ROMA (ITALPRESS) – “Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica – of this Basilica, Cathedral of Rome – which took place in the 4th century by Pope Silvestro I. The construction was realized by the will of Emperor Constantine, after, in the year 313, he had granted Christians the freedom to profess their faith and exercise their worship.” This is what Pope Leo recalled, who presided over the Eucharistic celebration in the Solemnity of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica. “We remember this event until today: why? Certainly to recall to memory, with joy and gratitude, a historical fact very important for the life of the Church, but not only – the Pontiff emphasized -. This Basilica, in fact, ‘Mother of all the Churches’, is much more than a monument and a historical memory”.
“Jesus changes us, and calls us to work in the great yard of God, modeling us wisely according to his designs of salvation – Pope Leo emphasized. In recent years, the image of the ‘cantiere’ has been used to describe our ecclesial journey. It is a beautiful image, which speaks of activities, creativity, commitment, but also fatigue, problems to be solved, sometimes complex. It expresses the real, palpable effort, with which our communities grow every day, sharing charisms and under the guidance of the Pastors. The Church of Rome, in particular, is a witness in this actuative phase of the Synod, in which what has matured in years of work asks to pass through the confrontation and verification on the field. This leads to an uphill journey, but we must not be discouraged. It is good, however, to continue working, with confidence, to grow together.”.
“In the history of the majestic building in which we find ourselves there are no lack of critical moments, stops, corrections of ongoing projects – he recalled -. Yet, thanks to the tenacity of those who preceded us, we can gather in this wonderful place. In Rome, with so much effort, there is a great good that grows. We do not let fatigue prevent us from recognizing and celebrating it, to feed and renew our momentum. Moreover, the charity lived also shapes our face of the Church, because it appears more and more clearly to all who she is “mother”, “mother of all the Churches”, or even “mom”, as St. John Paul II said, speaking to children precisely in this feast (cf. Address for the Dedication of the Basilica of St. John in Lateran, 9 November 1986)”.
“I would like, finally, to mention an essential aspect of the mission of a Cathedral: the liturgy. It is the “ culmination towards which the action of the Church tends and […] the source from which all its energy continues” In it we find all the themes we mentioned: We are built as a temple of God, as his abode in the Spirit, and receive strength to preach Christ in the world. His care, therefore, in the place of the See of Peter, must be such as to be able to propose for example for all the people of God, in compliance with the norms, in the attention to the different sensibilities of those who participate, according to the principle of a wise inculturation and at the same time in fidelity to that style of solemn sobriety typical of the Roman tradition, that so good can do to the souls of those who participate actively. Every attention is given to the fact that here the simple beauty of the rites can express the value of worship for the harmonious growth of the whole Body of the Lord. Saint Augustine said that “beauty is nothing but love, and love is life” (Address 365, 1). The liturgy is an area in which this truth is realized in an eminent way; and I hope that those who approach the Altar of the Cathedral of Rome can then leave full of that grace with which the Lord wants to flood the world”.
Pope Leo plans to gather cardinals from all over the world for an extraordinary Consistory in the early days of 2026. According to a confidential communication, reported by the Catholic newspaper National Catholic Register, the Pontiff would manifest the intention to summon an extraordinary Consistory for the days 7 and 8 January next year.
