August 5 is the Memorial of the Dedication of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore—or Saint Mary Major—in Rome. This ancient church dedicated to Our Lady of the Snows traces its origins to a miraculous event.
The Esquiline Hill in Rome turned white due to a highly unusual midsummer snowfall on August 5, 359. It was revealed to Pope Liberius that this meteorological anomaly was a sign to build a basilica dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The snowfall set the perimeter for this beloved basilica.
Vatican News has published a brief fascinating historical survey of the basilica.
Among the most famous relics at St. Mary Major includes relics of the Holy Crib. This explains why the basilica have been nicknamed the “Bethlehem of Rome.”
St. Mary Major is home to a miraculous icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary known as Salus Populi Romani or Health of the Roman People. This is a favorite pilgrimage spot for Pope Francis. The pontiff prays before the holy image before and after his official trips away from Rome.
In 2023, Pope Francis announced his plans to be buried in St. Mary Major. Seven other popes have used the basilica as their final resting place. The relics of St. Jerome, a Doctor of the Church, are located under the high altar of the basilica in theCrypt of the Nativity.
Pope Francis will preside over Second Vespers at St. Mary Major to commemorate the Memorial of the Dedication. Vatican Outsider asked liturgical expert Monsignor Benedetto Saggio to explain Second Vespers.
“The Liturgy of the Hours, also known as the Divine Office, is the traditional prayer of the Church to be offered at prescribed hours of the day. Vowed religious are typically required to pray all seven.”
Monsignor Saggio continued. “Those who have received the sacrament of Holy Orders and deacons are only required to pray Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer. These are called Lauds and Vespers. They are considered anchor prayers.”
The liturgical authority explained, “The Liturgy of the Hours is not just for priests and religious. Anyone can pray the Office. Since the Second Vatican Council, the Church encourages lay people to pray Lauds and Vespers. When you pray them, you’re praying the prayer of the Church with the Church. It’s a way to begin and end each day in prayer. Each one usually takes no more than 10 or 15 minutes.”
The Liturgy of the Hours follows a pattern in keeping with the liturgical calendar. “Like everything in Catholicism, these prayers have very technical standards. For instance, although Vespers is prayed at night, it may be considered the first prayer of the day. No one needs to worry about all that. The most important thing is to pray them, and you can find the prayers online or apps like Universalis, iBreviary and DivineOffice.Org.
Monsignor Saggio described the significance of Second Vespers. “Second Vespers is reserved for special occasions, such as the culmination of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity a on the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul.”
Monsignor Saggio provided more details. “With Second Vespers, you’ve already said Vespers as you normally would. Now, you appear with a large group in a special liturgical setting to say the prayers as a group in a more formal atmosphere. Think about Second Vespers as a liturgical second breakfast or dinner.”
This year, Pope Francis invoked the Blessed Virgin Mary“to ask the Holy Mother of God for a blessing, for she is the mediatrix of the grace that always and only flows through Jesus Christ, by the action of the Holy Spirit.”
Monsignor Saggio encouraged everyone to pray Vespers and Second Vespers when the occasion arises. “Consider Vespers as spiritual sustenance for the night. It’s a way to end your day in holy peace and look forward to a restful night. Who doesn’t like second breakfast? Another sausage link or a couple pancakes to tide you over to lunch or to get you through the night. Second Vespers is that little bit extra on special occasions. It’s better than leftovers.”
Saggio noted an extra benefit. “Thinking about Second Vespers as second breakfast out to be helpful to all those Tolkien fans out there. Maybe put down the fantasy novels for a few minutes and pick up a breviary.”
Pope Francis has declared the Holy Door of St. Maria Maggiore will be open for the 2025 Jubilee. Hopefully you can be one of those Pilgrims of Hope. Until then, try praying Lauds and Vespers. You can ask your parish priest or diocesan liturgical office to see where and when you can find Second Vespers.
Pope Francis’s celebration of Second Vespers for Our Lady of the Snows is on the Vatican News YouTube portal.
