From: The Art Bulletin | Date: March 1, 1996| Author: Scott, John Beldon | COPYRIGHT 1996 College Art Association. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan.  All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group.Copyright information

The Roman basilica of S. Giovanni in Laterano is one of the oldest, largest, and most opulently decorated churches in Christendom. Its relics - the heads of Saints Peter and Paul, the Table of the Last Supper, and the Ark of the Covenant - are among the most prestigious. It is the seat of the bishop of Rome, and within its walls five major church councils have been held. An adjacent episcopal palace was the official residence of the popes for almost a millennium - from the 4th centur...