41°39′25″N 0°52′42″W / 41.65694°N 0.87833°W
- See Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar (Buenos Aires) for the church in Buenos Aires
| Cathedral-Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar | |
|---|---|
Catedral-Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar | |
 Nuestra Señora del Pilar Basilica | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Catholic |
| Province | Archdiocese of Zaragoza |
| Rite | Roman Rite |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Minor Basilica |
| Year consecrated | 1st or 2nd century AD (founded by the pre-Schism Christian Church) |
| Location | |
| Location | Zaragoza, Spain |
| Architecture | |
| Style | |
| Groundbreaking | 1681 |
| Completed | 1961 |
| Type | Non-movable |
| Criteria | Monument |
| Designated | 22 June 1904 |
| Reference no. | RI-51-0000083 |
The Cathedral-Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar (Spanish: Catedral-Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar) is a Catholic church in the city of Zaragoza, Aragon. It is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of Our Lady of the Pillar,[1] praised as "Mother of the Hispanic Peoples" by Pope John Paul II.[2][a] It is reputed to be the first-ever church dedicated to Mary.[3]
Local traditions take the history of this basilica to the spread of Christianity in Roman Spain attributing to an apparition to Saint James the Great, the apostle who is believed by tradition to have brought Christianity to the country.[4] This is the only reported apparition of Mary to have occurred before her believed Assumption.[2]
Many of the kings of Spain, many other foreign rulers and saints have paid their devotion before this statue of Mary. Saint John of the Cross, Saint Teresa of Ávila, Saint Ignatius of Loyola, and Blessed William Joseph Chaminade are among the foremost ones.[5] The Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar is one of two minor basilicas in the city of Zaragoza, and is co-cathedral of the city alongside the nearby La Seo de Zaragoza. The architecture is of Baroque style, and the present building was predominantly built between 1681 and 1872.
- ^ Our Lady of the Pillar Archived 2007-10-15 at the Wayback Machine on Catholic-forums.
- ^ a b Fr. Tommy Lane Homily during a pilgrimage to Zaragoza, Spain on Bible, Prayer, Homily resources website.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
CNAwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Our Lady of the Pillar on The work of God website on various apparitions of Mary.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Aradiwas invoked but never defined (see the help page).
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