Playing in the Majors

No, we’re not talking about baseball, we’re talking about churches – again!  The idea of a major basilica was introduced in 1300 by Pope Boniface VIII.  He issued a papal bull stating that a full pardon for all sins would be granted to anyone who confessed all of their sins and also visited the basilicas of St Peter and St Paul.  In later years the basilicas of St John in the Lateran and St Mary Major were added to this list.  To this day many of the Catholic faithful still make pilgrimages to all four of these churches in order to obtain absolution according to the ancient rights set down in the year 1300.

In this context the term “Basilica” refers to a title granted by the Pope and has nothing to do with architectural style.  Any church, other than these four, that have “Basilica” in their title are considered to be “Minor Basilicas”.

Interestingly, only St Peter’s is within the confines of Vatican City.  The other three are in nearby Rome.  According to the Lateran Treaty of 1929 these other churches are considered to be the sovereign property of the Vatican.  They were granted extraterritorial status, as if they were embassies.

Last summer we visited St Peter’s Basilica along with the Vatican museum and St Peter’s Square.  We also had fun climbing the bell tower.  This Fall we visited the other three (we went to St Mary Major three times but that’s a story for another article).  We haven’t told you about our trip to St Paul’s yet but rest assured that article is coming.

For good measure we’ll be returning to St Peter’s in a few weeks; we have tickets to see the crypts beneath the Basilica, which includes the tomb of St Peter, and we have tickets to the Vatican museum.  We applied to the Vatican for tickets to the Christmas midnight mass in the Basilica – one of the masses that the Pope personally presides over.  Our application was accepted and we’re waiting to hear if we’ll get tickets.  Fingers crossed!

Pope Boniface VIII would be proud of us 😇.