaffirmed the preeminence of the Lateran basilica.

 • 1586-1589 - New apostolic palace begun by Pope Sixtus V on the north side of the basilica, designed by Domenico Fontana, which replaced the medieval papal palace. Fontana also added a loggia to the north transept façade and brought an obelisk to the north piazza where the equestrian statue had been. This obelisk was fabricated in Egypt around 1400 B.C. and brought to Rome by Constantius II, son of Constantine. At 150 feet tall (including the pedestal), it is the largest of the Egyptian obelisks in Rome.

 • 1590s - Renovation of the transepts by Pope Clement VIII and overseen by architect Giacomo della Porta. A Blessed Sacrament altar was added in a prominent location in the south transept. Gilt bronze columns from Constantine’s chancel screen (fastigium) were reused. The organ was relocated to the north transept wall, supported by giallo antico fluted columns from the original basilica. A new iconographic cycle on the walls of the transept included scenes from the life of Constantine and the history of the Lateran basilica, apostles, angels, saints, and the Ascension of Christ above the Blessed Sacrament altar.

 • 1646-1649 - Renovation commissioned by Pope Innocent X and continued by Pope Alexander VII, done by architect Francesco Borromini. The nave and side aisles were extensively modified. Baroque aedicules were added to the nave, which would later house statues of the apostles. The verde antico columns in these aedicules are from the original basilica. Ancient bronze doors from the Curia Iulia in the Roman Forum were relocated to become the main nave entrance doors.

 • 1702-1718 - Interior decoration continued under Pope Clement XI: statues of the twelve apostles were completed for the nave aedicules, and frescoes of prophets were added to the oval tondi on the upper walls of the nave.

 • 1732 - Competition for a new east façade announced by Pope Clement XII—the first modern architectural competition. Alessandro Galilei was awarded the commission.

 • 1732-1735 - New east façade completed by Galilei. Galilei also completed Fontana’s apostolic palace.

 • 1798-1799 - Reliquaries of Saints Peter and Paul were confiscated by French troops occupying Rome and melted down.

 • 1804 - Replacement reliquaries of Saints Peter and Paul created by Giuseppe Valadier.

 • 1878 - Pope Leo XIII commissioned architect Virginio Vespignani to extend the sanctuary by one bay to create a larger choir. The apse was demolished and rebuilt to accomplish this.

 • 1880 - Destruction of Nicholas IV’s apse with its 1292 mosaics.

 • 1884 - New apse completed two years after Vespignani’s death.

 • 1929 - The Lateran Treaty was signed at the apostolic palace between the Holy See and the government of Italy, creating the independent state of Vatican City.

 • 1934-1938 - Excavations carried out under the basilica during the restoration of the Cosmatesque floor.

 • 2000 - New bronze Holy Door installed for the Jubilee of 2000, designed by Floriano Bodini.

 • 2024 - 1700th anniversary of the dedication of the basilica.