Nuestra Señora La Virgen del Pilar de Zamboanga

The people of Zamboanga have a great devotion to the Blessed Mother, especially to La Virgen del Pilar, whose Image they venerate there.
Of the many inimitable lures and fascinating charms of Zamboanga, none can be compared to the miraculous Virgin of Pilar in the historic Fort.
So great is the fame of devotion to the Lady of the Fort that the annual celebration of her feast on October 12 has greatly outstripped the City's official feast day. This has made the Virgin of Pilar the actual patroness of Zamboanga City, instead of the Immaculate Conception whose feast is celebrated on December 8.

The embattled Spaniards built the Fort in 1635 as a secure bastion against the constant threats of fierce marauding warriors who were driven by a deep- seated hatred for the white invaders and colonizers, and to stop the Moros from constantly raiding the Christians coastal towns of Zamboanga and to protect the Jesuit Missions. The construction was directed by the Jesuit Father Melchor de Vera. The fort was known as ''The Fort of Saint Joseph'', and served the double purpose of a fortress and a penitentiary.
In 1662 the fort were abandoned by the Spanish garrisons which sailed for Manila to help defend that city from the threat of the powerful Chinese pirate Kuesing. The forts were totally destroyed in 1663 to prevent it from falling into the hands of the Moros.
The removal of the garrisons and the destruction of the forts led to the increase in Moro raids in Christian towns which resulted in loss of shipping, the death and capture of thousands the destruction of properties and the slow down of farming industry. To prevent such calamities the Government decided to rebuild the forts. The reconstruction began in 1718 and was finished on April 8th 1719, under the direction of another Jesuit Priest, in the same site where the former one stood.

After its reconstruction, the Fort was renamed the Real Fuerza de Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Zambaonga. It carried that name until 1899. Sometime before 1860 the side of the Fort where the statue was located, was converted into a permanent shrine. For this reason the main entrance was sealed.

The Marian Image honored in the Fort is a small replica of Our Lady copied from the original Nuestra Señora del Pilar in Saragossa, Spain. The Blessed Virgin is shown standing in a pillar, carrying the Child Jesus on her left arm, while she holds her cape around her with her right hand. She wears an Imperial Crown upon her head.

There are two inscriptions on the wall, the translation of which may interest the readers;

"Reigning the Spains his Catholic Majesty Philip V Emperor of the American new world and Governing these Philippine Islands the most illustrous Ferdinand Bustilo and Rueda Field Marshall and Captain General. This Royal Fort of Our Blessed Lady of Pilar of Zaragoza was established and reconstructed which was accomplished by the IIlustrous General Goria Padilla and Escalante on April 8, 1719."

The inscriptions below the image read as follows:

"Governing this Penitentiary Juan Antonio de la Torre Bustamante this frontspiece was built in January 1734."