Salve Regina – Our Lady of Perpetual Help Tour

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Our Lady of Perpetual Help Tour Rome – Salve Regina

Discover two of Rome’s greatest Marian treasures on the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Tour Rome, presented as Salve Regina – Hail Holy Queen, With an expert Catholic guide, visit St Mary Major and the Church of St Alphonsus Liguori, home of the original icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

This 90-minute Catholic walking tour follows the story of Our Lady through sacred art, ancient tradition and centuries of Roman devotion—from the Salus Populi Romani icon and the Coronation of the Virgin as Queen of Heaven & Earth, to the miraculous history of the icon entrusted to the Redemptorists.

St Mary Major: Rome’s Great Basilica of Our Lady

Begin at St Mary Major, one of Rome’s four papal Major Basilicas and one of the oldest great churches in the West dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The present basilica was built in the fifth century following the Council of Ephesus, which solemnly affirmed Mary as the Mother of God.

Your guide explains the basilica’s ancient origins and the tradition of the miraculous August snowfall that determined where the church should be built. Inside, admire its monumental nave, early Christian mosaics and celebrated golden ceiling.

Salus Populi Romani: Protectress of the Roman People

Visit the revered Salus Populi Romani—“Salvation of the Roman People”—the Marian icon traditionally painted by St Luke the Evangelist. For centuries the people of Rome have turned to this image of Our Lady in prayer, especially during times of plague, war and danger.

Learn how the icon became inseparable from the spiritual life of Rome and discover the meaning of its imagery, in which the Blessed Virgin presents Christ to the world.

Mary Crowned as Queen

In the magnificent apse mosaic, contemplate Christ crowning His Mother as Queen of Heaven. Your Catholic guide reveals the theological meaning of this luminous medieval masterpiece and shows how the basilica’s art proclaims Mary’s unique place in the mystery of salvation.

The Holy Crib and the Bethlehem of the West

Beneath the papal altar, visit the confessio containing relics traditionally identified as wood from the Holy Crib in which the infant Christ was laid. This profound connection with the Nativity led St Mary Major to be called the “Bethlehem of the West”.

Walk to St Alphonsus Liguori

Continue with your guide from St Mary Major to the Church of St Alphonsus Liguori. This short walk links two Marian sanctuaries whose sacred images have inspired generations of Catholics.

The Original Icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help

Enter the Church of St Alphonsus Liguori, the international shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Above the high altar is the original miraculous icon, venerated by Catholics throughout the world.

By tradition, the icon was being carried from Crete by a merchant when a violent storm threatened the ship. Those aboard prayed before the image and were delivered safely from danger. After reaching Rome, the icon was placed in the Church of St Matthew, where devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual Help flourished for centuries.

Following the destruction of that church, the icon was hidden and nearly forgotten until it was rediscovered and entrusted to the Redemptorists. Learn how Pope Pius IX charged them to make Our Lady of Perpetual Help known throughout the world.

Read the Icon

Your guide explains the icon’s sacred symbolism: the Christ Child turning towards the instruments of His Passion, His loosened sandal, the Archangels Michael and Gabriel, and the hands of Our Lady pointing faithfully towards her Son. The image unites the tenderness of the Mother of God with the saving Passion of Christ.

A Marian Pilgrimage in the Heart of Rome

The Our Lady of Perpetual Help Tour Rome offers a focused and prayerful encounter with two of Rome’s most important Marian icons. It is ideal for pilgrims, families and visitors who wish to understand the Catholic faith expressed through the city’s sacred art and living traditions.

Continue Your Catholic Pilgrimage through Rome

This Our Lady of Perpetual Help Tour in Rome is a focused Marian experience. For a longer pilgrimage through Rome’s relics and sacred churches, consider our Via Crucis – Relics of Christ Tour. Visitors wishing to concentrate entirely upon the basilica can choose the St Mary Major Basilica Tour, or browse all our Catholic Tours in Rome.

Private tour: €250 for up to five people.

Free cancellation: Cancel up to 24 hours before the tour, less the cost of any tickets or transport already purchased on your behalf.

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