CIUDAD to - the Catholic Kingdom!

THE CORONATION 331
them at different times in certain difficulties and dangers.
358. The miraculous appearance of the most blessed
Mary in Saragossa took place in the beginning of the
fortieth year of the birth of the Lord, during the night
of the second of January. Four years, four months
and ten days had passed from the time when saint James
left Jerusalem on his missionary tour up to this event;
for he had left in the year thirty-five, on the twentieth
of August, as I mentioned above (No. 319) ;
and after
the apparition he spent, in building the temple, in return
ing to Jerusalem and in preaching, one year, two months
and twenty-three days. He died on the twenty-fifth of
March in the year forty-one. The great Queen of the
angels, at the time She appeared to him in Saragossa,
was fifty- four years, three months and twenty-four days
of age. For immediately on coming back to Jerusalem,
She prepared to depart for Ephesus, as I will relate in
the next book and chapter ;
and She left four days after
wards. Thus this temple was dedicated many years
before her glorious transition, as will be evident, when
I shall mention her age at her death; for from this ap
parition to her death intervened a longer time than is
ordinarily assumed. During all these years She was
already publicly venerated in Spain and had temples
built in her honor; for in imitation of that in Saragossa
others were soon erected, where altars were raised in
her honor and solemn veneration.
359. This wonderful distinction without a doubt
exalts Spain beyond all that can be said in its praise;
since thereby it signalized itself before all nations and
kingdoms in the public veneration, reverence and devo
tion due to the great Queen and Mistress of heaven and
earth, and was more zealous to worship and invoke Her
even while She was yet living, than other nations were
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