The Feast of Our Lady of Snows.
In the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore – one of the four basilicas of Rome – today’s celebrations commemorate the Madonna Della Neve, The Feast of Our Lady of Snows, with a shower of white rose petals to celebrate the Most Holy Virgin who inspired the construction of the Church. Tradition has it that on the morning of the 5th of August, 358, an extraordinary snowfall whitened the Esquiline Hill, indicating the place to build the new basilica following which Pope Liberius immediately traced its future floor plan in the snow. Not much remains of the ancient building now fully incorporated in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore we see today. Today, as every year, this ritual is repeated, with the ‘snowfall’ of white petals, that from the dome of the Paolina Chapel of Our Lady offers an almost transcendental show in the square in front of the church. To accompany the event: projections, dance and classical music performances to emphasize the anniversary, intergral part of the history of the Eternal City.
link to audio on radio colonna.it – >
http://www.radiocolonna.it/events/20130805/2271/the_feast_of_our_lady_of_snows_5th_of_august/
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