The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-08-14
VIRGIN OF THE FORTRESS
The Shrine of st. Pillar in the Philip
pines
From the Wide World Magazine.

From the Wide World Magazine.
Built into the massive, time-stained
walls of Fort Pillar, at Zamboanga, in
the Island of Mindanao, Philippines, is to
be seen one of the most remarkable ex-
emplifications of peace and War; to
be found in the world The Shrine of
St. Pillar and its story, familiar
throughout the Philippine Archipelago
is hardly known outside of these far
away possessions, except to the Roman
Catholic church, In the records of which
Is to be found the story of the Virgin
of the Fortress" in whose honor the
shrine was erected many years ago.
When Mindanao became a part of the
United States possessions. Fort Pillar
was chosen as a military station. Its
buildings date back into the early sew
enteenth century. when the Spanish built
it as a means of defense against the
savage Moros. One day, the legend runs,
a Spanish sentinel was walking his post
at the entrance to the fort just as the
day was breaking. Suddenly there APP
peared in front of him figure clothed in
white, and with its face covered by a
white veil The sentinel came to the
charge and shouted 'IIaltr' Sentinel"
replied the figure, why is your post
cut off from the light of day? If you
know Mary. why do you call Halt p
The excited sentinel replied; Forgive
me, Lady Mother I am but a poor SOL
der who is doing his duty The Virgin
then told him that the Moros were about
TO attack the fort and then vanished. A
moment later the officer of the day in
making his rounds found the sentinel ly-
ing on the ground in a partial faint.
He recovered sufficiently to tell the Of
icer what he had seen and heard, and
then crying, II have seen the Blessed
Virgin and am now ready to die he
expired. In his hand was found a small
piece Of white veil. So runs the story of
1.-THE Virgin of the Fortress" The legend
goes further. and says that on more than
one subsequent occasion the Virgin ap-
peared to the commandant of the fort
and warned him of approaching danger
from the Moros After these manifesto
tons of the watchful care the Virgin
had over those in the fort, permission
was obtained to erect a shrine in her
honor. The sallyport was walled up and
in the face of 1t was built the shrine,
which is held sacred to this day. The
shrine Is a small altar about three feet
wide by about five feet high, really
a niche in the WALL and it is the ex-
cepton when there are not to be found
at least a half dozen candles burning,
while kneeling in prayer before the shrine
are several devout natives offering up
prayers for departed loved ones; and
not one out of a hundred natives passes
the shrine without bow of the head
or the raising of the hat. December 8
is the feast day of the Virgin of del
Pillar" and September 10 is the feast
day of the town of Zamboanga. so the
two festivals are made one, and on the
latter day honor is paid to both the
Virgin of the Fortress and the town.
Vast crowds assemble, and the shrine
is surrounded by devout mass of peo-
ple while priests hold impressive SER
vices. During these services a large
figure of the Virgin is placed above
the shrine on the wall of the fort,
while below a temporary structure is
erected under which the ceremonies are
held.