Landas 19:1 (2005) 57-91 LA VIRGEN DEL PILAR: Defamiliarizing Mary and the Challenge of Interreligious Dialogue Antonio F.B. de Castro, S.J he Shrine of La Virgen del Pilar in Zamboanga City, southern Philippines, attracts thousands of people, particularly on the feast of Our Lady of the Pillar celebrated every October 12. It is the one instance in this country of a Marian shrine that is visited by both Christians and Muslims. In the seemingly never-ending conflict and violence in Mindanao this becomes an important topic of discussion. In this context and on a personal note, allow me a few introductory, background remarks. I was born in Jolo, Sulu and spent the first sixteen years of my life living among Muslims; my family migrated to Zamboanga in the 1980s. Although I myself did not have devotion to Mary under her tide as Our Lady of the Pillar, my personal status as one bom and growing up in the “ deep south” does, in fact, make me an interested party. Because of this, I have however taken the liberty of precisely situating my consideration of devotion to Mary as Virgen del Pilar within the concern to promote interreligious dialogue in Zamboanga, particularly between the Catholic and Muslim communities. This presentation is divided into three parts: (I) Devotion to Nuestra Señora, La Virgen del Pilar ; (II) Defamiliarizing Mary; and,