The sad Easter at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome: those giant screens must be removed.

It is one of the oldest basilicas in Rome, one of the four major basilicas, along with St. Peter's, St. John, and St. Paul's, with a papal altar and a Holy Door.

Its spiritual significance has recently grown because Pope Francis, deeply devoted to the Marian icon "Salus Populi Romani," was buried here, in a bare, white tomb with only the inscription "Franciscus."

Well, on Easter Eve, seeing Santa Maria Maggiore and the square in front of it is a sad sight, one that speaks of decay, indifference, and the dominance of money wherever it can be found.

Two enormous advertising screens have been mounted on the façade of the Basilica, as well as on the back. In fact, this isn't the first time; they were installed in preparation for the Jubilee, citing the funding for restoration work for the Holy Year, and were later removed. Even then, there had been some confusion among residents and tourists, because the two screens are enormous, and projecting advertisements for phones or beach holidays onto a basilica built in the 15th century was disconcerting. But seeing the screens erected again today seems truly a mockery and raises a series of questions.

Source & More: https://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2026/04/04/santa-maria-maggiore-maxischermi-pubblicitari-roma-oggi/8344976/