LATERAN COUNCILS, those councils held in the basilica of the Latin church at Rome. See COUNCIL.
There have been five councils held in this place, viz. in the years 1123, 1139, 1179, 1215, and 1513.
Canons regular of the Congregation of the LATERAN, were introduced in the reign of Pope Leo I. and continued in the church till the reign of Boniface, who displaced them, and put secular canons in their room; but 150 years after, the regulars were re-instated again.