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The Sun
10-05-2025
- The Sun
Secret ancient papal palace where Popes lived before the Vatican is unearthed in Rome
ARCHAEOLOGISTS have unearthed ruins from a hidden ancient palace which housed popes for centuries before the Vatican was established. The discoveries give a rare glimpse into the dangers faced by the papacy in Rome 's medieval times. 5 5 5 Archaeologists stumbled upon complex architecture beneath the square outside the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran in Rome while making renovations for Jubilee 2025 (the Catholic Holy Year). They unearthed large walled structures made of volcanic rock bricks, known as tuff, that date back to the 9th through the 13th centuries AD. Some of these bricks had been reused from earlier buildings, and signs of restoration were visible in some of the walls. This structure is believed to be part of the Patriarchio - the ancient palace which served as the popes' official residence from the 4th century until the early 14th century. This monumental basilica was designed by Emperor Constantine in the 4th century after the famous Edict of Milan (313 AD) legalised Christianity in the Roman Empire. The palace complex was expanded and renovated during the Middle Ages, according to the Italian Ministry of Culture. These walled structures are said to have acted as a defensive barrier, shielding the papacy from power struggles among Rome's aristocratic families and raids by Saracens. The Italian ministry said: 'The construction of the structure just described took place during a long period in which Rome was the object of the raids of the Saracens, and inside it there were continuous struggles, sometimes violent, between the aristocratic families." 'Saracens' was the term used for various Arab groups that launched coastal raids in Italy during the 9th and 10th centuries and later clashed with European armies during the Crusades. 'Hence the hypothesis that this mighty wall, also due to its shape, had the function of a defensive wall around the complex of the Basilica and the annexed buildings," the ministry explained. New Pope Leo XIV accused of 'looking the other way' over sex abuse allegations against priests in Chicago & Peru It said this discovery is 'of extraordinary importance' to Rome's history, as these are the most extensive archaeological excavations of the square to have taken place. Gennaro Sangiuliano, the Italian Minister of Culture, said: 'The discoveries of Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano are yet another demonstration of the richness of the territory of Rome, an inexhaustible mine of archaeological treasures.' Sangiuliano added: 'Every single stone speaks to us and tells its story: thanks to these important finds, archaeologists will be able to know more about our past. The Vatican officially became the permanent papal seat in 1377. This was after Pope Gregory XI moved the papacy back to Rome from Avignon, France, where it had been located for nearly 70 years. From thereon, a defensive structure was no longer necessary and the area was abandoned. This discovery coincides with Cardinal Robert Prevost's election as the new leader of the Catholic Church - making him the first-ever American pope. The new pope stepped out onto the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican on Thursday to greet cheering crowds. Prevost was born in Chicago in 1955 to immigrant parents of French, Italian and Spanish descent. After graduating from Villanova University in Pennsylvania with a degree in maths, the future pontiff joined the Order of St Augustine, taking his vows in 1978. Ordained as a priest in 1982, he joined a mission in Peru where he spent many years leading a seminary. While he is seen as more traditional than Francis, he is not the conservative hardliner that some in the church had hoped for after his predecessor's efforts to make the faith more progressive. 5
The Independent
09-05-2025
- General
- The Independent
Archaeologists unearth ancient hidden palace under Rome likely home to Popes
Archaeologists have unearthed a hidden ancient palace under Rome that was likely home to the Popes between the ninth and thirteenth centuries AD before the Vatican seat was established. In preparation for the Jubilee Year 2025, several parts of Rome, including the Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano, have been subject to renovations. During one such renovation work, researchers stumbled upon complex architecture beneath the Piazza, including walled structures. The walls were found to have large blocks of volcanic rock bricks, or tuff, that appear to have also been reused by other structures that no longer exist. Some elements found on the wall, such as the presence of a bandage on the blocks, indicate they were subject to restoration interventions. In the westward sections of the wall, archaeologists observed a more irregular technique used in its construction. Researchers suspect these structures may belong to the Patriarchate, the residence of leaders that consisted of a grand reception hall called the monumental basilica. During the Middle Ages, the structure was enlarged and renovated several times and became the papacy, or the Pope's official residence, according to the Italian Ministry of Culture. This was a time of turmoil among Rome's aristocratic families, experts say, indicating that the wall around the ancient basilica may have served as a form of defence around it. 'The construction of the structure just described took place during a long period in which Rome was the object of the raids of the Saracens, and inside it there were continuous struggles, sometimes violent, between the aristocratic families,' the Italian ministry noted. It was only in 1305 that the papal capital was moved from the Patriarchate to Avignon, France, the ministry said. Once the papal seat was transferred to the Vatican, the need to have a structure to defend the Patriarchate fell, and with this, the wall lost its functionality and was buried with all memory of it lost. The findings offer a glimpse into the life and development of this part of Rome. 'The discoveries of Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano are yet another demonstration of the richness of the territory of Rome, an inexhaustible mine of archaeological treasures,' said Gennaro Sangiuliano, the Italian minister of culture. The discovery, according to the Italian ministry, is 'of extraordinary importance' to Rome and its medieval history, as no other such extensive archaeological excavations have taken place in the region. 'Every single stone speaks to us and tells its story: thanks to these important finds, archaeologists will be able to know more about our past,' Mr Sangiuliano said.
