The basilica conserves the Pope’s “cathedra”, the sign of his being a “pastor”. Whereas academic cathedras are made up of tables on which books are placed, in cathedrals they take the form of a chair, because it is with the spoken word and witness that faith is primarily transmitted.
But teaching certainly remains one of the most beautiful expressions of charity. “Counselling the doubtful”, “teaching the ignorant”, and “correcting sins” are works of spiritual mercy: the bishop of Rome – and with him the Church – has received from Christ the task of preaching, because man is in need of a word that can illuminate his life. This need is present today, in a disorientated time similar to that of Christ: “[Jesus] saw the vast crowd, His heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things” (Mk 6:34).
From the “cathedra”, the Pontiff who is seated there does not teach himself; he does not state his own opinions, but rather the Word of God, whom he serves, so that it may shine before all.
Nicholas IV restored the papal cathedra, of which today there remains the praedella; on this we see the iconography of Christ victorious over evil, represented by four demoniac figures at his feet: the asp, basilisk, lion and dragon, in reference to Psalm 91:13: “You can tread upon the asp and the viper, trample the lion and the dragon”.
Those images teach that evil exists and must be fought, but that Christ is stronger, not only because He protects the Church from enemy attacks, but far more because He is able to snatch from evil those who are in sin and death, as the faith proclaims: Christ descended to the underworld and brought all mankind out of it. Evil must not be forgotten, but conquered and actively overcome.
The ritual of the election of every new pope still concludes with enthronement in this cathedra. The pontiff journeys from Saint Peter’s in procession, and is seated on the cathedra, surrounded by all the clergy of Rome, who pray for him and applaud him.
