NTU CSA Charismatic Prayer Group

Have you ever heard Basilica of Saint John Lateran? Probably you never heard about it. Then let me change the question to: Do you know where is the seat of Pope?

As you know every bishop (including Pope) has their own seat/see to mark their authority in one archdiocese. Like Archbishop Nicholas Chia, the archbishop of Singapore, his seat/see is in Cathedral of Good Shepperd. There, inside the Cathedral, there is one seat in the middle of the altar where only archbishop can seat on. Even the priest who celebrates the mass there can’t seat on it. He will seat beside the altar. That’s what we call the seat of Bishop.

Now back to the topic.
Do you know where is the ecclesiastical seat of the Bishop of Rome, who is the Pope? If your answer is Basilica of Saint Peter in Vatican, the your answer is not correct. The correct answer is Basilica of Saint John Lateran or Basilica of Saint Savior/ holy Savior. Yes, Basilica of Saint Peter is not the Holy See of the Pope. It’s just the place where the Pope does His activity.

Basilica of Saint John Lateran is the first rank of all Basilica. In Catholic church there are two different types of Basilica which are Major/Papal Basilica and Minor/Pontifical Basilica. Including Major Basilica are Saint John Lateran, Saint Peter, Saint Paul Outside the Wall, and Saint Marry Major. The highest rank is Saint John Lateran.

The universal church celebrates The Feast of St. John Lateran Basilica every 9 November. It holds title of ecumenical mother church ((mother church of the whole inhabited world) among Catholics.