basilicae

Basilicae is the Latin plural form of basilica, a term used for both ancient Roman public buildings and, in Christian usage, churches that hold a special status within the Church. The word derives from Greek basilikē, meaning royal, reflecting the authority and public function associated with these spaces in antiquity and their later ceremonial significance.

In ancient Rome, a basilica was a large rectangular hall used for legal proceedings, commerce, and administrative activities. Typical features included a wide central nave flanked by side aisles, an apse at one end for magistrates or officials, and often a portico or atrium at the entrance. The architecture of Roman basilicae influenced early Christian church design.

From late antiquity onward, the basilica plan was adopted for Christian churches, valued for accommodating liturgy and large congregations. A Christian basilica generally preserves a central nave with aisles, often a transept, and an apse where the bishop’s throne may be placed. The arrangement supports processions, preaching, and sacred rites, and the plan remains a standard reference in church architecture.

Ecclesiastical designation: the pope grants basilica status to certain churches. There are major basilicas and minor basilicas. The four major basilicas, all in Rome, are Saint Peter’s Basilica; the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran; the Basilica of Saint Mary Major (Santa Maria Maggiore); and the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls. Minor basilicas exist worldwide and receive specific ceremonial privileges, including the right to use the title Basilica and to display papal insignia.

Today, basilicae denote buildings of architectural form and canonical rank, reflecting both historical function and ongoing liturgical significance.