Santa Maria Maggiore

History and Architecture

The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, built on the Esquiline by Pope Celestine I in the 5th century, may have its roots in the older Basilica Liberii. However, archaeological investigations have not found any traces of an older church building under the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. Pope Liberius built the Basilica Liberii probably near the market of Livia, southeast of today's St. Mary's Basilica. Historical sources suggest that St. Mary's Basilica was intended to replace the Basilica Liberii of 352, which was destroyed in the sack of Rome in 410.

On August 5, 434, the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore was consecrated by Pope Sixtus III. Legend has it that on the night of August 5, 358, the Blessed Mother appeared to the Roman patrician John and his wife and promised to fulfill their wish for a son if a church was built on the spot where there was snow the next morning. Since then, the church has borne the epithet Santa Maria ad Nives (Our Lady of the Snows).

The basilica is the most important of the more than forty Marian churches in Rome and is considered the oldest Marian church. It was the first early Christian basilica to be commissioned by the Roman bishop rather than the emperor. With its imposing dimensions (79 m long, 35 m wide, 18 m high), it decisively shaped the face of Christian Rome in the 5th century. The architecture of the basilica is based on late Roman predecessors. The three-nave building without transept had a large apse, open roof trusses and marble columns in the central nave. Over time, structural changes were made, including the construction of a baptistery and the construction of a new vestibule. The imposing Campanile, built in 1377, is the tallest Romanesque tower in Rome.

The interior features early Christian mosaics, including the 13th-century apse mosaic by Jacopo Torriti, depicting the Coronation of Mary. Frescoes and a magnificent coffered ceiling complement the beauty of the interior (see image above). The papal altar is surmounted by an impressive canopy, possibly inspired by Bernini's ciborium in St. Peter's Basilica.

The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore is not only an architectural masterpiece, but also a testimony to Rome's early Christian history. Its cultural and religious richness makes it an important place for pilgrims and history buffs alike.

Early Christian mosaics

The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore is not only an impressive church, but also a fascinating showcase of early Christian mosaic art and theological debate. With a history dating back to the 5th century, the basilica presents a unique collection of mosaics deeply embedded in the theological debates of its time. Of the original 432 mosaics that once adorned the apse, the triumphal arch and the longitudinal walls of the central nave, only the images on the triumphal arch and in the central nave have survived. 

An interesting aspect of the mosaics is their theological depth. The triumphal arch mosaic cycle focuses on New Testament themes and emphasizes the divinity of Christ, especially in the context of the theological conflict with Nestorius. The depictions, beginning with the Annunciation to Mary and ending with the exaltation of the Crucified and Risen One, illustrate the confession of the divinity of Jesus Christ.

The mosaics in the nave tell the story of the People of God, from Abraham to Joshua. A narrative style is used here, depicting vibrant, moving figures in the midst of a rich landscape. This style serves to illustrate the "Plebs Dei" (People of God) as recorded in the epigram of Pope Sixtus III on the triumphal arch. The theological reflection behind the mosaics reflects the theological conflict of the time. The controversy with Nestorius about Christology and the divinity of Christ is echoed in the depictions. The decision of the Roman Synod of August 10, 430, which voted in favor of the divinity of Christ and against Nestorius, provides a crucial context for the dating of the mosaics.

The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore impresses not only with its ornate mosaics, but also with its sumptuous interior. Frescoes, an elaborately designed coffered ceiling and the canopy over the papal altar testify to the artistic and theological significance of this basilica.Overall, the mosaics of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore offer a fascinating insight into early Christian art, theology and the fusion of Roman and Christian ideology. These works of art are not only witnesses of times gone by, but also windows into the theological controversies and artistic expressions of a thriving early Christian community.