The
Basilica of Saint Mary Major (Italian:
Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore) or church of
Santa Maria Maggiore, is a Major
papal
basilica as well as one of the Seven
Pilgrim
Churches
of
Rome and the largest Catholic
Marian
church in Rome, Italy.
The basilica enshrines the venerated image of
Salus Populi Romani, depicting the Blessed
Virgin
Mary as the health and protectress of the Roman people, which was granted a Canonical
coronation by Pope
Gregory
XVI on 15 August 1838 accompanied by his Papal
bull
Cælestis Regina.
Pursuant to the Lateran
Treaty of 1929 between the Holy
See and Italy, the Basilica is within Italian territory and not the territory of the Vatican
City
State. However, the Holy
See fully owns the Basilica, and Italy is legally obligated to recognize its full ownership thereof and to concede to it "the immunity granted by International Law to the headquarters of the diplomatic agents of foreign States."In other words, the complex of buildings has a status somewhat similar to a foreign embassy.
