Basilica of St. John Lateran

The Lateran complex is the final stop of the papal procession. The Basilica of St. John Lateran is the cathedral of Rome and mother church of the world, located on land once owned by Constantine who in 311 transferred it to the pope of his day for a church. The Lateran Palace was the main papal residence before the pope’s move to Avignon in 1309. Upon return, the popes decided to move into the residence at the Vatican since it was in better condition and newly renovated.

Once arrived at the Lateran, the pope would perform his ritual possession of the church known as the possessio. The pope would cast coins at the marble seat, the sedes stercoraria, at the Latern’s entrance. He would be led up to this seat where he would sit down. The cardinals would raise him up to fulfill the saying: “He raised the poor from the dust, and lifts the needy from the dunghill to give them a place with princes and to assign them a seat of honor” (1 Kings 2:8, cf. Psalm 112:7-8). The pope would then remove denarii from his garb and throw them into the crowd while reciting Acts 3:6 “I have neither gold nor silver but what I have I give to you”.

This ceremony is similar to those conducted by Byzantine emperors upon their accession, illustrating Byzantine influences in Rome during this time. One interpretation of the possessio is that the coins thrown by the pope are his gift to those who had elected him and is an offering made by the possessor of the church, the pope, to its owner, the people. Popes were crowned at the Lateran until 1870 when Rome became the secular capital of Italy.