Major basilica
As Basilicae Maiores (singular Basilica Maior ) are referred to the six highest-ranking Roman Catholic churches. Four of them are in Rome, two in Assisi. All other churches that use the title of a basilica, are Basilicae Minores.
Survey
The Papal Churches in Rome
The four Papal Churches in Rome are:
- The Lateran Basilica San Giovanni in Laterano ( St John Lateran ), the Basilica of
- St. Peter's Basilica San Pietro in Vaticano ( St. Peter in the Vatican )
- San Paolo fuori le Mura ( St. Paul Outside the Walls )
- Santa Maria Maggiore (Great St Mary's )
The Basilicae maiores in Assisi
The other two Basilicae maiores in Assisi are:
- The Basilica of San Francesco (Basilica of St. Francis ), since 1756
- Santa Maria degli Angeli Basilica (Our Lady of the Angels ) with the Portiuncula since 1906
Features
The four Basilicae maiores in Rome also carry the title of Papal Basilica ( Basilica papale Italian ), they were, as Pope Benedict XVI. 2006 as a symbol of ecumenism and unity of the church resigned from the title of Patriarch of the West, umtituliert (previously they were Patriarchal ).
As the Basilicae minores lead the Maiores Padiglione, a cone-shaped silk shade, originally for protection during processions, and the Tintinnabulum, a liturgical bell, the Padiglione at the Maiores is gold - purple, striped yellow-red in Small Groups.
The six Basilicae maiores possess a papal throne and a papal altar ( altars papale ) on which only the Pope, or may read in exceptional cases bishops with papal approval, the holy mass.
The four Roman Papal Churches also have a Holy Door ( porta sancta ). These doors can be opened in its own rite, by the Pope or its approved agent only for the duration of a Holy Year and play an important role in the system of indulgences in the granting of so-called complete indulgence.
Along with St. Lawrence outside the Walls, San Sebastiano Catacombs and all of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, the four Papal Churches of the circle of seven Roman pilgrimage churches whose attendance was expected of an early Christian pilgrim travelers.