Our Lady of Guadalupe
Our Lady of Guadalupe is the patron saint of Mexico and all the Americas
Our Lady of Guadalupe’s feast day is December 12
The Virgin Mary is venerated under the title of Our Lady of Guadalupe due to her apparition to an Aztec Indian named Juan Diego on December 9, 1531 at Tepeyac, a hill in northwest Mexico City.
The story of Our Lady of Guadalupe
To help convince the bishop of the truth of her apparition, the Virgin Mary spoke to Juan Diego in his language and told him to go to the top of the hill where he would find Castilian roses. He was to pick them and bring them to the bishop. He did so, and as he was presenting roses to the bishop, they cascaded from his tilma (cloak) and revealed the image of Our Lady on the coarse cloth.
From that day forward, the image on the cloth is known as Our Lady of Guadalupe. Even though the tilma is close to 500 years old, it remains intact. It is preserved at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, the world’s most visited Marian Shrine.
Important dates for Our Lady of Guadalupe
The image received official recognition from Pope Leo XIII in 1895. Pope John Paul II beatified Juan Diego on April 6, 1990, and canonized him on July 31, 2002. His feast day is December 9, three days before the celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 12.
How to pray to Our Lady of Guadalupe
God of power and mercy,
You blessed the Americas at Tepeyac with the presence of the Virgin Mary of Guadalupe. May her prayers help all men and women to accept each other as brothers and sisters.
Through your justice present in our hearts, may your peace reign in the world.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
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