Mass at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome
Knights of Columbus Board Pilgrimage
October 8, 2025
The eye does not know where next to look in this magnificent Basilica— whether it is the mosaics dating from the 5th century, the Cosmatesque floor or gilded ceiling, or the relics of the Crib, and/or the relics of St. Matthew and St. Jerome. One could spend a lifetime “unpacking” what is in this first church in the West dedicated to the Blessed Mother. While much within this 16th century structure is more ancient, it is a Renaissance masterpiece. But for all that, it possesses a beauty that is still more profound. Through the beauty that surrounds us here our eyes of faith catch a glimpse of the beauty of our faith, a beauty that is at once heavenly and earthly, a beauty that lies beyond imagination and artistry yet penetrates to the heart of our daily lives.
To see this, we need not look any further than this Pauline Chapel. If we turn our gaze upwards towards the cupola, we see that it depicts the Mother of God being received into heavenly glory. In her, God made his dwelling with the human race. Now Mary reigns in the holy city, the new Jerusalem, “in the new heavens and the new earth”, where there is “no more death or mourning, wailing or pain”, where grace and mercy have triumphed over sin and death.
It is towards this heavenly city in all its radiant beauty that you and I travel as pilgrims of hope. For we have set our eyes, “not on what is below but on what is above, where Christ is seated at God’s right hand”, where Mary is crowned as Queen of Heaven and Earth.
Yet we do not journey towards that state of transcendent glory as if our earthly existence were but dream. We trod towards our heavenly destiny surrounded by the messiness of the earthly city where we dwell. But because Mary draws close to us, we perceive more readily the glory of the heavenly city in the midst of the earthly city – with all its confusion and mischance, its triumphs and tragedies, its virtues and vices, the whole drama of sin and grace, death and life. With Mary at our side, we can confront the realities of life, trusting in the strength and wisdom that comes from our heavenly home.
If the cupola is like a window on Mary’s heavenly Queenship, this precious image of Mary, Salus Populi Romani—Health of the Roman People—epitomizes Mary’s closeness to us, especially in those things that trouble us. Tradition tells us it was painted by the Evangelist, St. Luke. It is said that St. Helena brought this icon to Rome in the 4th century, and that it was venerated from the time of the Council of Ephesus in 431. In this icon, we meet the Woman of deepest faith and tender love, who ‘heard the Word of God and observed it like no other’. Here we meet the Mother of Jesus, the one who carried Jesus in her womb and the one who nursed him. Here we meet our spiritual mother.
Tradition tells us that this icon played a crucial role in times of crisis. In the 6th century, in the midst of a devasting plague, Pope Gregory carried the icon in procession through the streets of Rome, beseeching Mary’s intercession that the health of the Roman people be restored. As we know, many popes were deeply inspired by this image of Mary, including Pope Francis who prayed before this icon before and after his apostolic journeys.
So let this venerable icon symbolize our hope today. We are, after all, Roman Catholics. We are thus embraced in Mary’s title, “health of the Roman people.” On this, the final day of our pilgrimage of hope, let us entrust to her every worry, every concern, every weakness that we brought with us from across the ocean. Let us entrust to Mary, Salus Populi Romani, everything that threatens our spiritual, emotional, or physical well-being. Time and again, Mary, from her place in heaven has bent down and showed herself to be our Mother. Time and again, Mary has carried us close to her heart & nurtured our faith, not merely with the milk of human kindness but with solid food, namely, the hope that is ours in Christ Jesus.
When we gather for the Eucharist, as we have today, Mary gathers with us, to pray with us and to pray for us. She who gazes upon us from this venerable icon, accompanies us as we enter into the sacrifice of her Son by which we regain that health of mind and body we seek. Mary, who embodied the hopes ignited by the prophets of old, seeks to re-ignite the flame of hope in us, as we find the mystery of heavenly salvation in the heart of earthly existence. Encompassed by Mary’s love, may we hear the Word of God and keep it! Vivat Jesus!