Saint John Lateran, Rome

The Archbasilica of St. John Lateran (in Italian, Arcibasilica di San Giovanni in Laterano) in Rome is arguably the most historically and spiritually significant church in the world.It is often referred to as the "Mother and Head of all the Churches of the City and the World" (as inscribed on its front wall) and holds the following primary distinctions:The Cathedral of Rome: It is the official ecclesiastical seat of the Bishop of Rome, the Pope, making it the Pope's true cathedral, not St. Peter's Basilica.Oldest Public Church in the West: Founded by Emperor Constantine the Great in the early 4th century (consecrated in 324 CE), it is the oldest public church in the Western world.Highest-Ranking Papal Basilica: It is the oldest and highest-ranking of the four Major Papal Basilicas in Rome.Former Papal Residence: The adjacent Lateran Palace was the principal residence of the popes until the 14th century, before the papacy eventually moved to the Vatican.