Our Lady of Guadalupe

Mexico’s Patron Saint

Feast Day: December 12th

Virgin of Guadalupe

The image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, or the Virgin of Guadalupe, is of supreme importance in the culture, hearts and beliefs of the Mexican people. The special feast day on which she is honored all over the country is December 12th. In Mexican tradition; this date commemorates her appearance to young to Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin on the hill of Tepeyac, on the outskirts of Mexico City, in the year 1531, where it is said she requested, speaking in the Nahuatl language, that a church be erected at the site.

Juan Diego, upon approaching the local Bishop with her request, was asked to show some miraculous sign from her before taking further action. Juan Diego was directed by the Virgin to gather roses, a flower not grown in that specific area and in addition, totally out of season, from the hillside. Juan Diego brought these to her and she herself wrapped them within his “Tilma“, his cape or cloak, to take to the Bishop. Upon unwrapping the Tilma, the roses scattered out and beneath them, imprinted on the woven cape, was the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe.

In 1533 a sanctuary was constructed at Tepeyac and a 2nd church started in 1556 The first Basilica was begun in 1695, completed in 1709. Over time the heavy stone building became unstable and dangerous due to the settling and sinking of the structure into the ever-drier lake bed on which much of the city is laid out. In the mid-1970’s, the modern New Basilica de Guadalupe was constructed next to the site of the original Old Basilica, and it now houses the original image of the Virgin of Guadalupe.

The Basilica is one of the holy sites most visited by Christian pilgrims, attractings up to 20 million devout visitors yearly. Its circular structure has a capacity of up to 50,000 people. Masses are celebrated in the main altar every day, every hour on the hour between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. There are weekend masses in the lesser chapels and numerous Baptisms, matrimnies, first communions and confirmations are also celebrated weekly. Confessions can be heard from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

Lady of Guadalupe is also variously and affectionately known as the “Lady from Heaven”, the “Queen of Mexico”, “Empress of the Americas”, the Virgin of Tepeyac” and “Mother of the Americas”.

In addition to the pilgrimages of the devout from all over Mexico and the world to the Basilica in Mexico City to pay homage and seek favors and healing powers from the Virgin, celebrations for Our Lady of Guadalupe in towns across the country include processions in which various neighborhoods transport their statues and images of the Virgin of Guadalupe to local churches for blessing, amidst much chanting, native dancing, fireworks and feasting; all night vigils with mariachis and concheros and other music, paying homage to her with garlands of flowers, song and prayers. Children and adults alike dress in the colorful, traditional garb of the young Juan Diego and Maria in her honor.

Huei tlamahuiçoltica omonexiti in ilhuicac tlatocaçihuapilli Santa Maria totlaçonantzin Guadalupe in nican huei altepenahuac Mexico itocayocan Tepeyacac (Nahuatl: “By a great miracle appeared the heavenly queen, Saint Mary, our precious mother of Guadalupe, here near the great altepetl of Mexico, at a place called Tepeyacac”, generally shortened to Huei tlamahuiçoltica and translated as “The Great Event”) is the title of a 36-page tract published in 1649 by Bachelor Luis Laso de la Vega, the vicar of the chapel at Tepeyac, and published the same year in New Spain (now Mexico). It contains an account of the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe at Tepeyac.

The tract is written almost entirely in Nahuatl and includes the Nican mopohua which contains the story of the apparitions.

Huei tlamahuiçoltica. (2008, November 20). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 18:34, December 2, 2008, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Huei_tlamahui%C3%A7oltica&oldid=252970330

Sources and further information:

• http://www.sancta.org
• Our Lady of Guadalupe. (2008, December 2). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 16:21, December 2, 2008, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Our_Lady_of_Guadalupe&oldid=255387228
• http://www.virgendeguadalupe.org.mx/

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Originally posted 2009-07-22 15:31:47.