Santa Maria Maggiore

The Papal Basilica of Saint Mary the Great (Italian pronunciation: [ˈsanta maˈriːa madˈdʒoːre]), also informally known as the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, is a Roman Catholic Papal Basilica and one of the Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome. The largest Marian church in Rome, it is regarded as the first Marian sanctuary and the mother of all Marian shrines.

The shrine is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of Our Lady of the Snow. The Papal basilica is located in Piazza dell'Esquilino at the 15th administrative Rione district. Pursuant to the Lateran Treaty of 1929 between the Holy See and Italy, the basilica is in Italy and not Vatican City.

However, as a property of the Holy See, Italy is obliged to protect its ownership and to concede to it "the immunity granted by international law to the headquarters of the diplomatic agents of foreign states". The shrine is designated a basilica by the privilege of immemorial status.

The basilica enshrines several notable Christian relics, most notably the holy crib of the Child Jesus and the venerated image of Salus Populi Romani, depicting the Madonna and Child as both the patroness and protectress of the Roman peoples. Pope Gregory XVI granted the image a Pontifical decree of canonical coronation via the Papal bull Cælestis Regina Maxima in 15 August 1838.