Spain claims a place in the 'Pope's Garden' with Our Lady of the Pillar and the Apostle James. This way, the country is now officially represented in this botanical space within the Vatican.
There is a reason why this particular Marian devotion was chosen.
FR. JOSÉ JAIME BROSEL
Rector, Spanish National Church in Rome
Although the patroness of Spain, as we well know, is the Immaculate Conception, that devotion is already represented in the Grotto of Lourdes, just a few meters from here. That’s why we chose the image of Our Lady of the Pillar, whose devotion is deeply rooted in Spain and in many other countries.
The piece is a ceramic portrait inspired by 18th-century models. It was handcrafted and specifically depicts the apparition of Our Lady of the Pillar to the Apostle James on the banks of the Ebro River—an event that, according to tradition, took place on January 2nd in the year 40.
MSGR. CARLOS ESCRIBANO
Archbishop of Zaragoza (Spain)
In Spain, in Aragón, in Zaragoza, the pillar that the Virgin left as a sign of her coming has been a spiritual and cultural beacon that has shaped the lives of generations, anchoring popular religiosity and the evangelizing dynamism of the local Church.
And now, Our Lady of the Pillar, patroness of the Hispanic world, shines in the Vatican Gardens alongside the icons of other Marian devotions.
ISABEL CELAÁ
Ambassador of Spain to the Holy See
It will stand right here, on the bastion wall, joining a dozen Ibero-American Marian images in an artistic and spiritual symphony, enriched by the silence and botanical beauty that define this marvelous papal garden.
Additionally, the artwork includes two important details: the image of the city of Zaragoza is inspired by the old façade of the Montserrat Church in Rome. There is also a bull, a symbol representing two Spanish popes — the Borgias — who are buried in that Spanish church.
CA
Trans. CRT
