Our Lady of the Pillar

On October 12, AD 40, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to the Apostle Saint James near the town of Caesaraugusta in the Roman Province of Hispania, in what is now Zaragoza, Spain.

He was discouraged. His mission in Hispania was largely a failure, with few converts and only a handful of ordained men to preach the Gospel here, at the edges of the Empire.

And then, Mary appeared to him, standing on a pillar near the river. Although this is often called the first Marian apparition, it was, in fact, bilocation since the Blessed Virgin had not yet been assumed into heaven.

Surrounded by choirs of angels, she encouraged and consoled poor James and commanded him to build a church on the spot. He and his disciples constructed a small chapel there, where, in later centuries, grander and grander churches would be built to commemorate the events.

James then returned to Jerusalem and to his martyrdom.

We don’t know what the Blessed Mother said to him, but I like to think she may have mentioned that though he had not made many converts in Spain, he planted the seed that would eventually grow into one of the most successful evangelization efforts in the history of humankind: the Camino de Santiago.

This path, to the place where James’ body was eventually laid to rest with those of his two disciples, reconverted Spain and led directly to the events that unfolded in the Americas in the fifteenth century, when Our Lady of Guadalupe converted nine million Aztecs and their subject peoples.

Even today, the Camino continues to convert hearts.

One year ago today I was on Camino in Spain, walking near Santa Catalina De Somoza in Castilla y León, with the sunrise behind me. Those moments are part of my continual conversion of heart, which I promised years ago when I became a Benedictine Oblate.

Our Lady of the Pillar, pray for us and for all pilgrims walking the earth!