Station Churches of the 6th and last Week of Lent
(32K) 418 x 648 | Sunday: St. John Lateran (again) - the Papal Basilica and Palace now stand on the property originally owned by the Roman Platius Lateranus, before being "borrowed" by Constantine and given to the Church. |
(33K) 648 x 454 | 5 Ecumenical Councils were held in the Lateran, and the Popes resided here for a thousand years (4th-14th centuries). Notice the original dedication to Christo Salvatori - Christ the Savior. |
(45K) 720 x 482 | Through sackings, fires and earthquakes, the Basilica has been restored many times, with the current interior dating primarily to the 17th century (by Borromini). |
(40K) 434 x 648 | Detail of the beautiful canopy above the main altar, with 2 silver gilded busts which contain the heads of the apostles Peter and Paul. |
(33K) 432 x 648 | View of the crypt below the main altar with a statue of St. John the Baptist (who the Church was dedicated to in the 10th century). |
(32K) 432 x 648 | There are magnificent statues of the 12 apostles throughout the nave. Here is St. Peter. |
(26K) 565 x 500 | The baptistery behind the Lateran Basilica dates to the 4th century and served as a prototype for almost all early baptisteries. |
(36K) 482 x 720 | The interior is formed with 8 porphyry columns from the imperial palace, with a row of smaller white columns above. A circular basin was used in ancient times for baptism by immersion, not a baptismal font stands in the basin. |
(45K) 434 x 648 | The octagonal cupola is decorated with paintings depicting the life of St. John the Baptist |
(28K) 720 x 490 | Large frescos decorate the interior walls: here is the Apparition of the Cross to Constantine, who then carried the sign into the decisive battle at the Milvian bridge. |
(36K) 432 x 648 | Very appropriately a baptism was taking place in one of the side chapels as I was visiting. | This space intentionally left blank. | |
(38K) 432 x 605 | Monday: St. Praxedis (Prassede) - one of the original 25 parishes Churches of Rome. St. Praxedes was daughter of Senator Pudens and sister of St. Pudentiana, and in a house at this location sheltered persecuted Christians. |
(36K) 401 x 648 | Rebuilt in the early 9th century by Pope St. Pascal I, who to safeguards the relics of saints, brought them here under the altar and in a side chapel to St. Zeno. It is said some 2,300 were placed here, most "known to God alone." |
(53K) 481 x 720 | When 23 Christians were discovered in the home of St. Praxedis, they were killed before her eyes. She collected their blood with a sponge and placed it in a well, where she herself was later buried, marked by the disk here in the floor. |
(37K) 576 x 547 | A large painting on the wall, showing the scene of the scourging of Christ at the pillar, very appropriate here... |
(39K) 432 x 705 | As the Church has a chapel with half of the Pillar at which Our Lord was Scourged. |
(36K) 432 x 663 | There is also a chapel with vestments and articles of clothing that belonged to Pope St. Pius X. St. Charles Borromeo frequently celebrated Mass in this, his titular Church. |
(43K) 469 x 648 | The 9th. century Byzantine style mosaic in the apse shows Christ flanked by saints: Peter and Paul placing their arms around the shoulders of Sts. Presides and Pudentiana. |
(42K) 432 x 648 | Tuesday: St. Prisca, a young girl of noble birth baptized by St. Peter at age 13. Condemned to be eaten by a lion, it is said the lion only licked her feet and didn't hurt her, so she was later behead. Her body was moved here in 280. |
(23K) 648 x 400 | The church has sometimes been confused with Sts. Priscilla and Aquila, whose house was discovered close to the Church in 1776. If was they who received St. Peter as a guest when he arrived at Rome, St. Prisca living nearby. |
(46K) 476 x 648 | The painting showing St. Peter baptizing St. Prisca probably isn't accurate, as he probably practiced baptism by immersion in water, not just pouring. |
(33K) 430 x 649 | Yesterday was the last of the station churches, as established by Pope Gregory the Great. From today onwards, the station churches take place in the Major Basilicas. Wednesday: St. Mary Major | Thursday and Saturday: St. John Lateran or photos above | Friday: S. Croce in Gerusalemme |
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