St
James the Apostle 40 AD
Born
Died 44 AD
Feastday 25th July
After the crucifixion , resurrection and ascension of
Jesus, his Apostles began to spread the message he left throughout Israel and shortly
thereafter, through the Roman empire. One of these Apostles, James (the
Greater), reportedly travelled as far west as Spain to the village of Saragossa
in northeast Spain. While James was there, he became disheartened because of
the failure of his mission. Tradition holds that while he was deep in prayer
Jesus' Blessed Mother appeared to him and gave him a small wooden statue of
herself and a column of jasper wood and instructed him to build a church in her
honour: "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."
Another version holds that James, praying
with his disciples along the banks of the Ebro River, suddenly heard angels
singing "Ave Maria" and saw the Blessed Virgin appear standing
on a pillar of marble. The Virgin, who still lived among men, asked James to
build a chapel there, and promised: “to remain at that site until the end of
time, so that the grace of God will work omens and marvels through my
intercession for those who, in their hour of need, invoked my name.”
Our Lady then disappeared, leaving behind the pillar. James and the eight other witnesses dedicated all their efforts to building the church Our Lady had requested. Before the church was finished, James needed to return to Judea. He then ordained one of his disciples to serve as priest, consecrated the chapel, and dedicated it to Santa María del Pilar, or Holy Mary of the Pillar. This was the first church dedicated to honour the Blessed Mother. 1
References
1. taken from Religion: Spain Our Lady of the Pillar http://www.hispaniconline.com/hh03/mainpages/religion/mary_spain.html)