[Sidenote: Liberius _is honoured as a Saint_.]
_Liberius_, notwithstanding his Fall, is honoured both by the _Latin_ and _Greek_ Churches as a Saint. By the former his Festival is kept on the 23d of _September_, and by the latter on the 27th of _August_[972]. [Sidenote: _The Founding of the Church of_ St. Mary the Greater.] He erected a Church on the _Esquiline_ Mount at _Rome_, which bore his Name, and was called the _Basilic_ of Liberius, till it was consecrated to the Virgin _Mary_ by _Sixtus_ III. when it took the Name of _Sancta Maria Major_, or _Saint Mary the Greater_. It owes its Foundation, as is universally believed in the Church of _Rome_, to the following Miracle. A _Roman_ of the Patrician Order, and of Wealth equal to his Rank, named _John_, having no Children, resolved to make a free Gift of his whole Estate to the Virgin _Mary_. This Resolution he imparted to his Wife, who consenting to it with great Alacrity, the Estate was immediately made over to the holy Virgin, whom they thenceforth jointly intreated, in their daily Prayers, to let them know by some Token in what Manner she chose to dispose of it. Their Prayers were heard, and, on the Night preceding the 5th of _August_, when the Heat is most violent at _Rome_, a miraculous Snow fell from Heaven, which covered Part of the _Esquiline_ Mount. The same Night the Patrician and his Wife were admonished in a Dream to build a Church on the Spot of Ground which they should find covered with Snow. Early next Morning they went to acquaint Pope _Liberius_ with what had happened, whom they found to have had the same Dream; so that no room being now left to doubt of the Revelation, the Pope appointed a grand Procession of the whole Clergy, in which he walked himself, attended by Crouds of People, to the above-mentioned Mount; and there, having caused the Snow, which still lay unmelted, to be removed, on the Spot, which it had covered, he laid the Foundation of that magnificent Basilic, which was reared at the Expence of the Patrician, and is now known by the Name of _Saint Mary the Greater_, and _Saint Mary in the Snow_[973]. I should not have thought such an idle Tale worthy of a Place in a grave History, were it not recorded in the most authentic Book the Church of _Rome_ has after the Scripture, the _Roman Breviary_, a Book approved and commended by the Council of _Trent_, and by the special Bulls of Three Popes, _Pius_ V. _Clement_ VIII. and _Urban_ VIII. of whom the latter declares every thing it contains to be extracted from antient and approved Authors, and to be agreeable to Truth[974]. So that it would be less dangerous, at least in _Italy_, to deny any Truth revealed in the Scripture, than to question any Fable related in the _Breviary_. The Feast of _the Snow_, or _St. Mary in the Snow_, is kept annually at _Rome_, on the 5th of _August_, with the greatest Solemnity. The College of Cardinals assists that Day at Divine Service in the Church of _Saint Mary the Greater_; and the Pope, if not indisposed, or otherwise prevented, officiates in Person: the _Primicerio_, or Dean of that Church, reads the Account, which I have delivered above; and, that nothing may be wanting to complete the Farce, Numbers of Children are employed, during the Service, to drop Jessamins from the Gallery on the Congregation, in Remembrance and Imitation of the miraculous Snow. And truly by Children alone such Fables are proper to be acted and believed.