Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major
Papal basilica with fifth-century mosaics, a beloved Byzantine icon, and the tomb of Pope Francis.
Location
About this audio guide
This guide to the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome opens with a wish Pope Francis made shortly before his death in 2025, and traces it back to the Salus Populi Romani, the ancient icon he visited every time he left or returned to Rome. You'll hear how the basilica itself grew out of a fifth-century church council's declaration about Mary, and the legend of a miraculous August snowfall said to mark the site. Look up at the gold mosaics above the high altar — they've been there for over fifteen hundred years.
This audio guide was created using AI.
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