Roma - Archbasilica of St. John Lateran

The name "Lateran" goes back to the Lateranus family, that once owned the place. The Laterani lost their properties when one of the Laterani was accused by Nero of conspiracy against the Emperor.

The Archbasilica of St. John Lateran as well as the Lateran Palace next to it are part of Italy, but as a result of the 1929 Lateran Treaty, a a property of the Holy See and so have extraterritorial privileges.

The Lateran Palace was donated to the "Bishop of Rome" by Constantine I. The palace was converted and extended, becoming the residence of Pope Silvester I.

During the Avignon Papacy (1309 - 1377) Palace and Basilica crumbled and burnt down. When the Papacy returned from Avignon to Rome, the Archbasilica and the Palace were deemed inadequate considering their severe damage. So the Popes resided at the Basilica di Santa Maria in Trastevere and later at the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore.

The Archbasilica of St. John Lateran underwent many rebuildings over the centuries. Some parts like the apse still are medieval. The ciborium to the right with the heads of Saint Peter and Saint Paul dates from 1369.

Here the macabre "Synodus Horrenda" (aka "Cadaver Synod", "Cadaver Trial") took place in 897.

End of the 9th century, the western world seemed to fall apart. What Charlemagne had created had crumbled into small fractions.

At that time Formosus was bishop of a Roman suburb, but as well a very successful diplomat and missionary in the Bulgarian kingdom. Maybe he was just too successfull. Pope John VIII turned on Formosus and accused him of aspiring to the papacy. John had him excommunicated.

John then was the first pope to be murdered by his own people. He was poisoned - and when the poison worked slower than expected, his head was smashed with a hammer. Pope Marinus I succeed John and re-installed
Formosus as bishop. The following year Pope St. Adrian III succeeded Marinus, but he died already in 885 on a trip to the Frankish King Charles III (aka "the Fat"). Pope Stephen V followed shortly thereafter, but in 891it was Formosus’ turn. He managed to hold on to the papacy for five full years before dying of a stroke.

Formosus was succeeded by Boniface VI, who only ruled for 15 days before he died. Next was Pope Stephen VI., who ordered to dig up Formosus and force his corpse to stand trial for crimes Pope John VIII had excommunicated him for.

Formosus´ corpse was dragged out, dressed in papal robes, and propped up in a chair. During the trial an earthquake shook the basilica, damaging part of it. In the end Formosus was found guilty, stripped of his vestments, and had the three fingers he used for blessing on his right hand chopped off.

The corpse was buried, but then dug up and tossed in the Tiber. This was the point, when the people of Rome revolted against Stephen´s craze. A mob threw him in prison where he was strangled in his cell.