More powerful than any medical intervention is prayer. Built in answer to prayers for a child, the Church today (5th of August) celebrates one of the 4 great Basilica churches in Rome, Santa Maria Maggiore.
The legend surrounding the erection of the magnificent church dates back to the 4th century under Pope Liberius (352 or 358 depending on sources) although archeological finds point to an even earlier church too. A wealthy Roman patrician John and his wife were childless and asked the Virgin Mary to intercede for them promising all their posessions if they could have a child. According to legend the Virgin Mary appeared in a dream to both John and the then Pope Liberius asking for a church to be built on top of the Esquiline hill. She promised a sign as confirmation. This happened on the 5th of August - during a Roman heatwave - that it snowed there in Rome indicating the site where the church was to be built. Even today I am both recoicing and ever thankful for the many couples who find out they have conceived after they involved prayer and some special act of worship surrendering their lack of fertility into the hands of God.
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