Dedication Lateran

November 2, 2008

NEXT WEEKEND WE CELEBRATE ANOTHER SPECIAL FEAST DAY:

The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome. This building is Rome’s oldest basilica. It serves as the cathedral church of the bishop of Rome, the Pope. The Roman emperor gave this large building on Lateran Hill to the Christians of Rome in the year 324. The Christians dedicated it for worship on November 9 of that year. Most people mistakenly assume that St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome is the “mother church” for Catholics. This is due to its high visibility as a landmark, in the media, and the fact that it is used for so many large, important gatherings and liturgies over which the Pope presides. However, it is actually the Basilica of St. John Lateran in its role as the cathedral of the city/diocese of Rome which is considered to be the “mother church” of Catholicism. For this reason, the anniversary of its dedication is a day of rejoicing for the universal Church. It provides us with an opportunity to celebrate the PEOPLE who comprise the Church, and to reflect on our unity as Catholics.

In every Diocese there is a cathedral church. For our diocese, the cathedral church is St. Mary’s in St. Cloud. Cathedrals serve as a symbol of unity for all the people of the diocese because they are the seat of the bishop who is considered to be successor to the apostles. A cathedral church gets its very name from the fact that it houses the bishop’s chair or “cathedra”. This chair is used by the bishop in his role of preaching, teaching and serving as shepherd of his people. All other presider’s chairs in the individual parishes of the Diocese derive their meaning as a symbol from their relationship to this bishop’s chair.

The word “cathedral” is not really the proper name of a church so much as it is an adjective, a description of its function. Sometimes, the word “cathedral” is used rather loosely by people to refer to any large, impressive church building. However, it is the presence of the bishop’s chair, and not its size, that makes a church a Cathedral. If there is no bishop’s chair present, then the church is not really a Cathedral, no matter how beautiful or grand it may be!

Next Sunday, we will celebrate not just a building or a diocese, but a symbol of unity for us in Christ. We will celebrate who we are as God’s people, the Church, built of LIVING stones. WE are God’s building, WE are the temple of God just as much as any cathedral we might admire. The Spirit dwells in US.. As a way of solemnizing and uniting our celebration of this feast to that of the universal Church, we will light the dedicatory candles which are around the periphery of our own church building. These candles, which were first lit on the day of its dedication, will remind us how Christ dwells among us. They will encourage us to be Christ’s light to the world. We will sing, “We Are God’s People”, and “City of God”. We will hear the Scripture passage from the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel which describes the heavenly temple. In the Gospel, Christ will be seen driving the money changers out of the temple. Saint Paul will remind us “You are God’s building” and “Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” We will conclude our liturgy singing, “Christ’s Church shall glory…and grow to His perfection.”

You can see pictures and find out more about the Lateran Basilica on the internet:

Basilica of St. John Lateran @ Wikipedia.org

OR

Italy Rome Churches @ Galenfrysinger.com

OR

Basilica of St John Lateran @ WorldReviewer.com

-David Orzechowski, Liturgy & Music