Latest news with #ancientpalace
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
Daily Mail
09-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Archaeologists discover secret pope palace that predates the Vatican by 1,000 years
Archaeologists have uncovered the ruins of an ancient palace in Rome where popes lived before the Vatican became their official residence. The palace, including defensive walls, was uncovered in the square outside the Archbasilica of St John Lateran, which dates back to the 9th century. The walls were built with large rocks formed by volcanic ash, likely repurposed from now-lost structures, according to researchers. The structure is believed to have protected the Patriarchio, a monumental basilica commissioned by Emperor Constantine in the 4th century, shortly after he declared Christianity the official religion of Rome. The Patriarchio was later expanded and renovated during the Middle Ages, serving as the papal seat until the papacy moved to Avignon, France, in 1305. The secret palace housed the popes until that move, with the papacy returning to Rome in 1377. The Vatican was not formally established until 1929. Rome's long history, stretching back almost 2,800 years, means that roadworks often lead to archaeological discoveries. The discovery coincides with Cardinal Robert Prevost's surprise election as the new leader of the Catholic Church. He is the first US pope, taking the name Leo XIV. 'This is an extraordinarily important find for the city of Rome and its medieval history, as no extensive archaeological excavations have ever been carried out in the square in modern times,' the Italian Ministry of Culture said. The palace was uncovered during renovations of the area around St John Lateran ahead of the Jubilee, a year-long event starting in December that attracts more than 30 million pilgrims and tourists to the Italian capital. Jubilees have been celebrated every 25 years since Christians adopted the tradition in 1300 and this year's theme was 'Pilgrims of Hope'. During the event, Catholics can obtain special indulgences, or remission of their sins, if they fulfill certain conditions and do good works or make pilgrimages. Gennaro Sangiuliano, the Minister of Culture, said: 'The new discoveries in Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano are yet another demonstration of the richness of the territory of Rome, an inexhaustible mine of archaeological treasures. 'Every single stone speaks to us and tells its story: thanks to these important discoveries, archaeologists will be able to learn more about our past.' Archaeologists identified several signs of restorations throughout the ancient structure, including different building techniques. Moving westward, the construction shifts to a more irregular technique, featuring wedge-shaped buttresses. The ancient palace, however, was the fraction of the size of the Vatican that spans 250,000 square feet, which is roughly the length of two American football fields. The final section, leading to the basilica's front area, was faced with tuff blocks again, but this time supported by square-shaped buttresses. The structure's focus on defense may be linked to the fact that it was built during time of internal conflict in Rome, as powerful aristocratic families fought for control of the papal throne. Forces from Sicily also in filtered Rome in 846AD, raiding the city and ransacking churches including St Peter's Basilica. The rads were carried out by the Aghlabid Caliphate, an Arab dynasty that conquered large swaths of Sicily, Southern Italy and Sardinia. The violent history suggests that the massive wall may have served a defensive purpose, protecting the basilica and its surrounding buildings. After the popes returned to Rome from Avignon and moved the papal seat to the Vatican, there was no longer a need to defend the Patriarchate. As a result, the wall was no longer useful, so it was taken down, buried, and eventually forgotten, the archaeologists said. The Vatican is the smallest independent state in the world, a city-state and enclave within Rome. It also has its own territory, laws, currency, stamps and even a passport and license plate system. And, as of Thursday, the Vatican has a new resident calling it home. Pope Leo XIV grew up in Chicago, but spent most of his career in Latin America. He was a protege of the late Pope Francis, who in 2015 appointed him Bishop of Chiclayo, a city on the coast of Peru. Pope Leo, a former head of the Augustinian order, is regarded as urbane, charming and a competent administrator. When it comes to American politics, he is fiercely anti-MAGA, going out of his way to attack Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert, on social media. He used X to share an article from a left-wing Catholic outlet headed 'JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others.' Pope Leo also reposted an accusation that President Trump was using the Oval office to support the 'Feds' illicit deportation of a US resident'. The College of Cardinals Report, an influential survey of the views of all the cardinals in the Church, wrote this year: 'On key topics, Cardinal Prevost says little but some of his positions are known. 'He is reportedly very close to Francis's vision regarding the environment, outreach to the poor and migrants … He supported Pope Francis's change in pastoral practice to allow divorced and civilly remarried Catholics to receive Holy Communion.' Pope Leo appears somewhat less inclined to curry favor with the LGBTQ lobby than Francis, but he has showed mild support for unofficial blessings for gay couples. In other words, he's record on 'hot-button' issues will do nothing to reassure theological conservatives, whose sense of disappointment was palpable in Rome on Thursday night. But other Catholics, including some critics of Francis, believe the former Cardinal Prevost will restore a degree of order to the administration of the Church, which – especially in the Vatican – is nothing short of chaotic, thanks to the Argentinian pope's dictatorial style and habit of bypassing canon law.
The Independent
09-05-2025
- Science
- The Independent
The ancient papal palace discovered under Rome
Archaeologists in Rome have unearthed an ancient palace believed to have housed Popes between the 9th and 13th centuries. The complex architecture, discovered beneath Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano, features walls made of volcanic tuff blocks, some showing signs of restoration. Researchers suggest the structures may have been part of the Patriarchate, the papal residence before the Vatican, which included a grand reception hall. The walls, possibly built for defence against Saracens and feuding families, lost their purpose when the papal seat moved to Avignon, France, in 1305. This discovery, deemed "extraordinarily important", offers valuable insights into Rome's mediaeval history.
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.
