Every year on October 12, the Church celebrates the Feast of Our Lady of the Pillar—one of the oldest and most widespread Marian devotions, especially cherished in the Spanish-speaking world.
Did you know that the Mother of God appeared to the Apostle James before her Assumption, on the banks of the Ebro River in Spain? Or that Christopher Columbus discovered America on the very day of Our Lady of the Pillar?
Here are four fascinating facts about Our Lady of the Pillar that you might not know.
The First Recorded Marian Apparition
According to ancient tradition, the Blessed Virgin appeared to the Apostle James the Greater in the year 40 AD. The apostle had arrived in Spain through the port of Cartagena, where he founded the first diocese on the Iberian Peninsula. From there, he began preaching across different regions.
Historical accounts tell us that James traveled with his new disciples through Galicia and Castile until he reached Aragón, where the city of Zaragoza stands on the banks of the Ebro River. He preached there for many days and chose eight men as his companions. By day they spoke about the Kingdom of God, and by night they rested along the riverbanks.
On the night of January 2, in the year 40, while James was praying with his disciples near the Ebro in what was then called Caesaraugusta,
he suddenly heard the voices of angels singing Ave Maria, gratia plena. Then, he saw the Virgin Mother of Christ appear, standing on a pillar of marble.
The Blessed Virgin—who was still living on earth at the time—came to console James, who was discouraged by the hardness of heart of the local people and was beginning to wonder whether his mission in Spain was in vain. Our Lady spoke to him with these words:
This, my son, is the place destined for my honor. Here, through your efforts, a church will be built in my memory. Behold this pillar on which I stand, for my Son and Master has sent it down from heaven by the hands of angels. Near it you shall place the altar of the chapel, where the power of the Most High will work great wonders through my intercession. This pillar shall remain in this place until the end of time
The Mother of God then disappeared, leaving behind the pillar as a symbol of the steadfast faith James was to have in his mission. Since that moment, the column has remained in the same spot and has never been moved.
To this day, the people of Zaragoza still sing in thanksgiving for her visit:
Blessed and praised be the hour
when the Most Holy Virgin Mary
came in mortal flesh to Zaragoza.
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The Oldest Shrine Dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary
Immediately after the apparition, James and his disciples began building a church around the pillar. Before it was even completed, the apostle ordained one of them as a priest, consecrated the temple, and named it Saint Mary of the Pillar. It is considered the first Christian sanctuary ever dedicated to the Immaculate Virgin.
Because the church was completed on October 12, Pope Clement XII established that date as the official feast day in the eighteenth century—although devotion to Our Lady of the Pillar had already been celebrated long before.
The first chapel dedicated to the Virgin of the Pillar was built inside a Roman house. By the fourth century, it had become a public place of worship. A Visigothic church was later erected on the site, followed by a Gothic temple, and finally, the current Baroque basilica, constructed between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
The dimensions of the present-day sanctuary are truly impressive: 130 meters long, 76 meters wide, 18 meters to the cornice, 28 to the top of the arches, and 80 to the cross crowning the central dome. The basilica features four towers, each 92 meters high.
The image of Our Lady of the Pillar is enshrined in the Holy Chapel, designed by the architect Ventura Rodríguez. At its center stands a sculptural group depicting the Virgin’s apparition. To the right is the medieval image of Our Lady of the Pillar, resting upon the miraculous jasper column—1.77 meters tall and 24 centimeters in diameter—covered in bronze and silver.
The Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar in Zaragoza is one of the most visited Marian sanctuaries in the world. Every day it welcomes countless pilgrims: popes, kings, rulers, children, youth, and workers have all prayed before her image. Since ancient times, many pilgrims have journeyed from Zaragoza to Compostela, where the relics of the Apostle James rest.
The sanctuary was declared a National Monument in 1904, a Minor Basilica in 1948, and a Cathedral in 1675.
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The Discovery of America Coincided with the Feast of Our Lady of the Pillar
Providentially, on October 12, 1492—the very day the Church celebrates Our Lady of the Pillar—Christopher Columbus arrived in the Americas. From that moment, Spain began a great missionary endeavor that brought the Christian faith to the native peoples of the New World. Spiritually, the Virgin of the Pillar accompanied that expansion across the ocean. Just as she had encouraged the evangelization of Spain by appearing to Saint James, she also inspired the mission to spread the Gospel throughout the Americas.
Devotion to Our Lady of the Pillar crossed the ocean along with missionaries and explorers. Today, many Latin American cities bear her name, honor her as their patroness, or have churches dedicated to her. This living testimony reveals how deeply that faith took root in new lands. Indeed, the devotion to this Marian title, brought by the missionaries, has been lovingly passed down from generation to generation. Throughout Hispanic America, October 12 is still celebrated with great solemnity in her honor.
The bond between Our Lady of the Pillar and the Spanish-speaking world is not merely historical but profoundly spiritual. She has been proclaimed Queen and Patroness of the Hispanic World, and her presence is symbolically represented in the Basilica of Zaragoza, where the flags of all Latin American nations hang in her honor. In the nearby Plaza del Pilar, the Fountain of Hispanicity forms the map of Central and South America—a striking symbol of unity and shared faith.
The Miracles of Our Lady of the Pillar
The Blessed Virgin has remained faithful to her promise to work miracles and wonders for all who seek her intercession at the Shrine of the Pillar.
The Miracle of the Man from Calanda
One of the most extraordinary miracles attributed to Our Lady of the Pillar is known as The Miracle of Calanda. Miguel Juan Pellicer, a young man from Calanda (in the region of Teruel), suffered an accident in 1637 that led to the amputation of his right leg. For years, he lived as a beggar in Zaragoza, asking for alms at the door of the Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar. He also used to anoint himself with oil from the Virgin’s lamp.
On the night of March 29, 1640, while sleeping in his parents’ home, his amputated leg was miraculously restored. The event was thoroughly investigated: a canonical inquiry began in June of that same year, involving three civil judges and twenty-five witnesses. It was officially declared a miracle on April 27, 1641, by Archbishop Pedro Apaolaza Ramírez.
The event caused such a sensation that King Philip IV summoned Pellicer to his palace. According to tradition, the king knelt before him and kissed the restored leg. This extraordinary occurrence greatly strengthened popular devotion and led to Our Lady of the Pillar being declared co-patroness of Zaragoza, together with Saint Valerius, in 1642.
Our Lady of the Pillar’s Protection in Times of War
Throughout history, many victories and miraculous events during wartime have been attributed to the protection of Our Lady of the Pillar:
- In 1118, during the Reconquista, her intercession was credited with helping King Alfonso I the Battler reclaim Zaragoza from Muslim rule.
- During the Spanish War of Independence (1808–1814), it was believed that the Virgin protected the city from the French siege.
- During the Spanish Civil War, on August 3, 1936, three bombs were dropped on the Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar—but none of them exploded. The bombs are still preserved in the basilica today, displayed beside the Virgin’s Chapel as a powerful testimony of her protection.
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Prayers to Our Lady of the Pillar
Hymn to Our Lady of the Pillar
Holy Virgin, Mother mine,
Radiant light, day divine,
Who deigned to visit
the land of Aragón,
This people who adore you,
Beg for the favor of your love,
And acclaim and bless you,
Clinging to your holy Pillar.Sacred Pillar,
Shining beacon,
Precious gift
Of charity,
Blessed Pillar,
Throne of glory,
You will lead us
To victory.Sing, sing!
Songs of honor and praise
To the Virgin of the Pillar!
Prayer of Saint John Paul II
I give fervent thanks to God for the singular presence of Mary in this land of Spain, where her devotion has borne such abundant fruit. And to you, Most Holy Virgin of the Pillar, I wish to entrust all of Spain—each of her sons and daughters, her peoples, her Church—as well as all the children of the Hispanic nations.
Hail, Mary, Mother of Christ and of the Church! Hail, our life, our sweetness, and our hope! This evening I place in your care the needs of all Spanish families: the joys of children, the dreams of the young, the concerns of adults, the suffering of the sick, and the serene twilight of the elderly.
I commend to you the faithfulness and self-giving of your Son’s ministers, the hope of those preparing for that ministry, the joyful dedication of cloistered virgins, the prayer and service of religious men and women, and the efforts of all who work to spread Christ’s kingdom in these lands.
Into your hands I place the toil and sweat of those who labor with their hands; the noble dedication of those who teach and those who learn; the beautiful vocation of those who, with conscience and service, relieve the pain of others; the mission of those who, with intelligence and study, seek the truth.
In your heart I leave the desires of those who, through honest work, seek the prosperity of their brothers and sisters; of those who, in the service of truth, inform and rightly shape public opinion; and of all who, in politics, the military, labor unions, or public service, collaborate honorably for a just, peaceful, and secure coexistence.
Holy Virgin of the Pillar, increase our faith, strengthen our hope, and inflame our charity. Help those who suffer misfortune, loneliness, ignorance, hunger, or unemployment. Strengthen those who waver in faith. Inspire in the young a generous willingness to give themselves fully to God.
Protect all of Spain and her peoples—her men and women—and lovingly assist, O Mary, all who invoke you as Patroness of the Hispanic World. Amen. So be it.
Prayer to the Most Holy Virgin of the Pillar
Most Holy Virgin of the Pillar, who deigned to come in mortal flesh to Zaragoza to console and strengthen the Apostle James, our father in the faith, and who throughout history has poured out countless signs of love and favor upon all who call upon you—
We come before you with filial devotion and gratitude, asking that through your intercession you obtain for us from the Lord strength in faith, steadfastness in hope, and perseverance in love for God and for our brothers and sisters.
Look with a Mother’s eyes upon the Church, upon His Holiness the Pope, the bishops, priests, religious, and all the faithful.
Grant that all who kneel before your sacred image and kiss your holy Pillar may find help in their needs, comfort in their sorrows, light in their doubts, and courage in their labors. Bestow upon us all peace founded on justice and love. Amen. Amen.
Could Saint James have imagined how many souls would come to know the Catholic faith through his missionary work in Spain? Thanks to Our Lady of the Pillar, he was able to persevere in his mission. Spain became a stronghold of Christianity, carrying its love for Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary across the ocean. The peoples of the Americas owe their faith to Saint James and to the Spain of the Catholic Monarchs—King Ferdinand himself was a member of the confraternity of Our Lady of the Pillar.
The pillar represents the strength of faith—unshaken in the face of adversity. Mary appears standing upon a column as a sign of spiritual support. It is impossible to falter when she sustains us. We must trust firmly in her protection, for she helps us on our way to Heaven.
When we feel that the ground beneath our feet is uncertain, let us cling to Our Lady of the Pillar, the living column of our hope.
Who is Our Lady of the Pillar?
Our Lady of the Pillar is a Marian devotion venerated mainly in Spain and Latin America.
What is the story of Our Lady of the Pillar?
The story of Our Lady of the Pillar dates back to the year 40 A.D., when, according to Christian tradition, the Virgin Mary appeared in person to the Apostle James in Zaragoza, Spain. Mary gave him a jasper column as a sign of strength and asked him to build a church in her honor. This event is considered the first Marian apparition recognized by the Church. Since then, devotion to Our Lady of the Pillar has spread throughout the Hispanic world.
What does Our Lady of the Pillar look like?
The image of Our Lady of the Pillar depicts Mary holding the Child Jesus in her arms, standing atop a jasper column. It is a small Gothic sculpture venerated in the Holy Chapel of the Basilica of the Pillar in Zaragoza. Her figure conveys peace, protection, and spiritual strength.
When is the feast of Our Lady of the Pillar?
The feast of Our Lady of the Pillar is celebrated on October 12, coinciding with Hispanic Day and the anniversary of the discovery of America. This date commemorates her apparition to the Apostle James and her role as the patroness of Spain and Latin America.
Why is Our Lady of the Pillar the patroness of the Civil Guard?
Our Lady of the Pillar was declared patroness of the Spanish Civil Guard on February 8, 1913, by King Alfonso XIII, in recognition of the devotion members of the corps had shown since the 19th century. The tradition began at the Young Guards College of Valdemoro, where a chapel with her image was installed and her devotion encouraged among orphaned students.
What do people ask of Our Lady of the Pillar?
People pray to Our Lady of the Pillar for protection, strength in faith, comfort in difficult times, and spiritual guidance. The faithful turn to her for help in moments of distress, illness, or important decisions, and to give thanks for favors received.
What does Our Lady of the Pillar protect?
Our Lady of the Pillar is considered a spiritual protector of individuals, cities, and institutions. She is credited with miracles such as the Miracle of Calanda and the protection of the Basilica during bombings in the Spanish Civil War. Her intercession has been invoked in times of war, illness, and danger.
