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Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome

Papal Crest on Ceiling

The present Basilica dates back to the fifth century AD. Its construction was tied to the Council of Ephesus of 431 AD, which proclaimed Maria Theotokos, Mother of God. Sixtus III, as Bishop of Rome, commissioned and financed the project. Crossing the threshold, one is overwhelmed by the vision of vast space, splendid marbles, and marvelous decoration. The monumental effect is due to the structure of the basilica and the harmony that reigns among the principal architectural elements. Constructed according to Vitruvius' canon of rhythmic elegance, the basilica is divided into a nave and two side aisles by two rows of precious columns. Above these columns runs the skillfully wrought entablature, interrupted at the transept by the grand arches erected for the building of the Sistine and Pauline chapels. The area between the columns and the ceiling was once punctuated by large windows, half of which still remain, while the other half have been walled up. Over the walled windows, today one can admire frescos showing Stories from the Life of the Virgin. Above the window and frescos, a wooden frieze adorned with an exquisite inlay of putti figures riding bulls unites the cornice with the ceiling. The bulls are the symbol of the Borgia family, and the emblems of Callixtus III and Alexander VI, the Borgia popes, stand out at the center of the ceiling. It is not clear what contribution Callixtus III made to this work, but it is certain that Alexander VI carried out the project while he was still archpriest of the Basilica. The coffered ceiling was designed by Giuliano Sangallo and later completed by his brother Antonio. Tradition has it that the gilding was an offering from Isabella and Ferdinand of Spain to Alexander VI, and that it used the first gold brought from the New World. The pavement of intricately inlaid stones extends before us like a splendid carpet. Designed by the marble masters of the Cosmati family in the thirteenth century, it was donated by the Roman nobleman Scotus Paparoni and his son Giovanni.

Tabernacle of the Blessed Sacrament

The unique quality of St. Mary Major however, comes from the fifth century mosaics, commissioned by Sixtus III, that run along the nave and across the triumphal arch. The nave mosaics recount four cycles of Sacred History featuring Abraham, Jacob, Moses and Joshua; seen together, they are meant to testify to God s promise of a land for the Jewish people and His assistance as they strive to reach it.