LATERAN was originally the proper name of a man; whence it descended to an ancient palace in Rome, and to the buildings since erected in its place; particularly a church called St John of Lateran, which is the principal see of the popedom.

Councils of the Lateran, are those held in the basilica of the Lateran; of these there have been five, held in 1123, 1139, 1179, 1215, and 1513.

Canons Regular of the Congregation of the Lateran, is a congregation of regular canons; whereof that church is the principal place or seat.

It is pretended there has been an uninterrupted succession of clerks, living in community, from the time of the apostles; and that a number of these were established in the Lateran in the time of Constantine. But the canons were not introduced till the time of Leo I. and these held the church 800 years, till the reign of Boniface, who took it from them, and placed secular canons in their room: 150 years after, the regulars were reinstated.

A LATERE, a term used to denote the qualifications of the cardinals whom the pope sends as legates into foreign countries. They are called legates à latere, as being his holiness's assistants and counsellors in ordinary. These are the most considerable of the other three kinds of legates, being such as the pope commissions to take his place in councils; and so called, in regard that he never gives this office to any but his favourites and confidants, who are always à latere, at his side. A legate à latere has the power of conferring benefices without a mandate, of legitimating bastards to hold offices, and has a cross carried before him as the ensign of his authority.

De Latere, legates who are not cardinals, but yet are intrusted with an apostolical legation. See the article LEGATE.