November 9—The Dedication of St. John Lateran Basilica

Today’s feast day is for a church building!  There are four churches granted this privilege: St. Peter’s Basilica, St. Paul’s Outside the Walls, and St. Mary Major, along with St. John Lateran; all located in Rome.  St. John Lateran is the oldest of these and is the cathedral church of the Bishop of Rome, the pope.  It is also called the Mother Church of Catholicism.  St. John Lateran originally was a palace owned by Constantine, the emperor who legalized Christianity.  Constantine gave the Lateran Palace (named for the family who once owned the land) to the Bishop of Rome, who then used it as his residence.  The church is dedicated to both St. John the Baptist and to St. John the Evangelist, who are co-patrons.  However, one of its titles is Archbasilica of the Most Holy Savior, because all patriarchal churches were dedicated to Christ himself.  The word “Arch” in this case means the first or foremost, being above all other churches, including St. Peter’s!

What is the point of celebrating a church building?  Isn’t the Church the People of God and not a building?  Yes, the Church is not a building, but the Church uses churches to worship God.  But can’t we worship God anywhere?  Yes, we can, but we gather together in a church.  The original Greek word for church was ekklesia, which means a public gathering.  We dedicate buildings as a way to set aside sacred space for sacred activities—Masses, weddings, funerals, baptisms, and more.  These sacred spaces tell us and the world that we set apart material things, ground and bricks and mortar, to draw attention to immaterial things, God and love and forgiveness.  We are a Church who goes to church.  We are the Body of Christ who receive the Body of Christ together.  So let us celebrate the dedication of St. John Lateran, our Mother Church!