Column of the Immaculate Conception, Rome

Column of the Immaculate Conception

The Virgin Mary as the Immaculate Conception carrying a wreath of flowers offered annually by the Roman firemen. Sculpture by Giuseppe Obici on top of a Corinthian column.

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41°54′17.94″N 12°28′58.59″E / 41.9049833°N 12.4829417°E / 41.9049833; 12.4829417

The Column of the Immaculate Conception (Italian: La Colonna della Immacolata Concezione) is a nineteenth-century monument in central Rome depicting the Blessed Virgin Mary, located in what is called Piazza Mignanelli, towards the south east part of Piazza di Spagna. It was placed aptly in front of the offices of the Palazzo di Propaganda Fide which houses the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, as well as in front of the Spanish embassy as recognition by the pontiff of the defense that this nation has always made of this dogma of faith.

Since December 1953, Pontiffs have visited the monument annually and offered a bouquet of flowers at the base of the column with help of Roman firemen commemorating the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.