St. John Lateran Archbasilica. This is the cathedral church of Rome and thereffore houses the cathedra, or ecclesiastical seat of the Pope. As the Cathedral of the Pope qua Bishop of Rome, it ranks superior to all other churches of the Roman Catholic Church, including St. Peter's Basilica, and therefore it alone is titled "Archbasilica" among all other basilicas. It is the oldest of and has precedence among the four papal major basilicas, all of which are in Rome. It has the title of ecumenical mother church of the Roman Catholic faithful.
The presense of the cathedra renders the archbasilica the cathedral of Rome
Statue in San Giovanni in Laterano by Pieerre-Etienne Monnet circa 1704-1708
