Feast of the Dedication of Our Lady of the Snows

Dedicatio Sanctæ Mariæ ad Nives

A feast celebrated on 5 August to commemorate the dedication of the church of Santa Maria Maggiore on the Esquiline Hill in Rome. The church was originally built by Pope Liberius (352-366) and was called after him "Basilica Liberii" or "Liberiana". It was restored by Pope Sixtus III (432-440) and dedicated to Our Lady. From that time on it was known as "Basilica S. Mariæ" or "Mariæ Majoris"; since the seventh century it was known also as "Maria ad Præsepe". The appellation "ad Nives" (of the snow) originated a few hundred years later, as did also the legend which gave this name to the church. The legend runs thus: During the pontificate of Liberius, the Roman patrician John and his wife, who were without heirs, made a vow to donate their possessions to Our lady. They prayed to her that she might make known to them in what manner they were to dispose of their property in her honour. On 5 August, during the night, snow fell on the summit of the Esquiline Hill and, in obedience to a vision which they had the same night, they built a) basilica, in honour of Our Lady, on the spot which was covered with snow. From the fact that no mention whatever is made of this alleged miracle until a few hundred years later, not even by Sixtus III in his eight-lined dedicatory inscription [edited by de Rossi, "Inscript. Christ.", II, I (Rome, 1888), 71; Grisar (who has failed to authenticate the alleged miracle), "Analecta Romana", I (Rome, 1900), 77; Duchesne, "Liber Pontificalis", I (Paris, 1886), 235; Marucchi, "Eléments d'archéologie chrétienne", III (Paris and Rome, 1902), 155, etc.] it would seem that the legend has no historical basis

Originally the feast was celebrated only at Sta Maria Maggiore; in the fourteenth century it was extended to all the churches of Rome and finally it was made a universal feast by Pius V. Clement VIII raised it from a feast of double rite to double major. The mass is the common one for feasts of the Blessed Virgin; the office is also the common one of the Bl. Virgin, with the exception of the second Nocturn, which is an account of the alleged miracle. The congregation, which Benedict XIV instituted for the reform of the Breviary in 1741, proposed that the reading of the legend be struck from the Office and that the feast should again receive its original name, "Dedicatio Sanctæ Mariæ".

More information here.

The Basilica also houses the image of Maria, Salus Populi Romani, painted by St Luke.

History of the devotion.
During the pontificate of St. Gregory the Great (590-604) a plague viciously attacked the people of Rome, killing entire families. The pontiff fervently prayed to the Blessed Mother. During the Easter festivals he carried her image in solemn procession. Arriving at Hadrian's Mausoleum (now called San Angelo), an angelic choir was heard singing the joyful Resurrection hymn:

Regina coeli, laetare, alleluia;Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia;

Resurrexit sicut dixit, alleluia.
Without hesitation, the holy Pontiff added:

Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia.

After the Pontiff spoke these words there appeared above Hadrian's Mausoleum an angel, believed to be St. Michael, who replaced in his scabbard the sword of vengeance which he had held over the city.

In 1720, St Paul of the Cross fasted and went on retreat under the guidance of his Bishop for 40 days, during which time he wrote the first Rule of Life for his future Congregation. Encouraged by his Bishop, and having been clothed in a black habit, Paul sailed down the west coast of Italy, eventually presenting himself before the main doors of the Quirinale, the Papal Palace, seeking an audience with the Pope. Needless to say, he was not in the court attire of the day, looking more like a beggar, and was sent away by the guards. He felt this rejection deeply and went across the city to the Basilica of St Mary Major,

and kneeling in prayer before the Icon of Santa Maria Neves, Salus Populi Romani, he made his first vow,

“To promote the Memory of the Passion, and to gather Companions.”


The Crib in which Our Lord Incarnate was laid is kept in the crypt of the Basilica,

together with the bodies of St Jerome, (illustrated here with St Paula and St Eustochium) and many other saints besides.

Source- "the English list of the Stacions of Rome of 1370 gives 60 verses to the description of the church and includes the Nativity relics, beginning: At seinte Marie the maiour/ ther is a chirche of gret honour. The lists of relics begins with the high altar where the body of St. Matthew is buried. The description of St. Jerome's tomb is lengthy: the body of Saint Jerome, the holy doctor, he was once from the city of Damas and was brought to this place, he was placed before the chapel called Presepe (boards from the Manger of the Nativity) and upon his grave lies a stone with a cross engraved on it and a great iron girdle about the stone. We are told that there are many relics of Our Lady and her Son, including the cloth that Christ was put into when he was born and the hay on which Christ lay. There is also the arm of St. Thomas Becket, part of his brain, and a Rochet sprinkled with his blood. The pilgrim can see an image of our Lady that Luke is said to have painted, but one done by angel's hands was put in its place. Then follows a list of indulgences given by the popes: 1000 years for each Holy Day and even more - forgiveness of sorrows and 800 year's more pardon. At every feast of Our Lady there are 100 year's pardon and from the Assumption of the Virgin to her Birthday (August 15 to September 8, both Stational Liturgies at Sta Maria Maggiore) 14000 years' pardon. (The Stacions of Rome (Vernon Ms) Frederick J. Furnivall, ed., Early English Text Society: London, 1867, 16-17).
(CATHCON note- indulgences of excessive length (I think over 1000 years- must check-were regularised in the late 19th/ early 20th century)

A shorter prose list of the Stations, Here bethe the stacyons of Rome, 1460-70, is included in The Stacions of Rome. Sa Maria Maggiore is described as having the "body of St. Matthew and St. Jerome the holy doctor, and an arm of St. Thomas the martyr and his brain and a rocket that was sprinkled with his blood that he wore at his taking, and the hay that Christ lay in before the Ass, and an image of our lady of angels' work." (Furnivall, ed., Early English Text Society: London, 1867, 33).

In 1470 William Brewyn continues the indulgences listed in the 1370 English Stacions:

"Pope Pius II declared a plenary remission to the altar for May 9 and a 1,000 years of indulgences for attending any of Mary's feast days at St. Mary Major, "and from the feast of the Assumption of Mary the Virgin (August 15) to her Nativity (September 8) a thousand years of indulgences."

Santa Maria Maggiore's relics included, below the main altar, the body of St. Matthew the Apostle. Brewyn also lists St. Jerome, St. Romula, and St. Redempta. Among the other relics, the church possessed the mantle of the Virgin Mary with which she wrapped the infant Christ in the manger, the cradle of Christ, the stole of St. Jerome, and the arm of St. Thomas of Canterbury. William Brewyn, A Fifteenth Century Guidebook to the Principal Churches of Rome. trans. C. Evenleigh Woodruff. London: Marshall Press Limited, 1933"

The glory of the Basilica is further burnished with the body of Pope St Pius V being kept there, himself one of the principle glories of the Dominican order whose Founder's Feastday was celebrated yesterday.

"In 1570 when Solyman II attacked Cyprus, threatening all Christianity in the West, he never rested till he united the forces of Venice, Spain, and the Holy See. He sent his blessing to Don John of Austria, the commander-in-chief of the expedition, recommending him to leave behind all soldiers of evil life, and promising him the victory if he did so. He ordered public prayers, and increased his own supplications to heaven. On the day of the Battle of Lepanto, 7 Oct., 1571, he was working with the cardinals, when, suddenly, interrupting his work opening the window and looking at the sky, he cried out, "A truce to business; our great task at present is to thank God for the victory which He has just given the Christian army". He burst into tears when he heard of the victory, which dealt the Turkish power a blow from which it never recovered. In memory of this triumph he instituted for the first Sunday of October the feast of the Rosary, and added to the Litany of Loreto the supplication "Help of Christians". He was hoping to put an end to the power of Islam by forming a general alliance of the Italian cities Poland, France, and all Christian Europe, and had begun negotiations for this purpose when he died of gravel, repeating "O Lord, increase my sufferings and my patience!" He left the memory of a rare virtue and an unfailing and inflexible integrity. He was beatified by Clement X in 1672, and canonized by Clement XI in 1712."

On this day in 1716 were the Turks also defeated at the Battle of Peterwardein by Prince Eugen

Following another defeat for the Turks at Corfu in 1717, Pope Clement XI extended the Feast of the Most Holy Rosary to the whole Church.

For those that understand German, the Seven Wars against the Turks. If on any one occasion, the Turks had won, Europe would be a very different place today. Anyone who says, but this is only history, is living in fool's paradise.

Prince Eugene the Noble Knight (not my translation but gives sufficient of the meaning) In Latin and German with the tune here.

1. Prince Eugene, the Noble Knight, in order to reconquer to the Emperor the City and the Fortress of Belgrade, order to build a bridge to enter in the City with the army .

2. When the Bridge was over, to cross over with carriage and guns, near Semlin they found the turkish camp and all they soldier that had to be shoot, they derided and mocked us.

3. The 21 August, in the flow and in the rain, a spy came he, swore to the Prince the Turks were ling up, as he could understand three times one hundred thousand men.

4. Prince Eugene, after these words, met his Staff together his General and his Field Marshal. He told them to move their soldiers and to attack the enemy.

5. He ordered to count the twelve tolls of the Midnight; then all had to mount their horses to fight against the enemy if they had so numerous.

6. Immediately they were on their horses, with their swods in the hand, silent, silent ountside the entrenchment, fusiliers an cavalrymen all fought brave: this was reall a great nice dance

7. You, artillerymen, from the trench accompany this dance with a Music of great and little cartridges over the Turks, against that pagans, to clear the way.

8. Prince Eugene was right, he fought like a Lion, like the General and the Feldmarschall. Prince Ludwig, riding up and down: "Hold, brave, you, german brothers, attack the enemy with courage!"

9. Prince Ludwig, destined to give back his soul and his young life, was hit by lead. Prince Eugen was greately sorry,since he loved him. He let to brought him in Peterwardein..