October 12th, Our Lady of the Pillar
by VP
Posted on Thursday October 12, 2023 at 12:00AM in Prayers
La Virgen del pilar (late 18th century, Puerto Rico) by José Campeche y Jordán
Prayer to Our Lady of the Pillar
O Virgin Mother of the Pillar, deigning to appear to thy beloved
disciple, St. James, promising him the victory over paganism, and
blessing so abundantly his labors for the spread of the True Catholic
Faith, secure for us also, who are the children of that same Faith, the
victory over our many foes and the paganism that threaten souls in our
day.
Through the intercession of thine Apostle, St. James, the “Son of
Thunder”, may we help establish everywhere the true devotion to thy
Immaculate Heart that Our Lord wills for the conversion of all sinners.
Amen.
"Of all the places that Spain offers for the veneration of the devout, the most illustrious is doubtless the sanctuary consecrated to God under the invocation of the Blessed Virgin, under the title of our Lady of the Pillar, at Saragossa. According to ancient and pious tradition, St. James the Greater, led by Providence into Spain, spent some time at Saragossa. He there received a signal favor from the Blessed Virgin. As he was praying with his disciples one night, upon the banks of the Ebro, as the same tradition informs us, the Mother of God, who still lived, appeared to him, and commanded him to erect an oratory in that place. The apostle delayed not to obey this injunction, and with the assistance of his disciples soon constructed a small chapel. In the course of time a larger church was built and dedicated, which, with the dedication of Saint Savior's, is kept as a festival in the city and Diocese of Saragossa on the 4th of October."
Approved by the Sacred Congregation of Rites on 7 August 1723, and later inserted in the lessons of the office of the feast of our Lady of the Pillar, celebrated on 12 October.
Source: wikipedia
