What is the name of the pope’s cathedral? If you said the Vatican, or St. Peter’s, you were off by a few miles, since the answer is the Basilica of St. John, the Lateran, the “Mother Church” of all the churches of the world and the cathedral of the Diocese of Rome. It takes its name from the Lateran family, the Trumps of their day, who somehow ran afoul of the Emperor Nero. He seized all their property, including their vast Roman palace and estate. We don’t know how Plautius displeased Nero so badly, but eventually all the Lateran property came to Constantine, the first Christian emperor, through his wife, Fausta. Early in the fourth century, when Christianity was at last legalized, Constantine gave the property to the church. Soon the great meeting halls were expanded and adapted. Over the centuries, the church building has been sacked by armies, ruined by fire, torn down, and rebuilt. The oldest and most unchanged part of the Lateran is a vast, separate baptistery with steps leading down to a huge green basalt pool. Imagine what a triumphal moment the dedication of this public church building was for a community that had worshiped in secret for so long! Today’s feast is really about the tradition of consecrating space for worship, and so by extension, a feast for your parish church building and, given the beautiful second reading, for its baptistery as well. © Copyright, J. S. Paluch Co.