Pope Leo XIV marked the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica on Sunday with a call for renewed reverence and beauty in the Church’s liturgy.
Celebrating Mass at the Cathedral of Rome before more than 2,700 faithful, the Pope said that “care of the liturgy in the place of the See of Peter must be such that it can be offered as an example for all the people of God, in respect of the norms, attentive to the different sensitivities of those who participate … and at the same time in fidelity to that style of solemn sobriety typical of the Roman tradition, which can do so much good for the souls of those who actively participate.”
His Holiness described the liturgy as “the source from which all its power flows” and urged that it serve as an example for the whole people of God. He added that “every care be taken to ensure that here the simple beauty of the Roman Rite can express the value of worship for the harmonious growth of the entire body of the Lord,” quoting St Augustine’s reminder that “beauty is nothing but love, and love is life.”
In the rest of his homily, the Pope reflected on the Basilica’s foundations, laid under Emperor Constantine after Christianity was legalised in the early fourth century, and dedicated by Pope Sylvester I as the “Mother of all Churches.” The Lateran, he said, was “much more than a monument or a historical memorial” but “a sign of the living Church, built with chosen and precious stones in Christ Jesus, the cornerstone.”
He drew on the image of a “construction site” to describe the life of the Church, urging believers to “dig within ourselves and around us” and to build with humility and patience. “Jesus changes us and calls us to work in God’s great construction site, wisely shaping us according to His plans for salvation,” he said. “Let us be neither hasty nor superficial, unhindered by worldly criteria, which too often demand immediate results and disregard the wisdom of waiting.”
Concelebrating with the Pope were Cardinal Baldassare Reina, Archpriest of the Basilica and Vicar General for the Diocese of Rome, Bishop Renato Tarantelli Baccari, Vice-Gerent of the Diocese, and around 160 priests and ten bishops. Pope Leo noted that even in Rome’s long ecclesial history, “there were critical moments, pauses, and corrections to projects in progress,” yet “thanks to the tenacity of those who came before us, we can gather in this wonderful place.”
He concluded by expressing hope that all who approach the altar of the Cathedral of Rome “may then leave filled with that grace with which the Lord wishes to flood the world,” affirming that the liturgy remains the heart of the Church’s unity and mission.
(Photo by ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images)
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