The Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore is the largest church in Rome dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The Piazza dell'Esquilino with the apse area of Santa Maria Maggiore.

The Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore — also known as the Basilica di Santa Maria della Neve and Basilica Liberiana in the Italian language and Saint Mary Major Basilica or the Liberian Basilica in the English language — is an ancient Catholic basilica of Rome. It is one of the four major basilicas, and one of the five Patriarchal basilicas associated with the Pentarchy: St. John Lateran, St. Lawrence outside the Walls, St. Peter and St. Paul outside the Walls, and Santa Maria Maggiore. The Liberian Basilica is one of the tituli, presided over by a patron—in this case Pope Liberius—that housed the major congregations of early Christians in Rome. Built over the pagan temple of Cybele, Santa Maria Maggiore is the only Roman basilica that retained the core of its original structure, left intact despite several additional construction projects and damage from the earthquake of 1348. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1536x2048, 1530 KB) Summary Photo taken by Jack Curran, December 2005 Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1536x2048, 1530 KB) Summary Photo taken by Jack Curran, December 2005 Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2272x1704, 1811 KB) Summary Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to create or digitize it. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2272x1704, 1811 KB) Summary Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to create or digitize it. ... Italian ( , or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people,[1] primarily in Italy and Switzerland. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Ancient Rome was a civilization that grew from a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula circa the 9th century BC to a massive empire straddling the Mediterranean Sea. ... St. ... St. ... The Pentarchy, a Greek word meaning government of five, designates the Five Great Sees or early Patriarchates, which were the five major centres of the Christian church in the early Middle Ages: Rome (Sts. ... The late Baroque façade of the Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano was completed by Alessandro Galilei in 1735 after winning a competition for the design. ... The Basilica di San Lorenzo fuori le Mura is a shrine to the martyred Roman deacon, Saint Lawrence. ... This article is about the famous building in Rome. ... Statue in front of the Basilica Basilica di San Paolo fuori le Mura — also known in English as the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls — is one of five churches considered to be the great ancient basilicas of Rome, Italy. ... Titulus of Pyramus, the cubicularius Lucius Vitellius the elder Titulus (Latin title) describes the conventional inscriptions on stone that listed the honours of an individual [1] or that identified boundaries in the Roman Empire, or that identified the subsections in, for example, Justinians Pandects. ... Liberius, pope from May 17, 352 to September 24, 366, was the earliest pope who did not become a saint. ... Heathen redirects here. ... Temple of Hephaestus, an Doric Greek temple in Athens with the original entrance facing east, 449 BC (western face depicted) For other uses, see Temple (disambiguation). ... Cybele with her attributes. ... An earthquake is the result from the sudden release of stored energy in the Earths crust that creates seismic waves. ... April 7 - Charles University is founded in Prague. ...

The name of the church reflects two ideas of greatness, both that of a major basilica as opposed to a minor basilica and also that of the Blessed Virgin Mary, as the true Mother of God. In the Greek language this doctrine is called Theotokos, officially adopted at the Council of Ephesus in 431. The Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore is the largest and most important place of prayer dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. St. ... St. ... The term Virgin Mary has several different meanings: Mary, the mother of Jesus, the historical and multi-denominational concept of Mary Blessed Virgin Mary, the Roman Catholic theological and doctrinal concept of Mary Marian apparitions shrines to the Virgin Mary Virgin Mary in Islam, the Islamic theological and doctrinal concept... Greek ( IPA: or IPA: — Hellenic) is an Indo-European language with a documented history of 3,500 years, the longest of any single language in that language family. ... Theotokos of Kazan Theotokos (Greek: , translit. ... The Council of Ephesus was held in Ephesus, Asia Minor in 431 under Emperor Theodosius II, grandson of Theodosius the Great. ... Events June - Council of Ephesus: Nestorianism is rejected, the Nicene creed is declared to be complete. ...

After the Avignon papacy formally ended and the Papacy returned to Rome, the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore became a temporary Palace of the Popes due to the deteriorated state of the Lateran Palace. The papal residence was later moved to the Palace of the Vatican in present-day Vatican City. The Papal palace in Avignon In the history of the Roman Catholic Church, the Avignon Papacy was the period from 1309 to 1377 during which seven popes, all French, resided in Avignon: Pope Clement V: 1305–1314 Pope John XXII: 1316–1334 Pope Benedict XII: 1334–1342 Pope Clement VI... The Palace of the Popes is the name shared by several locations in which the popes of the Roman Catholic Church have taken residence. ... The Lateran Palace, sometimes more formally known as the Palace of the Lateran, is an ancient palace of the Roman Empire and later a Palace of the Popes. ... The Palace of the Vatican, also called the Papal Palace or the Apostolic Palace, is the official residence of the Pope in the Vatican City. ...

Patriarchal basilica

A patriarchal basilica, Santa Maria Maggiore is often personally used by the pope. Most notably, the pope presides over the annual Feast of the Assumption of Mary, celebrated each August 15 at the basilica. A high, canopied altar dedicated to the pope is used by the pope alone — except for a choice few priests including the archpriest. The pope gives charge of Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore to an archpriest, usually an archbishop made cardinal in consistory. The archpriest was formerly the titular Latin Patriarch of Antioch, a title abolished in 1964. The Pope (or Pope of Rome) (from Latin: papa, Papa, father; from Greek: papas / = priest originating from πατήρ = father )[1] is the Bishop of Rome, the spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church and the absolute monarch of Vatican City. ... The Assumption has been a subject of Christian art for centuries According to Roman Catholic theology and the traditions of the Roman Catholic Church and Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, the body and soul of Mary, the mother of Jesus, venerated by these denominations as the Blessed Virgin Mary or... August 15 is the 227th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (228th in leap years), with 138 days remaining. ... The Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller at Rhodes under a canopy of estate, on a dais: there is a cushion under his feet Margaret Beaufort, Queen Mother, at prayer, by an anonymous artist, about 1500 Engraving of the Gnadenaltar in the Vierzehnheiligen Basilica, Bad Staffelstein, Bavaria. ... Look up Altar in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... . ... An archpriest is the title of a priest which has supervisory duties over a number of parishes. ... In Christianity, an archbishop is an elevated bishop. ... A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually a bishop, of the Roman Catholic Church, a member of the College of Cardinals which as a body elects a new pope. ... // Antiquity Originally, the Latin word consistorium meant simply sitting together, just as the Greek syn(h)edrion (from which the Biblical sanhedrin was a corruption). ... The Latin Patriarch of Antioch was an office established in the aftermath of the First Crusade by Bohemund, the first Prince of Antioch. ... 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ...

The church was built in the 16th century by Matteo Barresi, but was altered in 18th century and its facade was left unfinished. The interior is full of decorations and there are several and valuable stuccoes and a stunning line of columns. To give more splendor to the church, there are several sculptures made by Gagini's school and many paintings representing sacred images. Amongst them, we mention for their beauty, the paintings by Filippo Paladino (1544-1614), in the high altar. The best one is that one epresenting "Our Lady on the throne with Saints.

The current archpriest of the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore is Cardinal Bernard Francis Law; John Paul II assigned Law to this position after his resignation as Archbishop of Boston on December 13, 2002, in an act that elicited much criticism, given the fact that Law was arguably one of the most controversial Church officials in the United States. It was in his Archdiocese that the 2002 scandal initially erupted. Bernard Cardinal Law His Eminence Bernard Francis Cardinal Law, (born November 4, 1931 in Torreon, Mexico) is a former archbishop of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States and former Archbishop of Boston until December 13, 2002 when he resigned in disgrace for his role in the Roman Catholic... Coat of Arms of Pope John Paul II. The Letter M is for Mary, the mother of Jesus, to whom he held strong devotion Pope John Paul II (Latin: , Italian: Giovanni Paolo II, Polish: Jan PaweÅ‚ II) born   [] (May 18, 1920, Wadowice, Poland – April 2, 2005, Vatican City) reigned as... The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the New England region of the United States. ... In the late 20th century, and especially at the turn of the 21st, the Catholic Church in several countries was confronted with a series of allegations concerning sexual abuse of children under the legal age of consent ¹ by Catholic clergy and religious. ...

In addition to the archpriest and his servant priests, a chapter of canons are resident in Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore. In addition, Redemptorist and Dominican priests serve the church daily — offering confessions and administering other sacraments. The Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Latin: Congregatio Sanctissimi Redemptoris) is a Roman Catholic order founded in 1732 by Saint Alphonsus Liguori. ... Modern confessional in the Church of the Holy Name, Dunedin, New Zealand. ... In Christian belief and practice, a sacrament is a rite that mediates divine grace, constituting a sacred mystery. ...

The current archpriest of Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore is American Cardinal Bernard Francis Law, here escorting Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in the basilica.

Photo by Luca Bruno of Philippines President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo being led by Bernard Cardinal Law into St. ... Photo by Luca Bruno of Philippines President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo being led by Bernard Cardinal Law into St. ... Bernard Cardinal Law His Eminence Bernard Francis Cardinal Law, (born November 4, 1931 in Torreon, Mexico) is a former archbishop of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States and former Archbishop of Boston until December 13, 2002 when he resigned in disgrace for his role in the Roman Catholic... The young Gloria Macapagal (far right) and her family; when this picture was taken, her father Diosdado was the President of the Philippines. ...

Origin

Pope Liberius commissioned the construction of the Liberian Basilica, circa 360. He wanted a shrine built at the site where an apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary manifested herself before a local patrician and his wife. According to tradition, the outline of the church was physically laid out on the ground by a miraculous snowfall that took place on August 5, 358. Dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of Our Lady of the Snows, local Roman Catholics commemorate the miracle on each anniversary by dropping white rose petals from the dome during the feast mass. Liberius, pope from May 17, 352 to September 24, 366, was the earliest pope who did not become a saint. ... Sextus Aurelius Victor becomes prefect of Pannonia. ... Eastern Orthodox shrine Buddhist shrine just outside Wat Phnom. ... Apparition of The Virgin to St Bernard by Filippino Lippi (1486) Oil on panel, 210 x 195 cm Church of Badia, Florence Marian apparitions are events in which the Virgin Mary is purported to have supernaturally appeared to one or more persons, typically Catholics, in various settings. ... Our Lady redirects here. ... August 5 is the 217th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (218th in leap years), with 148 days remaining. ... Events Earthquake in Nicaea. ... A miracle, derived from the old Latin word miraculum meaning something wonderful, is a striking interposition of divine intervention by a god in the universe by which the ordinary course and operation of Nature is overruled, suspended, or modified. ... Species Between 100 and 150, see list Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Rosa A rose is a flowering shrub of the genus Rosa, and the flower of this shrub. ... This article includes a list of works cited or a list of external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... A Medieval Low Mass by a bishop. ...

Architecture

The facade in an etching by Giuseppe Vasi, circa 1740.

The Piazza and Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, by Giovanni Paolo Pannini

The present building dates from the time of Pope Sixtus III (432 - 440) and contains many ancient mosaics from this period. The Athenian marble columns supporting the nave are even older, and either come from the first basilica, or from another antique Roman building. The 16th century coffered ceiling, to a design by Giuliano da Sangallo is said to be gilded with Incan gold presented by Ferdinand and Isabella to the Spanish pope Alexander VI(something which factually is erroneous, since the Incan empire was conquered during the reign of Charles V). The medieval bell tower is the highest in Rome, at 240 feet, (about 75 m.). The apse mosaic, the Coronation of the Virgin, is from the late 13th century, by the Franciscan friar, Jacopo Torriti. The Basilica also contains frescoes by Giovanni Baglione, in the Cappella Borghese. Image File history File links Rome_Santa_Maria_Maggiore_1. ... Image File history File links Rome_Santa_Maria_Maggiore_1. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (941x980, 168 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore Ferdinando Fuga ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (941x980, 168 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore Ferdinando Fuga ... Sixtus III (d. ... Events July 31 - Sixtus is elected to succeed Celestine as Pope. ... Events September 29 - Leo succeeds Sixtus as Pope. ... Mosaic is the art of decoration with small pieces of colored glass, stone or other material. ... Portrait by Piero di Cosimo, c. ... The Catholic monarchs (Spanish: Reyes Católicos) is the collective title used in history for Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon. ... Pope Alexander VI (1 January 1431 – 18 August 1503), born Roderic Borja (Italian: Borgia), (reigned from 1492 to 1503), is the most controversial of the secular popes of the Renaissance and one whose surname became a byword for the debased standards of the papacy of that era. ... (12th century - 13th century - 14th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 13th century was that century which lasted from 1201 to 1300. ... The Order of Friars Minor and other Franciscan movements are disciples of Saint Francis of Assisi. ... Jacopo Torriti was an Italian painter and mosaic maker who lived in the 13th century. ... Sacred Love Versus Profane Love (1602-1603). ...

The façade with its screening loggia was added by Pope Benedict XIV in 1743, to designs by Ferdinando Fuga that did not damage the mosaics of the façade. The wing of the canonica (sacristy to its left and a matching wing to the right (designed by Flaminio Ponzio) give the basilica's front the aspect of a palace facing Piazza Santa Maria Maggiore. To the right of the Basilica's façade is a memorial representing a column in the form of an up-ended cannon barrel topped with a cross: it was erected by Pope Clement VIII immediately after the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre of Protestants, though today it is reputed to celebrate the end of the French Wars of Religion [1]. Benedict XIV, born Prospero Lorenzo Lambertini (Bologna, March 31, 1675 – May 3, 1758 in Rome), was Pope from 17 August 1740 to 3 May 1758. ... Ferdinando Fugas façade of Santa Maria Maggiore, completed 1743, depicted by Giovanni Paolo Pannini Ferdinando Fuga (Florence 1699– Rome 1781) was a Florentine architect, whose main works were realized in Rome and Naples. ... A sacristy is a room for keeping vestments (such as the cassock and chasuble) and other church furnishings, sacred vessels and church treasures. ... Flaminio Ponzio (1560-1613) was an Italian architect during the late-Renaissance or so-called Mannerist period, serving in Rome as the architect for Pope Paul V. Born in Viggiù near Varese, and died in Rome. ... Clement VIII, born Ippolito Aldobrandini (Fano, Italy, February 24, 1536 – March 3, 1605 in Rome) was Pope from January 30, 1592 to March 3, 1605. ... 19th century painting by François Dubois The St. ... The French Wars of Religion were a series of conflicts fought between Catholics and Huguenots (Protestants) from the middle of the sixteenth century to the Edict of Nantes in 1598, including civil infighting as well as military operations. ...

Ceiling by Giuliano da Sangallo

The Marian column erected in 1614, to designs of Carlo Maderno is the model for numerous Marian columns erected in Catholic countries in thanksgiving for remission of the plague during the Baroque era. (An example is the Holy Trinity Column in Olomouc, the Czech Republic). The column itself is the sole remaining from Constantine's Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine in Campo Vaccino, as the Roman Forum was called until the 18th century[2]; Maderno's fountain at the base combines the armorial eagles and dragons of Paul V. From public domain photos compiled by Chuck Barth of the nave of Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore. ... From public domain photos compiled by Chuck Barth of the nave of Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore. ... Portrait by Piero di Cosimo, c. ... Façade of St. ... The plague Column of the Virgin Mary Immaculate in Kutná Hora, the Czech Republic, built between 1713 and 1715 Erecting religious monuments in the form of a column surmounted by a figure or a Christian symbol was a gesture of public faith that flourished in the Catholic countries of Europe... Bubonic plague is the best-known variant of the deadly infectious disease, plague, which is caused by the enterobacteria Yersinia pestis. ... Adoration, by Peter Paul Rubens. ... To the glory of God the Almighty, the Virgin Mary and the saints I will build a column that in its height and splendour will be unrivalled in any other town. ... The Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine in Rome. ... This page refers to the main forum in the centre of Rome. ...

The column in the Piazza celebrates the famous icon of the Virgin Mary in the Pauline chapel of the Basilica. It is known as Salus Populi Romani, or Health of the Roman People, due to a miracle in which the icon helped keep plague from the city. The icon is at least a thousand years old, and tradition holds that it was painted from life by St Luke the Evangelist. (According to published material^{[citation needed]} at the Basilica, radiocarbon dating establishes the age of the icon to be approximately 2,000 years, thus reinforcing its sacred tradition.) Look up icon in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ... Luke the Evangelist (לוקא, Greek: Loukas) is said by tradition to be the author of both the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles, the third and fifth books of the New Testament. ...

Restoration

In the centuries that have passed, the weather has been Santa Maria Maggiore's biggest rival. Whether it is the heat and humidity of the summers, or the mild winters, none of it helps when pollution from modern vehicles are added. All of that puts at risk the old churches and the artwork they hold. Centuries before the first vehicle spewed exhaust into the city, during the late sixteenth century, a number of the Vatican's churches were renovated and redecorated. The basilica itself was restored and extended by various popes, including Eugene III (1145-1153), Nicholas IV (1288-92), Clement X (1670-76), and Benedict XIV (1740-58), who in the 1740s commissioned Ferdinando Fuga to build the present façade and to modify the interior. The interior of the Santa Maria Maggiore underwent a broad renovation encompassing all of its altars between the years 1575 and 1630. The Blessed Eugene III, né Bernardo Pignatelli (d. ... Nicholas IV, né Girolamo Masci (Lisciano, a small village near Ascoli Piceno, September 30, 1227 – April 4, 1292), was Pope from February 22, 1288 to April 4, 1292. ... Pope Clement X (July 13, 1590 – July 22, 1676), born Emilio Bonaventura Altieri, was Pope from April 29, 1670 to July 22, 1676. ... Benedict XIV, born Prospero Lorenzo Lambertini (Bologna, March 31, 1675 – May 3, 1758 in Rome), was Pope from 17 August 1740 to 3 May 1758. ... Ferdinando Fugas façade of Santa Maria Maggiore, completed 1743, depicted by Giovanni Paolo Pannini Ferdinando Fuga (Florence 1699– Rome 1781) was a Florentine architect, whose main works were realized in Rome and Naples. ... West façade of the Notre-Dame de Strasbourg Cathedral A facade (or façade) is the exterior of a building – especially the front, but also sometimes the sides and rear. ...

List of major artworks in the basilica

• Early Christian mosaic cycle depicting Old Testament events, 5th century
• Funerary monument of Clement IX (1671) by Carlo Rainaldi with the papal bust is by Domenico Guidi.
• Temporary catafalque for Philip IV of Spain designed in 1665 by Rainaldi
• Funerary monument of Pope Nicholas IV, designed by Domenico Fontana in 1574.
• Bust of Costanzo Patrizi by Algardi.
• Sacristy frescoes by Passignano and Giuseppe Puglia,
• Saint Cajetan holding the Holy Child, by Bernini.
• High altar sculpture by Pietro Bracci, (c. 1750).
• Bust of Pius IX (1880) by Ignazio Jacometti.
• Pauline Chapel frescoes, by Guido Reni
• Frescoes for the monument of Clement VIII, Lanfranco
• Cesi Chapel tombs by Guglielmo della Porta
• Altar, confessio and Presepio (crib) sculptures by Arnolfo di Cambio, about 1290

Clement IX, né Giulio Rospigliosi (January 28, 1600 - December 9, 1669) was pope from 1667 to 1669. ... Carlo Rainaldi (1611, Rome - 1691, Rome) was an Italian architect of the Baroque period. ... Domenico Guidi is a prominent Italian Baroque sculptor (1625-1701). ... On the death of Philip IV of Spain in 1665, clerics at the Roman basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore paid tribute by ordering the construction of an enormous temporary catafalque in the basilicas central nave. ... Year 1665 (MDCLXV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 10-day slower Julian calendar). ... Carlo Rainaldi (1611, Rome - 1691, Rome) was an Italian architect of the Baroque period. ... Nicholas IV, né Girolamo Masci (Lisciano, a small village near Ascoli Piceno, September 30, 1227 – April 4, 1292), was Pope from February 22, 1288 to April 4, 1292. ... Domenico Fontana (1543 – 1607) was an Italian architect of the late Renaissance. ... Alessandro Algardi (July 31, 1598 - June 10, 1654), was an Italian sculptor and architect. ... Galileo portrait by Passignano Domenico Passignano (born Cresti or Crespi) (Florence 1559 - 1636) was an Italian painter of a late-Renaissance or Contra-Maniera style that emerged in Florence towards the end of the 16th century. ... Saint Cajetan, not to be confused with Cardinal Cajetan, is a saint of the Roman Catholic Church. ... Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini (Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini; December 7, 1598 – November 28, 1680) was a pre-eminent Baroque sculptor and architect of 17th century Rome. ... Pietro Bracci (Rome, 1700—Rome, 1773) was an Italian sculptor working in the Late Baroque manner. ... The Blessed Pope Pius IX, born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, ( May 13, 1792 – February 7, 1878) was pope for a record pontificate of over 31 years, from June 16, 1846 until his death. ... Autoportrait Abduction of Deianira, 1620-21 Guido Reni (November 4, 1575, Calvenzano di Vergato, near Bologna - August 18, 1642, Bologna) was a prominent Italian painter of high-Baroque style. ... Clement VIII, born Ippolito Aldobrandini (Fano, Italy, February 24, 1536 – March 3, 1605 in Rome) was Pope from January 30, 1592 to March 3, 1605. ... Giovanni Lanfranco (born: 26 January 1582, Parma, Italy - died: 30 November 1647, Rome) was an Italian baroque painter. ... Guglielmo della Porta (ca 1500 — 1577) was an Italian architect and sculptor, a member of a North Italian dynasty of masons, sculptors and architects. ... The tabernacle over the high altar of St. ...

The Capella Sistina & the Crypt of the Nativity

Below the sanctuary of Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore is the Crypt of the Nativity or the Bethlehem Crypt, which is the burial place for prominent Catholics, including Saint Jerome, the 4th century Doctor of the Church who translated the Bible into the Latin language (the Vulgate); popes; and Gianlorenzo Bernini. Saint Ignatius of Loyola presided over his first mass as a priest on this altar on December 25, 1538 (previously below the central main altar). Saint-Jérôme, Quebec is a town in Quebec, near Mirabel, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) northwest of Montreal along Autoroute des Laurentides. ... In Catholicism, a Doctor of the Church (Lat. ... Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in Latium, the region immediately surrounding Rome. ... The Vulgate Bible is an early 5th century version in Latin, partly revised and partly translated by Jerome on the orders of Pope Damasus I in 382. ... A self portrait: Bernini is said to have used his own features in the David (below, left) Gian Lorenzo Bernini (Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini) (December 7, 1598 - November 28, 1680), who worked chiefly in Rome, was the pre-eminent baroque artist. ... Ignatius of Loyola Saint Ignatius of Loyola (December 24, 1491? – July 31, 1556), baptized Íñigo López de Loyola, was the founder of the Society of Jesus, a Roman Catholic religious order commonly known as the Jesuits that was established to strengthen the Church, initially against Protestantism. ... December 25 is the 359th day of the year (360th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 6 days remaining in the year. ... Events Treaty of Nagyvarad. ...

The decoration of the Sistine chapel of Santa Maria Maggiore, which should not be confused with the more famous Sistine chapel of the Vatican, was commissioned by the administration of Pope Sixtus V. The architect Domenico Fontana was called to design the chapel to house the presumptive relics of the Nativity crib. The original Nativity Oratory, with the presepe built in the XIII century by Arnolfo di Cambio, is below the chapel. The chapel contains the tombs of Sixtus V and his early patron Pius V (design by Fontana and statue by Leonardo Sarzana). The statue of Sixtus was sculpted by Giovanni Antonio Paracca, called il Valsoldo. The main altar in the Chapel has four gilded bronze angels by Sebastiano Torregiani, along the ciborium. The Sistine Chapel (Italian: ) is a chapel in the Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the Pope, in the Vatican City. ... Pope Sixtus V (December 13, 1521 – August 27, 1590), born Felice Peretti, was Pope from 1585 to 1590. ... Domenico Fontana (1543 – 1607) was an Italian architect of the late Renaissance. ... Bold textHe was born as Antonio Ghislieri at Bosco in the duchy of Milan. ... A Ciborium is a container, used in Roman Catholic, Anglican, and related Churches rituals to store Holy Communion. ...

The Mannerist interior decoration was completed (1587-9) by a large team of artists, directed by Cesare Nebbia and Giovanni Guerra. While the art biographer, Giovanni Baglione allocates specific works to individual artists, recent scholarship finds that the hand of Nebbia drew preliminary sketches for many, if not all, of the frescoes. Baglione also concedes the roles of Nebbia and Guerra could be summarized as "Nebbia drew, and Guerra supervised the teams". In Parmigianinos Madonna with the Long Neck (1534-40), Mannerism makes itself known by elongated proportions, affected poses, and unclear perspective. ... Cesare Nebbia (c. ... Sacred Love Versus Profane Love (1602-1603). ...

Others include Ferdinando Sermei, Giacomo Stella, Paul Bril, and Ferraù Fenzoni.^[1] Paris Nogari (c. ... Cesare Nebbia (c. ... Andrea Lilio (1555/1570 - after 1639) was an Italian painter born in Fano, not far from Ancona, hence he also is known as LAnconitano. ... Fantastic mountain landscape, Paul Bril, 1598 Paul (1554-1626) and Mattheus (1550-1583) Brill (or Bril) were brothers, both born in Antwerp, who were landscape painters who worked in Rome after earning papal favor. ... Ferraù Fenzoni (1562- April 11, 1645) was an Italian painter mainly active in Todi. ...

Archpriests of the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore since 1780

• Emmanuele Cardinal de Gregorio (1780 – 1821?)
• Antonio Cardinal DESPUIG Y DAMETO (28 December 1803 – 2 May 1813
• Giovanni Cardinal Gallarati Scotti (1814 – 6 October 1819
• Annibale Francesco Cardinal DELLA GENGA (10 February 1821 – 28 September 1823)
• Benedetto Cardinal Naro (1 January]] 1824 – 6 October 1832)
• Carlo Cardinal Odescalchi (1832 – 21November 1834)
• Giuseppe Cardinal Sala (11 December 1838 – 23 August 1839)
• Luigi Cardinal del Drago (29 August 1839 – 28 April 1845)
• Costantino Cardinal Naro (24 April 1845 – 21 September 1867)
• Gustav Cardinal VON HOHENLOHE-SCHILLINGSFÜRST (15 July 1878 – 30 October 1896)
• Vicenzo Cardinal Vannutelli (16 December 1896 – 9 July 1930)
• Bonaventura Cardinal Cerretti (16 July 1930 – 8 May 1933)
• Angelo Cardinal Dolci (22 May 1933 – 13 September 1939)
• Alessandro Cardinal Verde (11 October 1939 – 29 March 1958)
• Carlo Cardinal Confalonieri (16 November 1959 – 25 February 1973)
• Luigi Cardinal Dadaglio (15 December 1986 – 22 August 1990)
• Ugo Cardinal Poletti (17 January 1991 – 25 February 1997)
• Carlo Cardinal Furno (29 September 1997 – 27 May 2004)
• Bernard Cardinal Law (27 May 2004 - present)

December 28 is the 362nd day of the year (363rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 3 days remaining. ... 1803 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... May 2 is the 122nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (123rd in leap years). ... Year 1813 (MDCCCXIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar). ... Year 1814 (MDCCCXIV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ... October 6 is the 279th day of the year (280th in leap years). ... 1819 common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Pope Leo XII (August 22, 1760 – February 10, 1829), born Annibale Francesco Clemente Melchiore Girolamo Nicola della Genga, was Pope from 1823 to 1829. ... February 10 is the 41st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... The coronation banquet for George IV 1821 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... September 28 is the 271st day of the year (272nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1823 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1824 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... October 6 is the 279th day of the year (280th in leap years). ... Year 1832 (MDCCCXXXII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a leap year starting on Friday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Carlo Odescalchi, SJ (March 5, 1785—August 17, 1841) was an Italian cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, and a close collaborator with Pope Pius VII. He was born in Rome to a family of nobles. ... Year 1834 (MDCCCXXXIV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... December 11 is the 345th day (346th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... | Jöns Jakob Berzelius, discoverer of protein 1838 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... August 23 is the 235th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (236th in leap years), with 130 days remaining. ... 1839 (MDCCCXXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... August 29 is the 241st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (242nd in leap years), with 124 days remaining. ... 1839 (MDCCCXXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... April 28 is the 118th day of the year (119th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 247 days remaining. ... 1845 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... April 24 is the 114th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (115th in leap years). ... 1845 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... September 21 is the 264th day of the year (265th in leap years). ... Cunt BAg Twat Fuk suck my penis ring 0778851865!!!!!!Year 1867 (MDCCCLXVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... July 15 is the 196th day (197th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 169 days remaining. ... 1878 (MDCCCLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... October 30 is the 303rd day of the year (304th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 62 days remaining. ... Year 1896 (MDCCCXCVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display calendar). ... Cardinal Vannutelli (sitting) and Mgr. ... December 16 is the 350th day of the year (351st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1896 (MDCCCXCVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display calendar). ... July 9 is the 190th day of the year (191st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 175 days remaining. ... 1930 (MCMXXX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link is to a full 1930 calendar). ... July 16 is the 197th day (198th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 168 days remaining. ... 1930 (MCMXXX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link is to a full 1930 calendar). ... May 8 is the 128th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (129th in leap years). ... 1933 (MCMXXXIII) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... May 22 is the 142nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (143rd in leap years). ... 1933 (MCMXXXIII) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... September 13 is the 256th day of the year (257th in leap years). ... 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full year calendar). ... October 11 is the 284th day of the year (285th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full year calendar). ... March 29 is the 88th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (89th in leap years). ... Year 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Carlo Cardinal Confalonieri (July 25, 1893 - August 1, 1986) was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church and a prominent member of the Roman Curia. ... November 16 is the 320th day of the year (321st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 45 days remaining. ... 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... February 25 is the 56th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday. ... December 15 is the 349th day of the year (350th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... August 22 is the 234th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (235th in leap years), with 131 days remaining. ... MCMXC redirects here; for the Enigma album, see MCMXC a. ... His Eminence, Ugo Cardinal Poletti. ... January 17 is the 17th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... February 25 is the 56th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... His Eminence Carlo Cardinal Furno (born December 2, 1921 in Bairo Canavese, Italy) is a cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. ... September 29 is the 272nd day of the year (273rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... May 27 is the 147th day (148th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 218 days remaining. ... shelby was here 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Bernard Cardinal Law Bernard Francis Cardinal Law (born November 4, 1931 in Torreon, Mexico) is a Roman Catholic cardinal and is the archpriest of the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, Cardinal Priest of the Titulus S. Susannae and a member of the Roman Curia that governs the Universal Church. ... May 27 is the 147th day (148th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 218 days remaining. ... shelby was here 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore

• The Papal Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore from The Vatican
• EWTN Profile of Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore
• Satellite Photo of St. Mary's Major Basilica
• Images and Links Further Information on Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore
• Kunsthistorie.com gallery
• Roberto Piperno, "S. Maria Maggiore"
• A look at the restoration

Coordinates: 41°53′51″N, 12°29′55″E Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...