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Today is a special day in Bellville, Illinois and in Rome, Italy as it is a feast of Mary under the title Our Lady of the Snows. In Rome, this church is known today as St. Mary Major; in Belleville is a shrine dedicated to this title.

In 352, Mary appeared to a wealthy couple and to Pope Liberius and told them to erect a church where they would find snow in the morning. Snow falling in Rome is quite unusual, so people would take note of a snowfall in Rome during the hottest month of the year. Yet, snow fell on Esquiline Hill, in an outline of the initial church building.

– Brother Andrew Kosmowski, S.M., Librarian, Marian Library

Images of Our Lady of the Snows from the Marian Library Collection: