Santa Maria Maggiore

First thing this morning (11/6), we went to Mass at Santa Maria Maggiore (St. Mary Major), one of the major basilicas in Rome and the most prominent basilica dedicated to Our Lady in the world!

Tradition has it that the Virgin Mary herself inspired the choice of the Esquiline Hill for the church's construction. Appearing in a dream to both the Patrician John and Pope Liberius, she asked that a church be built in her honor on a site she would miraculously indicate by snowfall in August in Rome!

The morning of August 5th, the Esquiline Hill was covered with a blanket of snow. The pope traced out the perimeter of the basilica in the snow, and John financed the construction of the new church.

Pretty cool, isn't it?

Fr. Chris and Fr. Mike Philips said our Mass in a beautiful chapel.

We also got to see the Holy Crib in St. Mary Major! Wow!

In the crypt under the high altar lies the celebrated relic known as the Holy Crib. A statue of Pope Pius IX kneeling before the ancient wooden pieces of the manger serves as an example to the faithful who come to see the first humble crib of the Savior. Pius IX's devotion to the Holy Crib led him to commission the crypt chapel, and his coat of arms is visible above the altar. The precious crystal urn trimmed in silver, through which the faithful can venerate the relic, was designed by Giuseppe Valadier.

Here's a photo of the crib. Do you see the piece of wood in the middle placed horozontally across the reliquary? It was very humbling to get to pray in front of the Baby Jesus' crib (at least part of it)!

Statue of Pope Pius XI kneeling in prayer and smiling towards the Baby Jesus' crib!

Also, we saw a very well-known icon in the Borghese Chapel dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary: Salus Populi Romani (Protectress of the Roman People). The icon of the Salus Populi Romani, recounted by pious tradition to have been painted by St. Luke the Evangelist, welcomes all who come before her with her maternal gaze. In 1605, Pope Paul V Borghese (1605-1621) was elected to the pontificate and it is to him that we owe this chapel, known as either the Borghese or Pauline chapel.

This shrine is a favorite of Pope Francis, who prays before this icon before traveling and after returning.