A different tour of Rome. Civis Romanus sum

In the 352 Pope Liberio was intent on fighting the eresy of Ario. But the popular tradition seemed to forget this situation and about this period tells us one of the most famous fact of the religious story of Rome. There were a nobleman called Giovanni and his wife that weren't able to have a child. So they prayed Mary to give them a son. They promised to Her for this miracle anything She wanted from them. During the night of the 5 of August they dreamed the Mother of Jesus. She told them that they will have to build a church in the place where the following day they'd had found the snow. Also Pope Liberio that night made this dream. The 6 of August the both of them found a rectangle of snow on the hill of the quarter Esquilino. So they built a Church here and called it Santa Maria Maggiore. This is now one of the most important church of Rome (this is a Basilica). If you hadn't notice it, I remark you that it's very difficult that it could snow during the summer. Also the famous roman poet Belli wrote a poetry in the roman slang about this event.

La Madon de la neve è una Madonna

The (church of) Madonna of the snow is a Madonna

so different from the (church) of the Madonna dei Monti

da quell'antra vicin'a Ttor de Conti

and from (the church) near Tor de Conti (a quarter)

e da quella der Zasso a la Ritonna.

and from (the church) near the Ritonna (a quarter).

Sopra de lei m'arriccontava nonna,

About it my grandmother was usual to tell me,

between more other beautiful stories,

a real story that will make stay without words.

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Ciovè che un cinqu'agosto, a ora certa,

Id est that the 5 of August, in a special hour,

nevigò iun zimetria su lo sterrato

It snowed in a geometric way on the floor

fra Villa Strozzi e 'r Palazzo Caserta.

between Villa Strozzi and Palace Caserta.

E intanto un papa s'inzoggnò un sprennore;

Meanwhile the Pope dreamed a brightness;

e "va'", s'intese dì: "dov'ha fioccato"

"go" he heard a voice "in the place where it snowed

fa' fabbrica SSanta MAria Maggiore".

you have to make built Santa Maria Maggiore".

Ps: the picture you see was painted from Matthias Grunewald to celebrate this event. For more information post me a comment or email me. Dblk