The dedication of the Basilica of St Mary Major in Rome is celebrated today on August 5 as an optional memorial Mass in the Roman liturgical rite. St Mary Major is one of the four major basilicas in Rome. All the other basilicas around the world are referred to as minor basilicas. St Mary Major is also the largest church in the world dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
According to tradition, the origin of this basilica took place in a miraculous snowfall that occurred on August 5th in the 4th century. According to this story, a Roman patrician and his wife, who were without heirs, made a vow to donate their possessions to the Virgin Mary. They prayed that she might make known to them how they were to dispose of their property in her honor. On August 5, in the heat of the Roman summer, snow fell during the night on the summit of the Esquiline Hill. In obedience to a vision of the Virgin Mary which they had that night, the couple built this basilica in her honor on the very spot which was covered with snow.
We should see our celebration of the dedication of St Mary Major today not just as a celebration of the basilica itself, but also a reminder of Mary's role as Mother of God and a symbol of the Church's love for her. Today’s feast honors Mary’s role in salvation history, in the history of the Church, and in the lives of the faithful.
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