Question: Why do white petals fall from the ceiling of the Basilica of St. Mary Major every year?
Bonus question: Why is this Basilica also known as “the Liberian Basilica”?
Answer: White rose petals fall from the ceiling every August 5 on the feast of the dedication of the Basilica. It represents snowfall, as the location of the future Basilica was miraculously marked by a snowfall in Rome in August!
Bonus answer: Pope Liberius received visions of the snowfall, and upon finding the snow, marked out the location of the church.