{"id":167695,"date":"2024-10-05T06:00:53","date_gmt":"2024-10-05T04:00:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carfundacion.roymo.info\/blog\/virgen-del-pilar-en-zaragoza-que-celebramos\/"},"modified":"2024-10-10T13:38:25","modified_gmt":"2024-10-10T11:38:25","slug":"virgen-del-pilar-en-zaragoza-que-celebramos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/en\/virgen-del-pilar-en-zaragoza-que-celebramos\/","title":{"rendered":"October 12, Virgen del Pilar of Zaragoza: what do we celebrate?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Patroness of the Hispanidad, of the city of Zaragoza and also of Mail<\/a> and the Civil Guard<\/a>. Thousands of pilgrims of all nationalities come to pray to the Virgin of Pilar in Zaragoza, where the Cathedral-Basilica is located.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zaragoza, throughout the year, but especially during the festivities of the Pilar, is the city from where the national and universal union arises. Since Columbus opened the doors to the New World in 1492, Christian values have spread to the nations of America, Africa and Asia, now united by the solid pillar of a common past, a common language and a rich and diverse culture.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"virgen<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

What is the history of the Virgen del Pilar?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As recorded in 13th century documents preserved in the cathedral of Saragossa, the story goes back to the period immediately following the Ascension.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the year 40 AD, the Apostles had begun to fulfill the mission of preaching the Gospel. Each one seeking a part of the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The documents state that Santiago, \"passing through Asturias, arrived with his new disciples through Galicia and Castile, to Aragon, the territory called Celtiberia, where the city of Zaragoza is located, on the banks of the Ebro.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Apostle was seeing that that civilization was incredibly hard. It was very difficult to make the words of the Gospel reach those people, so James began to get discouraged when he saw that his efforts were not bearing fruit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But on the night of January 2, 40 AD, Santiago, who was resting with his disciples by the river Ebro, in the Roman Caesaraugusta, which was the name given by Rome to the present Zaragoza, suddenly heard the voices of angels singing \"Ave, Maria, gratia plena\" and the Virgin appeared standing on a marble pillar\".<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Blessed Virgin<\/a>asked the Apostle to build him a church there, with the altar around the pillar where he was standing, and promised that he would \"This place will remain until the end of time so that the virtue of God may work wonders and marvels through my intercession with those who in their needs implore my patronage\".<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Virgin disappeared and the pillar remained there. The Apostle James and the eight witnesses began to build a church on that site. But before it was finished, James ordained one of his disciples as a priest to serve it, consecrated it and gave it the title of Santa Maria del Pilar, before returning to Judea. This was the first church dedicated in honor of the Blessed Virgin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Years later...<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Pope Clement XII is aware of this devotion and establishes October 12 as the day on which the feast of the Virgin of the Pilar is celebrated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On October 12, 1492, Christopher Columbus set his first foot in America and thus it became clear that there is a world beyond Hispania. For this reason, Our Lady of the Pillar is entrusted with the Hispanic world, because the evangelization of the new lands was placed under her mantle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The devotion of the people is so deep among the Spaniards, and from such remote times, that the Holy See allowed the establishment of the Office of the Pillar in which the apparition of the Virgin is consigned as \"an ancient and pious belief\".<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Virgen<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The city of Zaragoza and the basilica of Nuestra Se\u00f1ora del Pilar, its patron saint<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

On the banks of the Ebro River in Zaragoza stands the Basilica del Pilar. Its construction began in Renaissance times, it goes through the Baroque period and ends, in the 18th century, with neoclassical solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inside the basilica is the Santa Capilla de Nuestra Se\u00f1ora del Pilar, a magnificent case that encloses the pillar where the Virgin of Pilar appeared to the Apostle Santiago and which visitors have venerated over the centuries. This pillar is covered in bronze and silver, and holds a statuette representing the Virgin of Pilar, with an imposing mantle and the child Jesus in her arms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The image of the Virgin<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The carving of the Virgin does not reach forty centimeters<\/strong>. Its lines are late Gothic, and from the way the tunic is buttoned, the belt with its buckle, the high waist and the shoes, it could be dated to the 15th century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The figure of the Child holds a little bird in one hand and with the other hand he holds tightly to his Mother's mantle. It can be said that it does not follow the sculptural style of the Virgin, although it completes it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The whole is based on the Pilar, the smooth column of jasper covered with carved silver that except for the 2nd, 12th and 20th of each month, the Virgin of the Pillar, is not covered with mantle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some curiosities:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

On the current importance of the Basilica<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The Basilica of Our Lady of the Pilar in Zaragoza is the most visited monument in Spain in recent years pre-pandemic. The Basilica del Pilar is not only the main tourist attraction of Zaragoza and the icon of the city, but also the first Marian shrine in the world and an important pilgrimage destination, millions of people visit it annually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is a Basilica and also a Cathedral. Zaragoza was the first city in the world to have two cathedrals, the first, from the early twelfth century when the troops of Alfonso the Battler conquered the city, the second the Basilica del Pilar, since 1676 no less.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can climb one of the four towers, for only 3 \u20ac. The elevator reaches 63 meters high and you can enjoy the best panoramic views of the city of Zaragoza from the viewpoint of one of the four towers of the Basilica of Pilar. You can also contemplate from there the majesty of the Ebro River and the Pyrenees. In addition, you can also access the highest part of the towers (which is about 80 meters high) after climbing a few steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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