The Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar in Zaragoza is preparing to celebrate this Monday, October 12, the solemnity of its patroness, one of the most deeply rooted Marian feasts in Spain. The day will be preceded by the conclusion of the novena, the services in the Holy Chapel, and the traditional Salve, with which the faithful prepare to honor the Virgin of the Pillar.
On Sunday, October 11, the preparatory novena will conclude, bringing together numerous devotees before the image of the Blessed Virgin during these days. The celebrations of the Pillar hold special importance in the religious life of Zaragoza and Aragon, where Marian devotion is closely linked to the tradition of the apostolic preaching of Saint James.
The feast of October 12 forms the center of a broad program of religious and popular events that will extend over several days and includes the flower offering, the pontifical Mass, the processions, and the Crystal Rosary.
A devotion linked to the Apostle Saint James
According to an ancient tradition, the Blessed Virgin appeared to the Apostle Saint James on the banks of the Ebro while he was preaching the Gospel in Hispania. Mary, who was still living on earth, would have come to strengthen him in his apostolic mission, leaving as a sign a column or pillar upon which a place of worship was to be built.
This tradition constitutes the foundation of the devotion to Our Lady of the Pillar, whose veneration has accompanied for centuries the religious history of Zaragoza. The column, preserved in the Holy Chapel of the basilica, continues to be the object of the devotion of the faithful who come to the sanctuary to entrust their needs to the Virgin.
The current basilica, one of the great Marian temples of Spain, receives each year pilgrims from different Spanish regions and from other countries. The celebration of October 12 also acquires a special dimension due to its connection with Hispanic heritage and the historical expansion of the Catholic faith among Spanish-speaking peoples.
The flower offering and the pontifical Mass
On Monday, October 12, Zaragoza will celebrate the main events of the feast of Our Lady of the Pillar. The traditional flower offering will bring together thousands of participants who will come to the Plaza del Pilar to place their bouquets before the floral structure erected in honor of the Virgin.
The religious celebration will have one of its central moments in the pontifical Mass scheduled for 12:00 noon at the main altar of the basilica. The services of the day express the continuity of a devotion that has marked the life of the archdiocese and that occupies a singular place in the history of Spanish Catholicism.
The feast of the Virgin of the Pillar is also celebrated in numerous parishes and communities outside Aragon, where her image is venerated by the faithful who preserve this Marian tradition.
The Rosary prayer will extend the celebrations
The religious program of the festivities will continue on Tuesday, October 13, with the Crystal Rosary, one of the most characteristic expressions of Zaragozan religiosity. The procession travels through the streets of the city with lanterns and floats that represent the mysteries of the Holy Rosary and other scenes of the Catholic tradition.
This celebration offers a singular expression of Marian piety, in which the prayer of the Rosary is united with artistic heritage and the participation of confraternities and religious associations.
The conclusion of the novena on Sunday and the solemnity on Monday will allow the faithful to renew their devotion to Our Lady of the Pillar, traditionally invoked as protector and refuge of the Christians of Spain and the Hispanic peoples.