Saint of the day · August 5
Dedication of the Basilica of St Mary Major
Optional memorialWednesday, week 18 in Ordinary Time
Liturgical colour : Green
On August 5th, the Church celebrates the Dedication of the Basilica of St Mary Major, one of the four major basilicas of Rome and the oldest church in the West dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Built during the pontificate of Pope Sixtus III in the 5th century, St Mary Major stands as a profound sign of Mary’s place in salvation history and her perpetual honor in Christian worship. Its construction soon after the Council of Ephesus (431 AD), which affirmed Mary as Theotokos ('God-bearer' or 'Mother of God'), reflects the deepening Marian devotion and theological clarity of the era.
The dedication is surrounded by a rich tradition: some legendary accounts speak of a miraculous August snowfall that marked the basilica’s foundation, symbolizing grace and Mary’s purity, though this story is not confirmed by historical records. Through the centuries, St Mary Major has been a prominent site for Marian devotion, holding relics such as fragments of the Holy Crib and hosting many important papal liturgies. The celebration of its dedication recalls the centrality of Mary’s role and the importance of sacred places dedicated to the worship of God and veneration of the saints. By keeping this observance, the Church invites the faithful to seek Mary's intercession, honor her unique place in God’s plan, and be reminded of our heavenly homeland—the true and eternal dwelling place of God's people.
Ask a question about today’s feast
The liturgical day
Mass readings
"I have loved you with an everlasting love" — Jr 31, 1-7
At that time – oracle of the Lord –,
I will be the God of all the families of Israel,
and they will be my people.
Thus says the Lord:
Grace was found in the wilderness,
the people who escaped the sword;
Israel is on its way to the One who gives it rest.
From afar the Lord appeared to me:
I have loved you with an everlasting love,
so I have kept my faithfulness to you.
Once again I will build you,
and you shall be rebuilt, virgin Israel.
Once again you shall take up your festive tambourines
to join in the joyful dances.
Once again you shall plant vineyards
on the mountains of Samaria,
and those who plant them
shall enjoy the first fruit.
A day will come when watchmen will cry out
on the mountain of Ephraim:
"Arise, let us go up to Zion,
to the Lord our God!"
For thus says the Lord:
Shout with joy for Jacob,
acclaim the first of the nations!
Ring out your praises and cry aloud:
"Lord, save your people,
the remnant of Israel!"
– The word of the Lord.
Jr 31, 10, 11-12ab, 13
Listen, O nations, to the word of the Lord!
Announce it to the distant islands:
"He who scattered Israel will gather him,
he guards him, like a shepherd his flock.
"The Lord has freed Jacob,
he has redeemed him from a hand stronger than his own.
They come, crying out with joy, to the heights of Zion:
they stream toward the Lord's blessings.
"The young girl rejoices, she dances;
young men, old men, all together!
I turn their mourning into joy,
I give them gladness and comfort after pain."
"Woman, great is your faith!" — Mt 15, 21-28
At that time,
Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon.
A Canaanite woman from that territory
kept shouting:
"Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David!
My daughter is tormented by a demon."
But he did not say a word in reply.
The disciples came up to him and asked:
"Send her away,
because she keeps shouting after us!"
Jesus replied:
"I was sent only
to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
But she came and knelt before him, saying:
"Lord, help me!"
He answered:
"It is not right to take the children's bread
and throw it to the little dogs."
She replied:
"Yes, Lord;
but even the little dogs eat the scraps
that fall from their master's table."
Jesus answered:
"Woman, great is your faith,
let it be done for you as you wish!"
And, at that very hour, her daughter was healed.
– Let us acclaim the Word of God.
Liturgical texts: © AELF — aelf.org