Lateran Palace
The Lateran patriarchate
To understand what the Patriarchate is, one must surely follow the thread of history back to the decisions made by the Emperor Constantine. Indeed, according to the account of Eusebius of Caesarea, Constantine and his army witnessed a prodigious event in the sky: a cross appeared to them surmounted ...
Read moreThe Palace of Sixtus V
The year 1585 marked the beginning of a new chapter for the Lateran Apostolic Palace. When Pope Gregory XI returned from exile in Avignon, the pontifical residence was established in the Vatican. Once Pope Sixtus V was elected, he decided however to restore the Lateran Palace and use it as his ...
Read moreThe two Curias
The decline of the Lateran Palace began with what is known as the “Avignon Captivity”, the attempt of the Kingdom of France to subjugate the pope and his Curia to itself and the subsequent transfer of the popes to Avignon – of which the suppression of the Templars is one of the first signs, which ...
Read moreThe Main Floor Museum and the Conciliation Hall
On the first floor of the Lateran Palace, in addition to ten reception rooms, each with its own specific function, there is also access to the Holy Father's flats and private chapel. Pope Francis wanted this fundamental place for the bishops of Rome to reopen to the public in 2021. The Sala ...
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