Wednesday of the First Week of Lent at St Mary Major

The basilica began to be known as St. Mary Major, as the principal church in Rome dedicated to our Lady, in the seventh century, the same period in which the relics believed to be from the manger of Christ at Bethlehem were enshrined here.  The confessio before the high altar was built between 1861 and 1864 to house the relics of the manger.  Despite a long history of renovations and renewals, the interior of the basilica still preserves its original spirit.

Standing in the square before the basilica today, a couple of things draw our interest before we enter the church itself.  The first of these is the Marian Column in the center of the square.  The column is originally from the Basilica of Maxentius in the Roman Forum.  This is the inspiration for the many Marian columns which can be found in various cities throughout Europe.  The second point of interest here are the mosaics on the old façade of the basilica, currently protected behind the columns of the eighteenth century loggia.  They depict Christ attended by angels, in the heavenly liturgy, and scenes from the legend of the basilica’s foundation.  These mosaics served as the apse for liturgies celebrated in the piazza.

Collect: 

Look kindly, Lord, we pray, 

on the devotion of your people, 

that those who by self-denial are restrained 

in body may by the fruit of good 

works be renewed in mind. 

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, 

who lives and reigns with you in 

the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Clear morning sky in front of the basilica waiting for the doors to be opened

Mosaics in the loggia

Central nave

Celing decorated with gold donated by the King and Queen of Spain. The first gold brought by Colombus from the New World. 

Main altar above the confessio

Relics of the manger from Bethlehem

Column in front of the basilica