> * dedication of basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore (?) - this Roman
> basilica is also known as Sancta Maria ad Nives, from a tradition
> that
> Mary chose this place for a church dedicated to her by a miraculous
> fall of snow upon this spot in summer
Perhaps so, but on a more historical level members may be interested to
know that this was the first church dedicated to Mary in the west. The
doctrine of Mary, Mother of God, was solemnly proclaimed at the Council
of Ephesus (431). In the next year Sixtus III mounted the papal
throne, and erected a basilica at Rome on the Esquiline Hill in honour
of the Holy Mother of God.
Those who think devotion to Mary is a medieval or Roman aberration may
be interested in the language of the sermon which St Cyril of
Alexandria preached at the Council of Ephesus:
"Hail Mary, Mother of God, august treasury of the whole world,
unquenchable torch, crown of virginity, sceptre of orthodoxy, temple
indestructible, and place of the uncontainable, mother and virgin.
Through you is named blessed in the holy gospel he who comes in the
name of the Lord.
"Hail Mary! You contained the uncontainable in your holy virginal
womb. Through you the Trinity is glorified; through you is the cross
named precious, and adored throughout the whole world; through you
heaven exults; through you angels and archangels rejoice; through you
demons are put to flight; through you the devil, the tempter, fell
from heaven; through you the fallen creature is taken up to heaven;
through you the whole created world, gripped in the madness of
idolatry, came to a recognition of the truth; through you comes about
holy baptism for believers; through you the oil of gladness; through
you churches have been founded through the whole world; threough you
nations are led to repentance.
"What need is there to speak at length? Through you the only Son of
God shone his light for those who sat in drkness and in the shadow of
death; through you prophets foretold what was to come; through you
the apostles preach salvation to the nations; through you the dead are
raised to life; through you kings reign, through the Holy Trinity.
"What man can sing adequately the praise of Mary?"
Well, Cyril gave it his best shot.
Oriens.
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