December is the month of celebrations. Hot on the heels of Thanksgiving, we step into a whirlwind of Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and New Years.....whew!
This Saturday is one of those December Celebrations known as The Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe. This cultural and religious commemoration takes place every year on the 12th of December, yet can often be overlooked during the hustle and bustle of other winter holidays.
However, this day is no small holiday. It has been celebrated by millions of people in Mexico for nearly 500 years, and here in the United States for about 200 years. You probably recognize the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe (aka the Virgin Mary). She is Mexico's patron saint; you can find her image on almost anything and everything, and her story explains why.
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| A super-colorful shrine honoring Our Lady |
Who is Our Lady of Guadalupe (Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe)?
Her story in Mexico goes something like this--on December 9th, 1531, an indigenous man named Juan Diego encountered an apparition of the Virgin Mary at the Hill of Tepeyac (now a suburb in Mexico City). Her request? That a shrine would be built at the site in her honor.
When Juan Diego told the local archbishop about his experience, he was sent away and told to bring back proof. And what kind of proof did Juan Diego bring back? Flowers!
On the 12th of December, the Virgin Mary reappeared to Juan Diego and told him to bring her flowers from the top of the Hill of Tepeyac, whose stony summit was normally barren. He followed her wishes, and to his surprise found flowers growing. He brought them to the Lady, who arranged them inside his cloak, and she told him to go show the unbelieving bishop. When Juan Diego saw the bishop, he opened his cloak, the flowers fell to floor, and lo and behold, on the fabric was the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe.
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| Basilica de Guadalupe |
How do you celebrate The Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe?
In Mexico, the entire week leading up to December 12th is filled festivals, ceremonies, and pilgrimages that culminate in an all-day celebration on the 12th. In the Basilica de Guadalupe, dancing begins on the eve of the 12th at midnight and continues throughout the day, groups of dancers alternating to keep up the pace. Elsewhere, millions of people celebrate by making shrines, lighting candles, and celebrating with their families and friends.
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| A Shrine to Our Lady of Guadalupe |
In the US, many parishes with a large Hispanic base will often have a special celebration, reception, or party in honor of the day. As well as being a fantastical celebration full of dancing, feasting, and colorful decor, this day is an important affirmation of cultural and religious identity for many Mexican-Americans.
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| Flower and candle offerings (photo by Bob Chwedyk) |
What Flowers and Colors are Symbolic of Our Lady?
The colors of this celebration are very bright! Reds, pinks, blues, greens and white rule the day, and flowers also play a major decorative and symbolic role as they are used to adorn shrines, homes, floats, and people.It's not surprising that flowers are so closely associated with Our Lady. In the past as well as the present, flowers have often been used as representations of virtue and viewed as faithful symbols of purity and innocence--the very traits most lauded in the Blessed Virgin.
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| Pope Francis offers pure white lilies to Our Lady |
Above, Pope Francis brings white lilies to La Virgen; below, a bouquet designed by Sun Pac, using colors significant to Lady Guadalupe.
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| Sun Pacific designed this celebratory bouquet using the colors of Our Lady of Guadalupe |
Our Lady of Guadalupe has been called the Empress of America, the patron saint of not just Mexico, but the whole continent. If you belong to the North American continent, Our Lady belongs to you.
Happy Guadalupe day and ¡Viva la Virgen de Guadalupe!
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