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From Rome Reports:

Rome is in a festive mood with a special celebration at Saint Mary Major, one of the four most important basilicas of the Eternal City.

Pope Benedict XVI referred to this unique event in Rome during his General Audience held in Castel Gandolfo.

BENEDICT XVI
Today, where we remember the dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, the liturgy invites us turn our gaze to Mary, Mother of Christ. Always look to Her, dear young people, following her example in faithfully carry out God’s will. ”

But the Basilica itself has also been celebrating this day with the traditional “snow” of rose petals recalling the events around the appearance of the Blessed Mother to Pope Liberius showing him where to build the new Church.

The morning after this dream, on August 5 in the year 358, a miraculous snowfall appeared on the Esquiline Hill of Rome – despite it being mid-summer. Here is where the great basilica stands now.

Since then, the Basilica has maintained a very special relationship with the Eternal City as it keeps the image known as the ‘protector of Rome’ or the help of the Roman people.

It marked a day of celebration to remember this unique moment in the history of the Church

The Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major is an ancient Roman Catholic Marian basilica of Rome. It is one of the four major or four papal basilicas, which, together with St. Lawrence outside the Walls, were formerly referred to as the five “patriarchal basilicas” of Rome.