Aug 5 - "Our Lady of Snows" - Dedication of St. Mary Major Basilica

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Some History:

…SNOW IN AUGUST

In August 352 a rectangle of snow was discovered on Mount Esquiline, one of the famous Seven Hills. Snowfall of any sort was unheard of in Rome at that time of year, but that it had fallen only in one place and in such a specific pattern was regarded as a phenomenon. People crowded to see the patch of snow, which persisted despite the heat. John was convinced that its shape and size indicated that a church should be built on the spot. In fact both John and the Pontiff had dreamt that Our Lady desired a church to be built on Mount Esquiline. The Holy Father was so moved by his dream that he visited the mysterious snowfall. When he arrived with his retinue, John and his wife were already there kneeling in prayer to the Virgin.

As soon as the plot for the building had been staked out the snow melted. John met the cost of the building, which was completed in 354 and was dedicated the Basilica Liberiana. Seventy years later the church was rebuilt on a grander scale by Pope Sixtus III, who added decorations and ornaments of silver. From then the church was known as Basilica Sixti and the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore [St. Mary Major]…

…Many popes have held the basilica on Mount Esquiline in particular regard. When Gregory I was Pope [590-604] Rome was ravaged by a plague. Gregory carried the image of the Holy Mother in procession from the chapel as far as Hadrian’s Mausoleum. When the procession arrived they heard an invisible heavenly choir singing Regina Caeli. When the Pope asked the Virgin to pray for the city he saw an apparition of St. Michael replacing the sword of vengeance in its scabbard. The plague abated.

Pope Benedict XIV had a special affection for the legend. In 1427 he declared, "It must be acknowledged that nothing is wanting to enable us to affirm with moral certainty that the prodigy of the Snow is true… The night before he died, Paul V asked to be taken to the Chapel of the Blessed Virgin in order to pray before her image. St. Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus, said his first Mass here at Christmas 1538…

AND:

…The present-day church is one of the largest basilicas in the world and its Patronal Festival is held on August 5 in remembrance of the miracle of the snow… One of the most spectacular sights which meets today’s pilgrim is the triumphal arch which extends to almost 66 feet. It is decorated in four horizontal sections. In the middle at the top God’s throne is set in a circle, with St. Peter and St. Paul on either side. Above this mosaic are the symbols of the four Gospel writers…

On November 12, 1964 Pope Paul VI made a pilgrimage to the basilica and solemnly proclaimed Our Lady “Mother of the Church”… ( more HERE)

Another good site for info on this feast and more on the beautiful image of Mary mentioned above is HERE

Today is also the First Saturday of August, the month dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and this is the 100th Anniversary Year of her Apparitions at Fatima. Hopefully many of us will be especially mindful of and grateful to our Mother today and seek to make reparation for all the offenses against her.