Arcibasilica Papale di San Giovanni in Laterano

Description

The Papal Archbasilica of St. John in Lateran, commonly known as St. John Lateran Archbasilica, St. John Lateran Basilica, St. John Lateran, or simply the Lateran Basilica, is the cathedral church of Rome, Italy and therefore houses the cathedra, or ecclesiastical seat, of the Roman Pontiff (Pope). It is the oldest of and has precedence among the four papal major basilicas, all of which are in Rome, because it is the oldest church in the West and houses the cathedra of the Roman Pontiff. It has the title of ecumenical mother church of the Roman Catholic faithful.