The Papal Archbasilica of St. John Lateran is the cathedral church of the Diocese of Rome and the official ecclesiastical seat of the Bishop of Rome, who is the Pope.

2013 Italy Holiday

The archbasilica is the oldest and ranks first among the four Papal Basilicas or major basilicas of Rome as it is the cathedral of the Bishop of Rome and claims the title of ecumenical mother church among Roman Catholics.

The ceiling in the nave (below left) is incredible beautiful and was crafted in the 16th century and gilded with real gold. The nave(below right) has two rows of six sets of panels on each long wall with three panels each: the top panel being a prophet from the Jewish holy scriptures , in this set of panels a painting of the prophet Ezekiel is rendered; the middle panel is a raised stucco relief and displays a scene from life of Jesus, this panel illustrates the crowing of Jesus with thorns; and the bottom panel a statue of one of the twelve apostles, this being a representation of St. James the Greater.

The Pantheon

Hadrian's Monuments

Four Rivers Fountain, Pg. 1

Four Rivers Fountain, Pg. 2

The Lateran Basilica, Pg. 2

Largo di Torre Argentina

Pompeii

The Amalfi Coast

Mountains and Sea

Cosenza

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Rovito

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Sicily