Each November we celebrate the feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica. Why is that? It is understandable why we commemorate saints and mystics, but why a building? It could be argued that it is the pope’s church, the official seat of the Bishop of Rome. While this papal connection provides status, it does not earn the right to have a full day dedicated to it. If that was the case, then Saint Peter’s Basilica should be honored as well.
It has earned this right because this was the first public building granted to the Christians by Rome when Constantine made Christianity legal – bringing decades of persecution to an end. While this was a significant event, certainly worth commemorating, the early Church saw this pronouncement by the emperor as confirmation of their belief in the risen Christ, who is the cornerstone of their faith. For them, this first cathedral church symbolized the Christian community.
They understood, as Saint Paul suggested to the community in Corinth, no one can lay a foundation other than the one that is there, namely, Jesus Christ.
The Lateran Basilica is not intended to be a mecca. There is no obligation to attend this cathedral. It is intended to serve as a symbol of how faith in Christ will triumph over evil. The history of this basilica testifies to this truth. Despite being sacked and destroyed numerous times, it was always rebuilt, signifying how the Church, with Christ as its foundation, can never be held down.
It is good to remember this as the Church is currently wrestling with scandal and divisions threatening to tear it apart. The Church will survive. The body of Christ will survive. No matter how it may be attacked from outside or within, the Lateran reminds us that our faith built on the foundation of Christ can never be contained. This indestructible foundation gives us hope. As Saint Paul taught the Corinthians, we are the temple of God and the Spirit of God dwells within us. Even though we may face challenges in our faith, if Christ is our foundation, we will never be defeated.
Saints and mystics are examples of how we should live the Gospel. The Lateran reminds us that whenever we gather as a community, we do so with the knowledge that our church building, and each one of us, is a dwelling place of God. Both remind us of the need to reverence our sacred spaces, and respect ourselves and one another who image the very God we worship.
(Fr. Michał Pająk, OMI, Nov. 9, 2025)
