The Catholic Defender: Our Lady of the Pillar
- Jan 16
- 2 min read
Our Lady of the Pillar (officially in Spanish, Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Zaragoza,) is recognized as the first Marian apparition in the history of Christianity and is the only one that happened while the Virgin Mary was still alive.
Although it was technically a bilocation of Our Lady, because she was living with John the Apostle in Jerusalem, it is still regarded as an apparition by the tradition of the Church.
According to tradition, James the Greater, brother of Saint John the Evangelist, traveled with great effort to Roman Hispania (modern-day Spain) to evangelize the local tribes.
He not only confronted great difficulties but he also saw very little apostolic fruits of conversion.
Tradition says that when he was at his lowest point of discouragement, in A.D. 40, while he was sitting by the banks of the Ebro river in Zaragoza (back then known as Caesaraugusta) Mary appeared to him accompanied by thousands of angels, to console and encourage him.
St. James the Greater was discouraged while preaching in Hispania (Spain) when the Virgin Mary appeared to him miraculously from Jerusalem, standing on a pillar by the Ebro River, surrounded by angels.
On January 2, AD 40, Mary appeared to him on a pillar of jasper carried by angels. She encouraged him, promising that the faith of the people would be as strong and durable as the pillar she stood upon.
The Virgin Mary instructed James to build a chapel on the site, which became the first church dedicated to Mary in history. The original small chapel has since evolved into the massive Cathedral-Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar in Zaragoza.
The Virgin Mary encouraged him, promising the land would be converted and the pillar would remain as a sign.
This led to the first church dedicated to Mary in the Christian world, the Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar in Zaragoza, Spain, where the pillar is venerated.
Mary is the patroness of Spain, Hispanic peoples, and the Spanish Civil Guard.
October 12th, also the day Christopher Columbus arrived in the Americas, solidifying her role as patroness of the Hispanic world.
The actual jasper pillar is small, but encased in a magnificent silver-covered alabaster column.
A small statue of the Virgin and Child sits atop the pillar, adorned with elaborate, jeweled crowns.
The current enshined image is a wooden Gothic statue from the 15th century, measuring about 36.5 cm (14.4 inches) tall. It depicts Mary holding the Child Jesus, who has a dove in his palm.
During the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939), three bombs were dropped on the Basilica, but none of them exploded. Two of these deactivated bombs are still on display inside the church as a testament to her protection.
Holy Virgin of the Pillar: increase our faith, strengthen our hope, revive our charity. Help those who suffer misfortune... and strengthen the weak in faith."
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