… to a mind-blowing discovery

And, sure enough, it was Santa Maria Maggiore (*). If the Vatican gave me goose-bumps, this was not less. The largest monument I had ever seen to Mary. A full-block-sized church, all marble, in and out. This was in sheer contrast with the humbleness of the monks serving inside. Much more with the 3 backpacker Franciscan monks I bumped into on my way out.

                            

SMM back part - first impression coming from Trinita dei Monti.

SMM main entrance. This is the tower I could see from Trinita dei Monti! The tip of an iceberg!

I am not an expert in art, so I cannot appreciate more than what the ‘regular eye’ would do. I appreciate the beauty, the magnificence, the details. However, what moves me the most is human motivation for having done this… whether they were financing it, master-minding it, putting their artsy creativity to this cause.

Detail of the main entrance.

Huge vitraux (stained glass) a the main entrance.                      Piazza SMM, at the main entrance.

(*) Saint Mary the Major is one of the major basilicas in Rome, and the largest of the 26 churches in the city dedicated to Mary (length 92mts/302 ft, width 80 mts/260 ft, height 75 mts/246 ft). At one point, it also served as Papal residence while their residence was deteriorated, until they moved to the Vatican City. It is served by Dominican and Redemptorist fathers.