Reflection: Our Lady of the Snows and the Basilica of Saint Mary Major

Today is known as the Feast Day of Our Lady of the Snows, due to a miraculous event which occurred in the city of Rome in the year 352. 

According to legend, an aristocrat John and his wife were unable to have children. They prayed continually and asked the Blessed Mother for her assistance. Our Lady appeared to them in a vision on the night of August 4-5. She requested that they build a church in her honor on the Esquiline hill and the sign to accompany this dream is that the exact location would be marked out in snow.

During that hot summer evening, a miraculous snowfall traced the form of the basilica on the hill. Our Lady also appeared to Pope Liberius in a dream that same night so that he too could arrive at the location to see the miraculous snowfall. Many people gathered to see the unusual event of snow glistening in the August sun. Realizing that the snow marked the exact location of the church, the people staked off the area before the snow melted. The basilica was completed within two years and consecrated by Pope Liberius. 

Today is also the Feast Day of the Dedication of Saint Mary Major. It is the most important church in the city of Rome dedicated to Our Lady.

Among its great treasures are relics of the crib of the Baby Jesus from Bethlehem and a painting of the Madonna and Child known as the Salus Populi Romani, the Protectress of the People of Rome, which is attributed to Saint Luke. This image had been brought back from the Holy Land by Saint Helena, the mother of the Emperor Constantine. The image hung in the private chapel of Pope Liberius, and he ordered that it be brought to the Basilica for public veneration by the faithful. 

Throughout the centuries, there has been a special devotion to this famous picture of Our Lady. Many popes make an Entrustment to Mary of their papacy at this sacred image.

The Basilica of Saint Mary Major has great significance to the John 10:10 Prayer Ministry. In 2012, upon the recommendation of a priest who is a dear friend of the ministry, "A Prayer of Entrustment to Mary" was prayed by another priest at the image of the Madonna and Child. This image, Salus Populi Romani is located in a side chapel. 

With great gratitude, we pray for the priest who suggested making an Entrustment to Mary at this sacred image, for the priest who gave me the beautiful Prayer of Entrustment and for the priest who prayed this prayer at the Basilica of Mary Major. On that day, the Memorare was offered first at the beautiful statue of Mary, Queen of Peace (Regina Pacis), then at the relics of the crib of the Baby Jesus. The Prayer of Entrustment was then prayed before the image, Salus Populi Romani. The John 10:10 Prayer Ministry was fully entrusted to Our Lady! Since that day, the Prayer of Entrustment to Mary has been prayed by other priests who are friends of this ministry at other sacred places which are listed at the top of the blog. What a grace to have the assistance of these beloved priests!

Our Lady of the Snows, pray for us and all those for whom we pray through this ministry.