I was never a sports person, save only for physical exercises to stay fit. As such, I never shared the fanatism and passion of many Nigerians who end up at viewing centres just to hurl insults, assault one another, abuse each other’s parents and do all sorts just to catch fun while watching European football matches. Incidentally, what I was gaining in my physical fitness by burning calories, they were gaining much more by insulting each other with the energies they dissipate at the viewing centres.
Do not get me wrong at all. Because, curiosity as to what they were gaining (was not thinking of the health benefits) led me to subscribed to FC Barcelona in the early 2000s, before Lionel Messi gained prominence. Low and behold, I derived indescribable joy from the very first day at the viewing centre. And, I fell in love with my Team. Then came in Lionel Messi with his dribbling skills and was winning virtually every football match for Barcelona. My motivation increased alongside my physical fitness.
El Classico is a Spanish word literarily translated to mean ‘The Grandfather of them All’. This is the name of matches which takes place between Real Madrid FC, The Blaugrana and FC Barcelona, More than A Club. The football matches are testaments to the long political rivalry between the two largest cities of Spain. Since the President of Barcelona was executed without trial in 1936, the embers of rivalry between the clubs have continued to be fanned into flame.
The two clubs have the largest following on social media; they are among the most successful and the wealthiest global football clubs. According to Wikipedia:
“Real Madrid leads in head-to-head results in competitive matches with 103 wins to Barcelona’s 100 with 52 draws; Barcelona leads in exhibition matches with 24 victories to Madrid’s 6 with 12 draws and in total matches with 124 wins to Madrid’s 109 with 64 draws as of the match played on 28 October 2023. Along with Athletic Bilbao, they are the only clubs in La Liga to have never been relegated.”
The Arch-Basilica Cathedral of The Most Holy Saviour
In mid-July, 64AD, when Emperor Nero held sway as the Head of the Roman Empire, there was a fire outbreak which lasted for almost a week. Some historians blamed the fire outbreak on Nero himself, with the claim that Nero was to use it to pave way for the building of his planned palatial complex, the “Domus Aurea: Golden House” (Suetonius, 69-122AD). As posited by Emmanuel Rahm, a modern politician: “Never let a crisis go to waste”.
Nero took advantage of the fire outbreak, in a bid to escape being blamed for it, and blamed it in lieu on the budding Christians who refused to worship him. This led to the persecution and execution of Christians, chief among whom were the greatest Apostles Peter and Paul. And so began the more than two and half centuries of persecution and killings of Christians for sport. The following year, 65 AD, after a failed conspiracy to kill Nero, he executed his Counsel-designate Plautius Lateranus (Lateran); because, he was part of the conspiracy to kill Nero in 65AD.
Then came in Emperor Constantine of Western Roman Empire who was friendly to the unyielding and fastest growing group at the time –the Catholic Church. In union with his counterpart in Eastern Roman Empire, Emperor Licinius, Constantine signed and ratified the popular Edict of Milan in 313AD; allowing the Christians freedom of worship and making Catholicism official State religion, among others. He then donated the Lateran Palace to Pope Miltiades which Nero had confiscated from his executed Counsel-designate Plautius Lateranus (Lateran).
The Lateran’s first used was for a Synod of Bishops by Pope Miltiades before beginning the construction of Christianity’s first Basilica in Rome, opposite the Lateran Palace. Emperor Constantine ensured that the Arch-Basilica Cathedral was well decorated with gold and silver. It was completed in the year 324AD, and was dedicated on 9th November by Pope Sylvester and given the name the “House of God,” with a special designation to Christ the Savior. With that, the first cathedral in the most important diocese was established.
According to mycatholic.life “Though the Basilica was first dedicated to Christ the Savior, in the tenth century Pope Sergius III added a new baptistry and rededicated the Basilica to Saint John the Baptist. In the twelfth century, Pope Lucius II dedicated the Basilica to Saint John the Evangelist. The Basilica, therefore, honours Christ the Savior first and the two Saint Johns as the co-Patrons. Though the Lateran Basilica has remained the Pope’s Cathedral from the time of its dedication, the Lateran Palace, next to the Basilica, was the Papal residence from 324–1305.”
When Pope Clement V who was elected Pope in 1305 decided to live outside Rome, “in 1309, he moved the entire Papal court to Avignon, France, where it remained until Pope Gregory XI returned to Rome from Avignon in 1377. Upon the Pope’s return to Rome, the Lateran Palace was in disrepair due to two fires, so the Pope eventually built a new Palace next to Saint Peter’s on Vatican Hill, where every subsequent Pope has resided until today” (ibid.).
St. Paul in 1 Cor. 3:16; 1 Cor. 6:19 tells all Christians that our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit of God, Who dwells in us. In Jn. 2:17, Jesus reminds us all that zeal for His house must be constantly burning in us always. Because, the celebration of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica foreshadows the Heavenly Jerusalem wherein all of us, “washed clean from all defilements”, will be able to behold the beatific vision of God. This is why we must strive at all times to always keep our bodies holy. You Are The Most Grandeur Temple of God!
‘Wagbemiga Mary-Peter Ònífáde
Chairman/CEO,
Wagbemiga Media Services (7150468)
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'Wagbemiga 