Lives Of The Saints
November 9
The Dedication of the Archbasilica of the Most Holy Saviour
This is a feast rather than a single saint’s life, but it is a strong and important one. It connects a real church building, the history of Christian worship, and a spiritual lesson about our own souls.
Brief life
This is a major church feast centered on the Lateran basilica, the cathedral of Rome and in a special sense the mother church of the West. The early Christian practice of dedicating churches illuminates why the Lateran in particular carries such weight as the pope's cathedral and seat. Yet the feast does not remain only architectural or historical.
The spiritual meaning of church dedication reaches further: Christians are called to be temples of God, inwardly cleansed and consecrated for His worship. That is what keeps the feast from becoming antiquarian. The building matters because of what it signifies about the Church's worship and about the souls who are meant to become living sanctuaries of God.
Historical note
Because Butler’s November 9 entry is a feast treatment rather than a normal life, this page keeps the focus on the Lateran’s place in the Church and on the spiritual meaning of dedication.
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Nearby saint lives
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