La Mostra The patriarchal Basilicas Saint John Lateran
Francesco Petrarca to pope Urban V (Seniles, VII 1)
Francesco Petrarca, Lettere senili... volgarizzate e dichiarate con note da Giusepe Fracassetti, vol. I, Firenze 1869
St. John in Lateran in 1575
Natale Bonifacio (engr.), Anno Iubilei 1575 Lateranensis Basylica S. Ioannis in Urbe, in: Principio Fabrizi, Delle allusioni, imprese, et emblemi del sig. Principio Fabricii da Teramo sopra la vita, opere et attioni di Gregorio XIII..., Roma 1588
Map of the Lateran church and palace before Sixtus V works in the area
The map illustrates the lay-out of Lateran area before the great works commissioned by pope Sixtus, which at the end of sixteenth century transformed its arrangement. With the reference number 41 is marked the "Loggia e Pulpito di Bonifatio [VIII] per la Beneditione", while with the number 37 is marked the Hall of the Councils frescoed by Giotto, which both went missing with the sistine works and the demolition of the big Patriarchio.
Francesco Contini, Pianta della chiesa e palazzo lateranense, in: Giovanni Severano, Memorie sacre delle sette chiese di Roma e di altri luoghi, che si trovano per le strade di esse, vol. I (Parte prima in cui si tratta dell'antichità di dette chiese, di quello ch'era già ne i siti loro, delle fabriche...), Roma 1630
Map of the Lateran church and palace before Sixtus V works in the area
Ichnographia antiqui aedificii Basilicae et Patriarchii Lateranensis, in: Cesare Rasponi, De Basilica et patriarchio lateranensi libri quattuor..., Roma 1656
View of Lateran palace before Sixtus V works in the area
Louis Rouhier (engr.), Orthographia Patriarchii Lateranensis, in: Cesare Rasponi, De Basilica et patriarchio lateranensi libri quattuor..., Roma 1656
The transformations of Lateran area wanted by Sixtus V and realized by Domenico Fontana
After the ancient patriarchate was demolished, Sixtus V commissioned a smaller square-plan palazzo to be built, modelled on Palazzo Farnese. He commissioned Domenico Fontana to build a special-purpose building for the Holy Stairs and the Sancta Sanctorum, and the precious relics that they contained.
Domenico Fontana, Della trasportatione dell'obelisco vaticano et delle fabriche di nostro signore papa Sisto V fatte dal cavallier Domenico Fontana architetta di sua santità..., Roma 1590 [ma 1604]
History of the transformations af Lateran area wanted by Sixtus V and realized by Domenico Fontana
After the ancient patriarchate was demolished, Sixtus V commissioned a smaller square-plan palazzo to be built, modelled on Palazzo Farnese. He commissioned Domenico Fontana to build a special-purpose building for the Holy Stairs and the Sancta Sanctorum, and the precious relics that they contained.
Gregorio Leti, Vita di Sisto V pontefice romano..., vol. II, Losanna [ma Ginevra], 1669
The new look of Lateran palace, of the Loggia of the benedictions and of the facing square after Sixtus V works
The palace new appearance may be seen in this Giacomo Lauro engraving, which also shows the tall Egyptian obelisk that Sixtus V had moved to the piazza from Circus Maximus to crown the work.
Giacomo Lauro, Ecclesia S. Ioannis Laterani, in: Id., Antiquae Urbis splendor,Roma 1641
History of Lateran basilica and palace written by Cesare Rasponi in XVII century
Cesare Rasponi, De Basilica et patriarchio lateranensi libri quattuor..., Roma 1656
Works by Innocent X and Borromini (1650) and by Clement XII and Alessandro galilei for the Basilica of St. John's in Lateran (1735)
In the run-up to the 1650 Jubilee, Innocent X commissioned Francesco Borromini to decorate the basilica’s interior. It was an extremely challenging commission, given that Borromini was given the job in 1644, just six years before the start of the Jubilee. The Pope gave Borromini strict instructions on the need to respect the Basilica’s paleo-christian layout. The architect was only partially able to comply with this, given the building’s poor condition. Work was completed in time for a Holy Year inauguration. Two years after being elected to the Papal See, Pope Clement XII (1730-1740) launched a competition to remodel the façade. A great many architects submitted designs. Florentine architect Alessandro Galilei, who was in service with the Grand Duke of Tuscany, came up with the winning project. In just three years, (1732-1735) he managed to complete the work, giving the façade the solemn appearance that characterizes it to this day, featuring a large portico and five openings in line with the naves of the church, and a long loggia overlaid with arches. The fifteen statues arranged on its summit represent the Blessing Christ, Saints John the Baptist and the Evangelist, and theologians.
Giovanni Battista Gaddi, Roma nobilitata nelle sue fabbriche dalla santità di nostro signore Clemente XII..., Roma 1736
The new look of the Basilica of St. John's after the works by Borromini and Galilei
Gaetano Cottafavi, Basilica Lateranense, in: Jeremiah Donovan, Rome ancient and modern and its environs, vol. I, Roma 1842
The new look of the Basilica of St. John's after the works by Borromini and Galilei
Giovanni Battista Cipriani, Basilica di S. Giovanni in Laterano, in: Id., Vedute principali e più interessanti di Roma, Roma 1799
The holy heads of the saint apostles Peter and Paul in the Basilica of St. John's in Lateran
Among other things, the priceless relic of the sacred heads of apostles Peter and Paul, originally preserved at the Oratory of San Lorenzo, are conserved at the Basilica of St John. They were moved to the Basilica in the fourteenth century and placed in two valuable silver reliquaries made by Siena goldsmith Francesco di Bartolo; the present-day specimens, placed in the ciborium, are in fact a nineteenth-century copy by Giuseppe Valadier.
Giuseppe Maria Soresino, De capitibus sanctorum apostolorum Petri, et Pauli in Sacrosancta Lateranensi ecclesia asservatis..., Roma 1673
The holy heads of the saint apostles Peter and Paul in the Basilica of St. John's in Lateran
Among other things, the priceless relic of the sacred heads of apostles Peter and Paul, originally preserved at the Oratory of San Lorenzo, are conserved at the Basilica of St John. They were moved to the Basilica in the fourteenth century and placed in two valuable silver reliquaries made by Siena goldsmith Francesco di Bartolo; the present-day specimens, placed in the ciborium, are in fact a nineteenth-century copy by Giuseppe Valadier.
Veri ritratti delle statue d'argento nelle quali si conservano le ss.me teste delli gloriosi prencipi degl'apostoli Pietro, e Paolo nella sacro santa Chiesa Lateranense, in: Giuseppe Maria Soresino, De capitibus sanctorum apostolorum Petri, et Pauli in Sacrosancta Lateranensi ecclesia asservatis..., Roma 1673
History of the Holy Stairs and the Sancta Sanctorum
Giuseppe Maria Soresino, De Scala sancta ante Sancta Sanctorum in Laterano culta opusculum..., Roma 1672
The faithful climb on their knees the Holy Stairs
According to tradition, the Holy Stairs were the stairs up to Pontius Pilate’s praetorium in Jerusalem, which Jesus climbed on the day he was condemned to death. They were brought to Rome by Constantine’s mother, Helena. No feet are allowed to touch the twenty-eight white marble steps that make up the staircase; believers may only climb them on their knees.
Crépon, Penitents montant l'Escalier saint, dessin de Crépon d'après Picart,in: Le Tour du monde. Nouveau journal des voyages publié sous la direction de m. Édouard Charton et illustré par nos plus célèbres artistes, vol. XV, 1867
The Holy Stairs and the Sancta Sanctorum
Scala Santa, in: Fioravanti Martinelli, Roma di nuovo ricercata nel suo sito... Di nuovo con ogni diligenza corretta & accresciuta con belle figure, Roma 1702
Statutes of the Company of SS. Salvatore ad Sancta Sanctorum
The Compagnia del Salvatore ad Sancta Sanctorum looked after the acheropite image of the Saviour (today at Ospedale San Giovanni in Laterano). The company was most likely founded in 1348, when the Compagnia dei Raccomandati del ss. Salvatore ad Sancta Santorum combined and expanded the previous Sant’Andrea and San Michele Arcangelo hospitals.
Statuti della venerabile Compagnia della sacratiss. immagine del s.mo Salvatore ad Sancta Sanctorum di Roma, Roma 1676
The works in the Lateran for the Extraordinary Holy year of 1933-1934
Lavori e restauri nel Laterano glorioso, in: L'osservatore romano, a. LXXIV, n. 34, 11 February 1934