Podcast Summary: Todo Concostrina – "Acontece que no es poco | La cita de Santi y Pilar"

Host: SER Podcast
Guest: Nieves Concostrina
Date: January 2, 2023

Overview

In this lively and irreverent episode, Nieves Concostrina dissects the legendary story of the supposed apparition of the Virgen del Pilar to Santiago Apóstol in Zaragoza—a pivotal tale in Spanish Catholic tradition. Using her characteristic sharp wit and historical skepticism, Concostrina exposes the story as a fabricated narrative, exploring its origins, the motivations behind its invention, and its role in religious and economic machinations, especially highlighting the 18th-century ecclesiastical rivalry in Zaragoza.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. La "Antihistoria" de la Virgen del Pilar y Santiago (01:15 – 03:24)

• The episode focuses on "la antihistoria": a famous event that, according to Concostrina, never happened—the legendary meeting between Santiago and the Virgen del Pilar on January 2, year 40.
• Concostrina frames the narrative as a piece of fiction created centuries later for religious and political convenience.
  • Quote (Nieves Concostrina, 01:15):
    “Vamos a hablar de una cosa que nunca se produjo por razones obvias… Es una fecha inventada que se situó en el calendario muchos siglos después con un guión fabricado.”
• She humorously recounts the story: Santiago, feeling dejected on the banks of the Ebro, is visited by the Virgin, who appears atop a column (el pilar) to encourage him to build a chapel in her honor.
  • Quote (Nieves Concostrina, 02:55):
    “Yo me la imagino puesta en jarras ahí como para cantarse una jota… Espabila, tío, déjate de palabrería y pon manos a la obra. Construye aquí mismo… una capilla…”

2. ¿Cuándo y por qué se inventa la historia? (04:12 – 06:05)

• The legend likely spread orally between the 12th and 13th centuries, with no contemporary documentation.
• Falsified religious stories were common to legitimize property claims or religious sites, paralleling other well-known forgeries.
  • Quote (Nieves Concostrina, 04:56):
    “El descubrimiento de la tumba de Santiago, mentira. La batalla de Clavijo, mentira. La aparición estelar de la Virgen del Pilar, mentira.”
• The narrative needed to "fit" with both earlier and later ecclesiastical accounts—like scripting a TV series with forced continuity.
• Special emphasis is made on the detail that this apparition is unique: the Virgin appears "en carne mortal" (in the flesh), not as an ethereal vision.
  • Quote (Nieves Concostrina, 05:56):
    “Siempre había que decir de memoria eso: La Virgen del Pilar se apareció en carne mortal. Es la única vez que… Detalle muy importante…”

3. El porqué de la “carne mortal” y el montaje logístico (06:05 – 08:48)

• The "carne mortal" claim was necessary to reconcile logistical inconsistencies—how could the Virgin appear in Zaragoza if she was still alive in Palestine?
• The story was molded to validate that Santiago and the Virgin were both in Zaragoza at the same mythical moment, helping to justify Santiago's supposed evangelization in Spain—an idea met with skepticism even inside the Church.
• Economic motives were paramount: rival clergy in Zaragoza (El Salvador vs. El Pilar) vied for papal recognition, prestige, and financial benefit.

4. La rivalidad eclesiástica y la industria de los milagros (08:48 – 11:46)

• Zaragoza in the 18th century had two cathedral chapters, each lobbying Rome for religious preeminence (and with it, the lucrative rights to an official feast day—October 12th).
• Powers within the Church fabricated miracles (like the famous "Cojo de Calanda" who supposedly regrew a leg) to bolster their claims.
  • Quote (Nieves Concostrina, 09:49):
    “El milagro del Cojo de Calanda… fue inventado precisamente como argumento para defender que la Virgen del Pilar no paraba de hacer milagros…”
• Despite skepticism from Rome, economic and political pressure ultimately led to the acceptance of the legend, conveniently merging the needs of both religious narrative and local power struggles.

5. El “Silencio Perpetuo” e imposición institucional (11:46 – 12:44)

• In 1723, Rome granted Zaragoza’s El Pilar cathedral the coveted feast day, cementing the Virgin’s legend (and economic gains).
  • Quote (Nieves Concostrina, 11:48):
    “Fue en 1723 cuando… Su Santidad concedió el rezo de Nuestra Señora del Pilar… carta verde al plan de negocio.”
• Simultaneously, the Spanish Inquisition imposed an edict prohibiting discussion or doubt about the event—formalizing the myth and suppressing dissent.
  • Quote (Nieves Concostrina, 12:19):
    “La Inquisición en España impuso mediante un edicto lo que se llama silencio perpetuo sobre la teletransportación de la doña…”
• The physical statue and column now worshipped at El Pilar were also shown to be medieval creations, not relics from the 1st century.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Nieves Concostrina, 01:15:
  “Vamos a hablar de una cosa que nunca se produjo… Es una fecha inventada… con un guión fabricado.”
• Nieves Concostrina, 05:56:
  “La Virgen del Pilar se apareció en carne mortal. Es la única vez que… Detalle muy importante…”
• Nieves Concostrina, 09:49:
  “El milagro del Cojo de Calanda… fue inventado precisamente como argumento para defender que la Virgen del Pilar no paraba de hacer milagros…”
• Nieves Concostrina, 12:19:
  “La Inquisición en España impuso mediante un edicto lo que se llama silencio perpetuo sobre la teletransportación de la doña…”

Key Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|---------| | 01:15 | Introducción al mito y la “antihistoria” | | 02:55 | Recreación humorística del encuentro Santiago-Virgen | | 04:25 | Origen oral y falsificaciones históricas | | 05:56 | La singularidad de la aparición “en carne mortal” | | 08:58 | Rivalidad entre El Salvador y El Pilar por el día de rezo | | 09:49 | El milagro del Cojo de Calanda y otros bulos | | 11:48 | Resolución papal en 1723, fiesta del Pilar y silencio inquisitorial | | 12:44 | Revelación medieval del supuesto pilar y estatua |

Tone and Style

Faithful to Concostrina’s style, the episode blends rigorous historical inquiry with irreverence, humor, and a clear skepticism toward official religious narratives. Listeners are encouraged to critically examine inherited traditions and question longstanding myths that, while colorful, often served very worldly purposes.

For anyone curious about the origins of El Pilar—or the mechanics of how powerful myths are manufactured and institutionalized—this episode is a masterclass in historical detective work, delivered with Concostrina’s inimitable wit.