This ancient Madonna and Child icon is currently housed in the Borghese chapel in the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major, the oldest Marian church in the West.
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OnJanuary26,theChurchinRomesolemnlycelebratedtheFeastoftheTranslationoftheSalusPopuliRomani,thecity’smostimportantMarianicon.
ThisancientMadonnaandChildiconiscurrentlyhousedintheBorghesechapelinthePapalBasilicaofSaintMaryMajor,theoldestMarianchurchintheWest.
TheBorgheseChapelatSaintMaryMajor/Photocredit:IshmaelAdibuahCelebratedannuallyinRomeonthelastSundayofJanuary,thefeastcommemoratestheicon’ssolemnrelocationtoitscurrentornatechapelin1613.ItisperhapsthegreatesttestamenttotheloveoftheBlessedMotherforthecityofRome,andhowshehasmiraculouslyintervenedinitshistoryastheSalusPopuliRomani(HealthoftheRomanPeople).
WheredidtheSalusPopuliRomaniiconcomefrom?TraditionholdsthatSaintLuketheEvangelistpaintedit,thoughhistoriansandscientistsdisputethis.TraditionalsoholdsthatSaintHelena,themotherofEmperorConstantineI,broughttheicontoRomefromJerusalemalon
