Zaragoza

There are two sacred places in this historic Spanish city; a small shrine to Mary Magdalene and the much larger Cathedral to Our lady of Pillar.

 

The story of Our Lady of Pillar came about after the crucifixion of Jesus when the Apostles went throughout the known World to spread the Christian faith. It was the Apostle James, around the year 40 A.D (whilst Mary was still alive), who arrived in Spain and his preaching brought him to Zaragoza.

This ancient city located in the province of Aragon, holds the first recorded apparition of Our Lady, which traditions informs us occurred on January 2nd of the year 40 A.D. While Our Lady was in Ephesus before her Assumption, Jesus appeared to her and asked her to go with the angels to see James, later to become St. James, who was the brother of John the Evangelist.

The tradition as given by Our Lady in an apparition to Sr Mary Agreda is that Our Lady was carried on a cloud by the angels to Zaragoza during the night. While they were travelling, the angels built a pillar of jasper and a miniature wooden image of Our Lady. Our Lady gave the message to St James, “This place is to be my house…, and this image and column shall be the title and altar of the temple that you shall build.” One year passed before James arranged for the construction of a small chapel.

It was to become the first church in the world that was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. For twelve years before Our Lady’s Assumption into heaven the people of Spain were venerating Our Lady as Our Lady of the Pillar. This is the only apparition of Our Lady to have took place prior to her Assumption

The Apparition of the Blessed Virgin continued to appear throughout the centuries, showing itself around the Pillar. The shrine has become an important place of pilgrimage for both Christian and non-Christian.