According to ancient local tradition, soon after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, Saint James was preaching the Gospel in Spain, but was disheartened because of the failure of his mission. Tradition holds that on 2 January 40 AD, while he was deep in prayer by the banks of the Ebro the Mother of God appeared to him and gave a column of jasper and instructed him to build a church in her honor. In October 2017, pilgrims from the Archdiocese of Cincinnati attended Mass as Bishop Joseph Binzer celebrated Mass, with Father Jan Schmidt, Father Tim Ralston, Father David Brinkmoeller, and Father Tom Wray concelebrated Mass.