Major basilica

Major basilica (Latin: Basilica maior, Basilicae maiores in plural) is the title given to the four highest-ranking Catholic churches^[1]: St. Peter's Basilica, St. John Lateran, Saint Paul Outside the Walls, St. Mary Major (Santa Maria Maggiore). All of them are located in Rome, Italy. St. John Lateran, the seat of the papal throne, is the oldest and the first in the established order of the papal basilicas before Saint Peter was built.^{[citation needed]}

All other churches that have the title of a basilica are minor basilicas (Latin: Basilica minor).^[2]

History

The title of major basilica was introduced in 1300 by Pope Boniface VIII. With the promulgation of the bull "Antiquorum fida relatio", he instituted the Holy Year and set the conditions for indulgences. Pope Boniface VIII renewed certain "great remissions and indulgences for sins" which are to be obtained "by visiting the city of Rome and the venerable basilica of the Prince of the Apostles". He offered "not only full and copious, but the most full, pardon of all their sins", to those who fulfill certain conditions. First, as truly penitent they had to confess their sins, and second, they had to visit (make pilgrimages to) the basilicas of St. Peter and St. Paul, the respective burial sites of the apostles St. Peter and St. Paul.

In the second jubilee in 1350, Pope Clement VI added a third major basilica: St. John Lateran, Cathedral of Rome. He encouraged daily visits to St. John Lateran, besides those to the basilicas of St. Peter and St. Paul outside the Walls. Finally, at the next Jubilee in 1390, the Basilica of St. Mary Major, the oldest church dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, was added to the list. The visit to these four churches has remained as one of the conditions for gaining the Roman Jubilee indulgence.

List of major basilicas

To this class belong the four great ancient churches of Rome:

• Basilica of St. John Lateran, also called the Lateran Basilica, is the cathedral of the Bishop of Rome, the Pope. It is the only one called an "archbasilica". Its full official name is "Papal Basilica of Saint John Lateran, Archbasilica of the Most Holy Saviour and of Saints John the Baptist and the Evangelist at the Lateran, Cathedral of Rome".^[3]
• Basilica of St. Peter's, also called the Vatican Basilica, is a major pilgrimage site, built over the burial place of Saint Peter. Perhaps the largest church in the world, it is used for most of the chief religious ceremonies in which the Pope participates. Its official name is the "Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican".^[4]
• Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, also known as the Ostian Basilica because it is situated on the road that led to Ostia, is built over the burial place of Paul the Apostle. Its official name is the "Papal Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls".^[5]
• Basilica of St. Mary Major, also called the Liberian Basilica because the original building (not the present one) was attributed to Pope Liberius, is the largest church in Rome dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, hence its name of Saint Mary Major, i.e. the Greater. Its official name is the "Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major".^[6]

Gallery

• 

  St. John Lateran
  41°53′9.26″N 12°30′22.16″E / 41.8859056°N 12.5061556°E / 41.8859056; 12.5061556

• 

  St. Peter's in the Vatican
  41°54′8″N 12°27′12″E / 41.90222°N 12.45333°E / 41.90222; 12.45333

• 

  St. Paul Outside the Walls
  41°51′31″N 12°28′38″E / 41.85861°N 12.47722°E / 41.85861; 12.47722

• 

  St. Mary Major
  41°53′51″N 12°29′55″E / 41.8975°N 12.49861°E / 41.8975; 12.49861

Privileges and attributes

Shield Ornaments of a major basilica

These four major basilicas are distinguished by their having a holy door and for being prescribed as destinations for visits as one of the conditions for gaining the Roman Jubilee. Only the Pope and his delegatees may celebrate mass at the high altar. Until recently, the four churches were open 24 hours a day; their staff included a college of priests to be continually available to hear confessions.

A former papal cathedra in the cloister of the Basilica of Saint John Lateran, Rome.

Lateran treaty

According to the 1927 Lateran Treaty, the three major basilicas located in Italian territory enjoy extraterritorial status similar to that of foreign embassies.^[7][8] The major basilicas are patrolled internally by police agents of Vatican City State. These properties, located across Rome, were found essential institutions necessary to the character and mission of the Holy See.^[8]

Decision of Pope Benedict XVI

The four papal^[9] or major basilicas were formerly known as "patriarchal basilicas". Together with the minor basilica of St. Lawrence outside the Walls, they were associated with the five ancient patriarchal sees of Christendom (see Pentarchy)^[10]: St. John Lateran was associated with Rome, St. Peter's with Constantinople (present-day Istanbul), St. Paul's with Alexandria (in Egypt), St. Mary Major with Antioch (the Levant) and St. Lawrence with Jerusalem.

Upon relinquishing in 2006 the title of Patriarch of the West, Pope Benedict XVI renamed these basilicas from "Patriarchal Basilicas" to "Papal Basilicas". Until Pope Benedict XVI, the title "patriarchal" (now "papal") was officially given to two churches associated with Saint Francis of Assisi situated in or near his home town:

• Papal Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi
• Papal Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels in Portiuncola

• 

  Basilica San Francesco

• 

  Santa Maria degli Angeli (Assisi)

See also

Christianity portal

• Jubilee (Christianity)

Notes

1. ^  Gietmann, G. and Thurston, Herbert (1913). "Basilica". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. 
2. ^ For ancient basilicas, it is often refer to them as Immemorial basilicas
3. ^ Basilica Papale di San Giovanni in Laterano – Arcibasilica del SS.mo Salvatore e dei Santi Giovanni Battista ed Evangelista al Laterano - Cattedrale di Roma (Annuario Pontificio 2007, ISBN 978-88-209-7908-9, p. 1332).
4. ^ Basilica Papale di San Pietro in Vaticano (Annuario Pontificio 2007, ISBN 978-88-209-7908-9, p. 1330).
5. ^ Basilica Papale di San Paolo fuori le mura (Annuario Pontificio 2007, ISBN 978-88-209-7908-9, p. 1333).
6. ^ Basilica Papale di Santa Maria Maggiore (Annuario Pontificio 2007, ISBN 978-88-209-7908-9, p. 1334).
7. ^ Treaty between the Holy See and ItalyPDF
8. ^ ^{a b} Excerpt of extraterritorial jurisdiction as per the Lateran Treaty of 1929:

   Article 13

   Italy recognizes the full ownership of the Holy See over the patriarchal Basilicas of St. John Lateran, Sta. Maria Maggiore, and St. Paul, with their annexed buildings.

   The State transfers to the Holy See the free management and administration of the said Basilica of St. Paul and its dependent Monastery, also paying over to the Holy See all monies representing the sums set aside annually for that church in the budget of the Ministry of Education.

   It is also understood that the Holy See shall remain the absolute owner of the edifice of St. Callisto, adjoining Sta. Maria in Trastevere.

9. ^ Basilicas (www.gcatholic.com)
10. ^  Adrian Fortescue (1913). "Patriarch and Patriarchate". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. 

References

•  Gietmann, G. and Thurston, Herbert (1913). "Basilica". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. 

External links

• List of All Major, Patriarchal and Minor Basilicas & statistics by Giga-Catholic Information.