PAPAL BASILICA OF SAINT MARY MAJOR

Press Release

Ceremony for the assumption of the title of Proto-Canon by His Majesty the King of Spain

On Friday 20 March 2026 at 12.30, during a solemn ceremony, His Majesty King Felipe VI of Spain will assume the title of Proto-Canon of the Chapter of the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major.

The Liberian Chapter is composed of the Cardinal Archpriest and twelve Canons, as stipulated by its Statutes. By ancient privilege, His Majesty the King of Spain is its Proto-Canon.

The bonds between the Basilica and the Spanish Crown have deep roots: throughout the centuries Spanish sovereigns, ecclesiastics and faithful have supported the sanctuary, contributing to its life, protection and maintenance. Among the most striking examples of this ancient bond is the gilded wooden ceiling, commissioned by Pope Alexander VI (1492–1503), formerly Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia and Archpriest of the Basilica.

The relationship between the Spanish Crown and Saint Mary Major was then sealed in 1603, when the Liberian Chapter invited King Philip III to assume the role of its protector and Proto-Canon.

Thereafter, there were numerous royal bequests and commissions, including the reliquary of the Holy Cradle, a gift from Margaret of Austria, Queen of Spain. In 1647, Philip IV established an annual endowment known as the Opera Pia di Spagna and, as a token of gratitude, the Chapter commissioned Gian Lorenzo Bernini to create a bronze statue of the sovereign, which still welcomes the faithful and pilgrims on the portico of the Basilica.

The Bull Hispaniarum fidelitas, promulgated by Pope Pius XII on 5 August 1953, renewed and confirmed this close relationship, emphasizing “the bonds of piety and devotion that have united the Iberian nation with the Basilica of Saint Mary Major”. Since then, the Chapter has celebrated three special Masses each year for the prosperity of the Spanish people and their Head of State: the liturgical memorial of Saint Ferdinand Alfonso (30 May), the Feast of the Assumption of Mary (15 August) and the Feast of the Immaculate Conception (8 December).

The ceremony at Saint Mary Major will crown the official visit to the Vatican of His Majesty Felipe VI and Queen Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano, after the audience that will be granted to them by His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, renewing this long and happy tradition.

To ensure the ceremony proceeds smoothly, the Basilica will be temporarily closed to the public on the day of the event from 11.30 to 13.30. Attendance is by invitation only, organized by the Spanish Embassy to the Holy See.