Celebrating the Patroness of the Americas: Our Lady of Guadalupe

Nearly 500 years ago in Mexico, the Blessed Mother appeared to a Mexican peasant farmer named Juan Diego, speaking his native tongue, and asking him to implore the bishop to build a church on Tepeyac Hill, the site of a former Aztec temple, that she might intercede for the suffering of her children in Mexico.

In order to convince the bishop, the Blessed Mother sent the humble man with a sign, a cloak, or “tilma” filled with beautiful roses, which, in the dead of winter, could only be explained by a miracle. When Juan Diego arrived to give the message and the roses to the bishop, the flowers fell from his tilma, revealing a miraculous image of the Virgin Mother, Our Lady of Guadalupe.

In 1946, Pope Pius XII, decreed Our Lady of Guadalupe to be “Patroness of all the Americas” and her feast day is celebrated annually on Dec. 12, all over the world, and in a special way here at St. Boniface.

The people of this region had venerated for a long time on Tepeyac Hill a deity called Tonantzin (which means “Our beloved mother”). Because of this it was easier to understand the message carried by the Virgin Mary as the true Mother of God and our Mother. She gave this specific name, “Ever virgin Holy Mother of Guadalupe”, to Juan Bernardino, uncle of Juan Diego, when she appeared to him to heal him of his sickness.

“In the miraculous apparition, [Our Lady of Guadalupe] appeared as the Mother full of Guadalupana symbolisms, a primary means to transmit different messages to the various local peoples who would understand these symbols.

The Mother of God did not come to impose something foreign by as one of them. This image, in traditional Indian dress as a sign of God’s love for His mestizo people, led to millions of conversions to the Catholic faith,” says Sister Maria Concepcion [Sr. Conchita], who coordinated our Hispanic Ministry. These symbols include:

Her hair: It was loose which signaled virginity. She is both Virgin and Mother. Her face: It is brown, oval and in an attitude of deep prayer. Her appearance is sweet, fresh, friendly, reflecting love and tender care, additionally great strength. Her hands: Her hands are together in a sign of concentration, in deep prayer. Her right hand is more white while the left is brown which can symbolize the union of the two different races.

Her pregnancy: The form given to her abdomen shows that she is close to giving birth.

Age: She represents a young woman of approximately 18-20 years.

Height: She is about 1.43 meters.

Her belt: The belt shows she is pregnant. The way it is presented represents that this birth marks the end of one era and the beginning of another. This shows that with Jesus Christ a new era for the new world is beginning.

The rays: The Virgin is surrounded by golden rays, which forms a luminous halo. This communicates that she is the Mother of light, the Sun, the Child of the Son, the true God.

The moon: The Virgin of Guadalupe is standing on the moon. The word, Mexico, means in native Indian “in the center of the moon.” This is also a symbol of fertility, birth, life.

The flower with four petals: This is the principal image of the virgin, the strongest symbol of the local Indians, and represents the presence of God, the fullness of time and space. This presents the Virgin of Guadalupe as the Mother of God and shows her as having Jesus Christ in her womb.

The angel: An angel is at the feet of the Guadalupana with the appearance of just having finished flight, with coloring very similar to the Mexican bird that Juan Diego remembered who came announcing the apparition of the Virgin.

The celebrations for the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe begin 46 days before the feast itself. Cultural celebrations such as Our Lady of Guadalupe are an opportunity for people of all different cultures to come together, celebrating the beauty and diversity of our faith. All parishioners are encouraged to come and join in the festivities surrounding the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

“It’s an opportunity for all to experience the Hispanic faith and culture,” Sr. Conchita says.