Older Than The Vatican! The Surprising Discovery Of The Secret Whale Palace In Rome!

Illustration of the square in front of the Basilika Agung St. John Lateran (photo: x @Italian347)

JAKARTA - The team of archaeologists has found the ruins of the ancient palace where the whales lived before the Vatican became their official residence. The palace was found in the square in front of St. Great Basilica. John Lateran and dates back to the 9th century.

The wall of defense found was built from a large rock formed from volcanic ash, most likely recycled from an ancient structure that has now been lost. The findings are believed to be the protector of Patriarchio, a monumental basilica built on the orders of Emperor Konstantinus in the 4th century, shortly after Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire.

The Basilica was later expanded and renovated during the Middle Ages and served as a center of papality until 1305, when the Holy Throne was moved to Av airing, France. After a papal return to Rome in 1377, the whale's official residence finally moved to the Vatican, which was formally only established in 1929.

This discovery occurred during a project to renovate the area around St. John Lateran ahead of the Jubilee celebration, a Catholic religious event held every 25 years and attracts more than 30 million pilgrims to Rome. This year's Jubilee theme is "Pejia Harapan".

The discovery of the new at Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano is another proof of the wealth of Rome's territory, the mine is endless from archaeological treasures. Each stone tells and teaches a lesson from our past," said Italian Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano, quoted by VOI from the Daily Mail.

The structures found show various development techniques from different times, including the use of bajj and square-shaped pillars. The focus on the defense is thought to be related to the internal conflict period in Rome, when the royal family competes for influence over the papal throne.

Attacks from Arab forces Aghlabid who stormed the city in 846 AD, including robbing St. Peter's Basilica, reinforce the allegation that the wall was built as protection.

However, when the papal center moved to the Vatican, the wall lost its function, then it was dismantled, buried, and forgotten for centuries.

The discovery of this secret palace coincides with the election of Cardinal Robert Prevost as the new Pope, under the name Pope Leo XIV. He is the first Pope from the United States and has served as a bishop in Chiclayo, Peru, after being appointed by Pope Francis in 2015. As a former chief of the Augustinian Ordo, he is known as charismatic, intelligent, and orderly in managing administration.

However, Leo XIV is also known to be vocal in US political affairs. He publicly criticized Vice President JD Vance and satirized Donald Trump's policies through social media. He is known to support Pope Francis' policies, such as attention to environmental issues, the poor, and migrants. However, he appears to be more careful in responding to LGBTQ issues and is known to be more conservative in theology than his predecessors.

Many people hope Leo XIV can restore regularity in the administration of the Vatican, which during Pope Francis' time was deemed chaotic due to a centralistic leadership style.