Circle of Alonso Cano The Apparition of the Virgin to Saint James the GreaterPrivate collection (via

Circle of Alonso Cano

The Apparition of the Virgin to Saint James the Greater

Private collection (via Setdart)

Saint James was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus according to the New Testament, and is the patron saint of Spain. According to ancient local tradition, on 2 January AD 40, the Virgin Mary appeared to James on the bank of the Ebro River at Caesaraugusta, while he was preaching the Gospel in Hispania. She appeared upon a pillar, Nuestra Señora del Pilar, and that pillar is conserved and venerated within the present Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar, in Zaragoza, Spain.