Patronages of the Immaculate Conception the Immaculate Conception is also one of the nine national and public holidays and a holy day of obligation. The patronage settles the dispute between a heated religious debate during the mid 1600s, when followers of the mythical figure Saint James Matamoros wished to impose him as the national patron saint versus the followers of Saint Teresa of Avila. On 11 September 1759, the elected members of the Spanish Cortes petitioned King Charles III of Spain to request from the pope the "universal patronage of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception in all the Kingdoms of Spain and the Indies".
Michelle Patron professor at New York University's Center for Global Affairs. Patron is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and has written for "Foreign Affairs", "Financial Times", and the "Los Angeles Times". Patron is the daughter of Judi Billig and Bob Billig of North Miami Beach, Florida. She was married on November 15, 2008, to David I. Patron, at the time an executive with American Express. Michelle Patron Michelle Naomi (Billig) Patron (born 1974) is an energy policy expert who currently serves in the White House as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for energy and climate change