A Pilgrimage In Honor of La Virgen de Guadalupe
hill. At this sighting (there have been many throughout the world) the young woman spoke to Juan Diego in his native tongue n 2018, I took a trip to Mexico City to and she was dark-skinned. This added to visit the Basilica de Guadalupe, built her allure for the local Aztecs and many in honor of La Virgen de Guadalupe, were baptized Catholic as a result of her which has become one of the most visited appearance which reflected them. religious sites in the world. A second structure remained the home of My dad’s father Don Juan Martinez, Juan Diego’s famous tilma until the 1970s emphasized the love and understanding of when after centuries of remodeling, and the Virgen de Guadalupe, who we prayed to extensive damage caused by the sinking daily, and praised annually by participating ground beneath the basilica, a new basilica in an annual pilgrimage on December 12th. was built to one side of the same plaza. I still recall as a child that we departed The New Basilica, as it is called, was built from my church at Our Lady of Grace, I was between 1974-1976 by Pedro Ramírez sitting in the back of a trailer decorated by Vásquez. The building has a 1970s look that my family. My cousin Viola was standing looks like an old-fashioned revival tent from dressed like the Virgen. the American south, with seven entryways It was evening and although there was much that represent the seven gates of Celestial pageantry and music, I recall hearing bells Jerusalem referred to in the Bible. On the that lulled me to sleep with their consistency grounds surrounding this church are also and rhythm. It was a short nap, but when I the remaining buildings of the ex-convent awoke, I caught a glimpse of my cousin and of the Capuchina nuns, as well as a museum remember thinking one day I will do that, about the basilica and various other small knowing it was an honor worth striving for. chapels, including one dedicated to Juan As I continued my religious education, I Diego. The entire complex is referred to as learned of the legend of a baptized Aztec La Villa Basilica. indio named Juan Diego who was walking Non-Catholic visitors to Mexico City on the hill of Tepeyac in the dead of winter, might not have the basilica very high on when he saw the apparition of young caramel their list, but the basilica and its story are skinned young woman. She asked him to an important part of Mexico’s history and visit the local bishop and tell him that the continue to be integral to the daily lives of Virgin Mary wanted a church built in her local citizens and visiting pilgrims. Each honor on the hill. Faithfully, Juan Diego year it is believed that 20 million people did what he was told, visiting the local visit the basilica, and 9 million of those archbishop several times, but each time the come for the Virgin of Guadalupe’s feast bishop rejected his story. day on December 12. Oftentimes you will Upon Juan Diego’s last visit to the hill, see dedicated pilgrims crawl from the door Mary told him to go gather roses in a different to the front altar on their knees. People come part of the hill – roses that could not possibly from all over the world to see it. be growing at that time of the year. To his Up to 30 masses a day can be held at the surprise, the roses where exactly where she basilica, and pilgrims stand in long lines said, and he gathered them up in his tilma to join the procession of three moving (a cloak-like poncho) and carried them to sidewalks that pass in front of Juan Diego’s the bishop. When he laid the flowers at the tilma, now protected by bulletproof glass. feet of the bishop, the front of his tilma Devotees offer up prayers, bless babies and was adorned by the image of the Virgin de light candles in honor of the blessed Virgin. Guadalupe, and the bishop was immediately They often bring items and trinkets that they convinced of the miracle of her sighting. then have blessed by a local priest. Outside So, during my visit, I had the opportunity the basilica is a separate stand, a kind of to climb the hill of Tepeyac, which was no drive-through blessing, for those short on easy feat but something I knew I had to time or who aren’t able to go inside. experience. In 1660 the first chapel-shrine It is not uncommon for masses to be to the Virgin of Guadalupe was built on the held. During my visit I had a chance to higher reaches of the Tepeyac hill. This small attend a mass and do a reading. It was a chapel, which can still be visited today, is surreal experience as when I looked back, known as the Capilla del Cerrito, and marked it was beautiful thing to see the Virgen de the miracle until the first basilica was built Guadalupe. in the Virgin’s honor in 1695. At the top was After the service we had a chance to walk a chapel in the Virgen’s honor, with many to the area under where her image hangs on visitors fulfilling obligations they had made the wall. The picture is one that I took and to her or praying or delivering flowers to her. an image that I will never forget. I could The area where the basilica is built had long feel her awesomeness and her presence and been a sacred place in for the Mexica peoples her brilliancy. of Mexico. When the Spanish conquered If given the chance I urge you to make the Mexico, local people were forbidden to pilgrimage and visit our beautiful Virgen visit a pagan shrine that sat atop the Tepeyac de Guadalupe. Copyright 2020 by Latino Lubbock Magazine All Rights reserved. BY CHRISTY MARTINEZ-GARCIA FOR LATINO LUBBOCK MAGAZINE
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December/diciembre 2020, Vol. 14, Issue 12
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