The celebration of centenaries began in Europe in the 17th century. The custom arrived in Navarre in the second half of the 19th century, to celebrate the dates of apparitions of singular images of the Virgin (Araceli de Corella, 1874; Puy de Estella, 1885; Ujué, 1886 or Camino de Pamplona, 1887 or Yugo de Arguedas, 1889). In the first decades of the 20th century, the centenaries of the Battle of Navas (VII) in 1912, of the Privilege of the Union of Pamplona (V) in 1923 and of the canonisation of Saint Francis Xavier (III) in 1922 were added.

A century ago, the experience of Xavier among many Navarrese people was profound. The great pilgrimages to the castle at the end of the 19th century and the reconstruction of the complex with the new basilica by the Duchess of Villahermosa were well remembered. At the Jesuits' high school in Tudela, a large part of the elite were being educated and the Pamplona archconfraternity was at its peak. Some decisions of the Church, both universal and diocesan, fostered this atmosphere. In 1904, the Navarrese saint was named patron of the works of the Propagation of the Faith and, shortly afterwards, in 1927, as patron of all the missions. The bishop of Pamplona, Fray José López y Mendoza, designated 3 December as a feast day in 1918. The same prelate also issued the order for the obligatory celebration of the novena of grace. In 1926, the new bishop, Mateo Múgica, determined that at the end of the rosary, the Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory be for the missions should be recited, entrusting the petition to Saint Francis Xavier.

Memories of that centenary include the commemorative medal designed by Julio Arrieta, the premiere of Jenaro Xavier Vallejos' play "Volcán de Amor" at the Teatro Gayarre, and the official anthem.

There were two special moments in the celebrations: on the one hand, a great pilgrimage in May and, on the other, in September, the royal visit to Javier and the great procession in the capital of Navarre. The programme published in Pamplona, the magazine La Avalancha, the regional newspapers and, above all, a book-chronicle on the journey of the relics of St. Ignatius and St. Francis Xavier, published in 1924 with a large graphic apparatus, provide us with a great deal of information. In this last publication, no less than 165 pages give a precise account, with numerous details and photographs, of how those commemorations were celebrated and experienced, framed within the framework of the granting of a Jubilee Year, by a Brief of Benedict XV.

With regard to the arm, it should be noted that many prodigies were attributed to his intercession. Among the most notable is the one linked to its dismemberment from the body in 1614. After several unsuccessful attempts, during which the building shook, a Jesuit harangued the body of the saint to allow the arm to be cut off, appealing to the argument of his obedience during his lifetime. This same virtue was to be manifested after death, so he invoked the authority of the Superior of the Society and of the Pope, and there was no longer any difficulty in obtaining the severing of the arm. 

The initiative to bring the arm to Navarre in 1922 came from board Organisers. The reception took place in Valcarlos, from where it went on to Roncesvalles. On 10 May, with a retinue of 42 cars, it travelled to Pamplona. All along the route, the fireworks and bells of the towns rang out, stopping for a few moments in Aoiz, Urroz and Huarte. In Pamplona, it was received in the parish church of San Nicolás and from there it was taken to the cathedral in a great procession, accompanied by giants, brotherhoods, confraternities, town councils and religious orders. It travelled through numerous towns in Navarre and Ultrapuertos, until the 8th of October. subject Those visits were authentic triumphal processions, which included all kinds of honours, bows, music and the ringing of bells.

As for the Christ of the crab, we should remember that he was the protagonist of one of the most widely represented miracles of the saint. The event took place in 1546, when Javier was trying to reach the island of Baranula and tried to stop the storm with his Crucifix, which fell into the sea and was returned to him the following day by a crab. The piece had a very long journey and has been kept in the Royal Palace since 1816. order In 1922 it was presented to Alfonso XIII by the Diputación. The king agreed, gave it to the nuncio and the nuncio gave it to the bishop of Pamplona in the presence of the parliamentarians of Navarre. The retinue arrived in Alsasua on 1 March. From there it went to the chapel of San Fermín and later to the cathedral, to other towns and to Javier.

On 15 May, a large gathering took place in Javier, sponsored by the Cajas Rurales Navarras, with 7,000 farmers and ninety flags. The mass, the lunches, the journeys, both on foot and in vehicles of all kinds subject were very well attended. 

From the detailed chronicle in the Diario de Navarra, we know that a special train arrived in Sangüesa and from there they set off on foot and in vehicles towards Javier "and in the middle of that mess, although it may seem a paradox, the caravan was reorganised and reached its destination..., the registered vehicles stopped at the top of Javier, from where the pilgrims descended on foot, in procession, carrying their flags in the middle. That stretch of road resembled an anthill". A richly decorated archway welcomed the pilgrims. Before the mass, held in one of the gables, the pilgrims with their flags stood in front of the castle to receive the blessing with the reliquary arm and the Crab Crucifix. After the mass, the groups dispersed for lunch. Afterwards, they venerated the relics in the basilica and organised the return journey in a strong, cold wind.

In Pamplona, between 21 and 25 September, there was a solemn triduum organised by the Provincial Council, the National congress of the Missionary Union of the Clergy, the official pilgrimage to Javier and the great procession.

On the 23rd, the official pilgrimage to Javier took place, led by the Provincial Council and the Provincial Councils of the Basque provinces, numerous delegations from towns and cities, as well as several bishops. The presence of King Alfonso XIII, who arrived at the castle by car from San Sebastián, added great importance to the festivities. The mass was attended by the Orfeón Pamplonés.

The following day, 24 September, in Pamplona, after a vigil of the Nocturnal Adoration in the cathedral, with 40 flags, the popular and massive act took place, which was a procession through the streets. It started at ten o'clock in the morning from the cathedral and ended in front of the Palacio de Diputación, on Paseo de Sarasate. The procession included the Giants of Pamplona, the Pamplonesa and the Bands of Estella and Sangüesa, 2,000 children from the Santa Infancia, formed in rows of four, flags of Catholic trade unions, brotherhoods and commissions of 200 or 215 Navarrese town councils with their flags. The municipal corporation of Pamplona, priests and religious communities followed, escorting the images of San Miguel de Aralar, Virgen del Sagrario of the cathedral and San Fermín. The ecclesiastical presidency with the chapter, the Cardinal of Zaragoza, the Archbishop of Seville and other bishops with the arm of the saint, preceded the board del Centenario, a commission from the Caja de Ahorros de Navarra - founded that same year -, the Provincial Council and the Basque Councils, the civil governor and other authorities. The Regiment of the Constitution, with flag and music, honoured the relic. At the end of the parade, the images of San Fermín la Virgen and San Miguel de Aralar were placed under the Monument to the Fueros. From the main balcony of the Palacio Foral, the 25,000 people gathered received the blessing, while the flags paid homage "to the dust as a sign of respect" and the military and civilian bands played the Royal March.

Among the events that transcended the celebrations of that year, mention must be made of the official anthem, which was left in the hands of the poet Alberto Pelairea and the composer Joaquín Larregla. In this respect, we know that the former travelled to Madrid from Fitero, where he lived as administrator of the baths. Pelairea's impression of the score was extremely positive, judging it to be of "stupendous musical inspiration".

The organising committee was of the opinion that the score should be disseminated and learnt in different spheres, when it approved that the hymn "should be disseminated and become as deeply rooted as that of St. Ignatius and be passed on to successive generations: To this end, as soon as it is finished, it will be made known in the Pamplona Choral Society, in the Municipal Academy of Music, in the schools of Lecároz and Tudela and in all the boys' and girls' schools of Navarre; it will also be ensured that the organists of the parishes of the country play it after the parish mass, at least during the Jubilee year, and as soon as it is played, it will be provided to the music bands that request it. Finally, a piano transcription will be made so that it can also be played in all homes in Navarre".

As for the Novena of Grace, which originated in 1634, due to the cure of Father Marcelo Mastrilli, we know that it was widely echoed in Navarre from the 17th century itself and was sponsored by the Cortes and the Diputación of the Kingdom. In 1922, the bishop of Pamplona declared its celebration obligatory in all the parishes and temples of the diocese, noting that, until then, it had been celebrated only by custom.