Shrines Around the World: Our Lady of Guadalupe
Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine in Mexico City. Pics: Wikipedia
Where’s that: The shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe is located in Mexico City.
Our Lady’s connection: Apparitions to St Juan Diego (and his uncle) in 1531.
On December 9, 1531, Juan Diego, an Aztec convert to Christianity, encountered a beautiful lady on Tepeyac Hill near today’s Mexico City. She identified herself as the Virgin Mary and instructed Juan Diego to petition the bishop for a chapel be built on the hill in her honour.
The reluctant bishop demanded a sign to prove the authenticity of the apparition, so Mary appeared to Juan Diego again and told him to gather roses from the top of the hill, despite it being winter. Juan Diego gathered an abundance of roses in his tilma (cloak), and brought them to the bishop. When Juan Diego opened his tilma to present the unseasonable roses to the bishop, an image of the Virgin Mary miraculously appeared on the fabric. The image, known as Our Lady of Guadalupe, shows Mary as a mestiza (a woman of mixed European and indigenous descent) and it became a powerful symbol of unity and conversion for the Mexican people.
The bishop recognised the miraculous nature of the image and ordered a church to be built on Tepeyac Hill, where the apparitions had occurred. The basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe was later constructed on that site and has since become the world’s most visited Catholic pilgrimage site. The tilma, with the image that science simply cannot explain, is exhibited in the basilica.
Many miracles and healings have been attributed to the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and she is regarded as a symbol of social justice. Our Lady of Guadalupe is a patron of the Americas, and she is deeply ingrained in Mexican culture and identity. She is celebrated in festivals and processions, and her image can be found in homes, churches, and public spaces throughout Mexico and beyond. The feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is on December 12.
Published in the December 2024 issue of The Southern Cross magazine
- Shrines Around the World: Our Lady of Guadalupe - December 12, 2025
- The Chosen’s Mother Mary: I loved washing Jesus’ hair - December 5, 2025
- Book Review: Benedict, Baltimore and the Barbary Pirates - December 4, 2025
