August 5 OUR LADY OF THE SNOWS / Dedication of BASILICA OF ST. MARY MAJOR We celebrate today the Feast of the Dedicaton of the Basilica of St. Mary Major (Santa Maria Maggiore) in Rome, Italy, one of the four (4) major Roman basilicas, and the most important church dedicated to the Blessed Mother. The feast commemorates the miracle of the snowfall that occurred during the night of August 4-5 in the year 358 as foretold by the Virgin Mary to two (2) Roman faithful and to Pope Liberius on the site where the basilica now stands. Due to this event, Mary was given the title, Our Lady of the Snows. Her image is a painting of the Madonna and the Child in Greek style attributed to St. Luke. The church houses many important relics of saints including the manger crib of our Lord Jesus Christ. PRAYER: OUR LADY OF THE SNOWS, Immaculate Queen of the Universe, from this privileged sanctuary, Thou has bestowed so many countless graces and pledges of love upon the hearts and souls of millions. O Mother, from this cradle of Christianity, this Mother of all churches, deign to shower forth the graces of thine Immaculate Heart upon the remnant faithful throughout the world, wherever they may be, and grant them the graces of a childlike love and unwavering fidelity to the holy truths of our faith. Grant, good Mother, to the faithful Bishops of the Church the grace to defend Her Sacred Teachings, and to persevere courageously against all enemies of the Holy Church. Amen. *Affiliate Churches of St. Mary Major in the Philippines: Shrine of Our Lady of Manaoag (Pangasinan) and Shrine of Our Lady of Caysasay (Taal, Batangas). *Churches in the Philippines: San Roque Cathedral (Caloocan City), Dumarao (Capiz), Himamaylan City (Negros Occ), Las Nieves (Agusan del Norte), El Salvador (Misamis Or.)...
Posted on: Tue, 05 Aug 2014 11:10:48 +0000
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