Among Catholics, the places where Mary is traditionally believed to have appeared throughout history are pilgrimage sites. Very few have been officially recognized by Church authorities, and belief in these apparitions is not mandatory for Catholics at all. And still, the Virgin Mary and the events and places associated with her attract millions, virtually everywhere.
Tradition claims Marian apparitions have happened all around the world –Kibeho, Akita, Fatima. The most visited shrine of them all is that of Guadalupe in Mexico, traditionally believed to have been built on the site where the Virgin appeared to Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin in 1531. But Europe still holds the record for more Marian apparitions, both in the early centuries of Christianity and in more recent history.
The first known apparition is said to have taken place in Roman Hispania (Spain). According to local tradition, the Virgin appeared to the Saint James the Apostle and the first Christians of the peninsula (the legendary Varones Apostólicos) on the banks of the Ebro River –while she was still alive on the other side of the Mediterranean, in Jerusalem.
Today, an imposing basilica stands on the site. It is part of two pilgrimage routes: the Marian Route, which links five sanctuaries between Spain, Andorra and France, and (for obvious reasons) the Camino de Santiago.
What do we know about this first apparition?
According to medieval tradition, on January 2, 40, in Caesaraugusta (today’s Zaragoza), Mary appeared to Saint James in flesh and blood, standing on a column, as a sign of support for the nascent Iberian Christian community. The famous pillar (el pilar) remains, and it is believed that Santiago and his companions built a primitive adobe chapel around it. Theoretically, this would have been the first church dedicated to the Virgin in the history of Christianity.
Now, this is all part of an ancient oral tradition that was compiled in a 13th century text –a century and a half after Christians retook the city from the Muslims. There is an earlier account written by an 11th-century monk named Aimoino, who mentions a Mozarabic church in Saraqusta (the Islamic name for Zaragoza) dedicated to Santa Maria, in the same place where the Basilica del Pilar stands today. Since the construction of new Christian churches was not allowed during the Islamic rule, it is assumed that this church must have been there (way) before the 11th century.
Once the city returned to Christian hands, this Aragonese devotion has only grown. Since then, the basilica has become a place of pilgrimage par excellence –and the scene of some legendary miracles too. The two most famous are the resurrection of Queen Blanca of Navarre and the so-called “Miracle of Calanda” –featuring a crippled young man whose amputated leg miraculously grew back.
What is in the Basilica?
The real object of devotion at El Pilar is not the image of the Virgin (the statue is the work of a 15th century goldsmith) but the column itself. According to tradition, the pillar has not moved from its place since the 1st century.
The pillar is a jasper column just 1.77 meters high, hidden in a superimposed bronze and silver lining. Above it hangs a richly embroidered cloak. The original stone can only be seen through a small opening to prevent further erosion –as the faithful have touched, kissed, and embraced it for centuries.
The column has been venerated by kings, nobles and institutions of all kinds throughout history. Every year, on October 12th, thousands of people gather for processions, floral offerings and various cultural and religious activities. The Virgin of Pilar has also influenced Spanish literature, music and art, from the early Middle Ages to the present day –including the 1922 Nobel Prize for Literature, Jacinto Benavente.
