María's statue of the Virgin of Guadalupe
Our Lady of Guadalupe
Our Lady of Guadalupe, also known as the Virgin of Guadalupe, is a Catholic title of the Blessed Virgin Mary associated with a Marian apparition and a venerated image enshrined within the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. The basilica is the most visited Catholic pilgrima…
What does Our Lady of Guadalupe represent?
With her dark complexion and mixture of indigenous and Spanish features, Our Lady of Guadalupe represents the unity of all people. She gazes downward with the tender, loving expression of a mother gazing at her child. For Mexico’s indigenous people, the image contained rich symbolism.
Is Virgin Guadalupe the same as Virgin Mary?
Yep! Same lady! Much like Our Lady of Lourdes, the Virgin of Guadalupe is a vision of Mary! The Virgen de Guadalupe is a vision of Mary. Furthermore, what does Our Lady of Guadalupe symbolize? It marks the date in 1531 when the Virgin Mary purportedly appeared to an indigenous Mexican, in the last of several apparitions.
What does Our Lady of Guadalupe mean?
Our Lady of Guadalupe, which means Crusher of the serpent's head, brought the light of the true faith, crushed the false gods of Mexico, and established an era of peace. The Image of Our Lady is actually an Aztec Pictograph which was read and understood quickly by the Aztec Indians.
What is the story of the Virgen Guadalupe?
The story of the Virgin of Guadalupe. Cuauhtlatoatzin was one of the first Aztec men to convert to Christianity after the Spanish invasion. Renamed as Juan Diego, he soon thereafter reported an appearance of the Virgin Mary called the Virgin of Guadalupe. This apparition became an important symbol for a new native Christianity.
What does the Virgen de Guadalupe symbolize?
Our Lady of Guadalupe has represented unconditional love and protection far before she became a pop culture reference in fashion and art. On Dec. 12, 1531, her miracle served as the catalyst to build the Basilica of Our Lady Of Guadalupe in Northern Mexico and inspired a Catholic celebration every year since.
What is the message of Our Lady of Guadalupe?
“She is used as a symbol of justice,” Mora said, “because she holds an appeal to the poor, to marginalized people. In the modern day, we can see her as representing people standing against oppression, declaring their independence.” In Mexican-American communities, the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a common sight.
What is Virgen de Guadalupe the patron of?
1. Our Lady of Guadalupe, or the Virgen de Guadalupe, is the patron saint of Mexico. 2. She is credited with bringing blessings and miracles to people around the world.
What is Our Lady of Guadalupe most known for?
Our Lady of Guadalupe (Spanish: Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe), also known as the Virgin of Guadalupe (Spanish: Virgen de Guadalupe), is a Catholic title of Mary, mother of Jesus associated with a series of five Marian apparitions, which are believed to have occurred in December 1531, and a venerated image on a cloak ...
Why do people pray to Our Lady of Guadalupe?
Now more than 500 years later, people continue to pray to Our Lady of Guadalupe for her intercession to protect and guide them. St. Juan Diego's tilma is visited by numerous people every day at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. Mary, as the mother of God, also makes her mother to all God's people.
What miracle did Our Lady of Guadalupe?
Juan Diego returned to the hill, where roses were blooming, though it was almost winter. He picked some of the flowers and brought them in his cloak to the bishop. When he opened his cloak, the flowers fell out and an image of the Blessed Mother was imprinted on it.
Why is Mary called Our Lady of Guadalupe?
Our Lady of Guadalupe, Spanish Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, also called the Virgin of Guadalupe, in Roman Catholicism, the Virgin Mary in her appearance before St. Juan Diego in a vision in 1531. The name also refers to the Marian apparition itself.
What is the meaning of Guadalupe?
wolf valleyGuadalupe as a girl's name is of Spanish origin meaning "wolf valley".
Who is the angel under Our Lady of Guadalupe?
Heart-shaped and in the The crescent moon under her feet signify the Aztec's foremost deity, the feathered or stone serpent-god, Quetzalcoatl, whom the Aztecs worshipped as the god of night.
What was Mary's message to Juan?
The Virgin said to Juan Diego: “Listen and understand, my littlest son, let nothing frighten and afflict you or trouble your heart … Am I not here, I, who am your mother?
Does the Catholic Church recognize Our Lady of Guadalupe?
The Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe is celebrated every year on Dec. 12. According to Catholic tradition, the virgin appeared to the indigenous Juan Diego in Mexico in 1531. Then canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2002.
What is the story of the Virgen de San Juan?
Legend has it that in 1623 a six-year-old circus girl who died after falling from a trapeze onto a bed of machetes was brought back to life when a statue of the Virgin Mary was laid on her body. Named for the village in which the miracle occurred, the statue became known as the Virgin of San Juan de los Lagos.
What was Mary's message to Juan?
The Virgin said to Juan Diego: “Listen and understand, my littlest son, let nothing frighten and afflict you or trouble your heart … Am I not here, I, who am your mother?
What is the meaning of Guadalupe?
wolf valleyGuadalupe as a girl's name is of Spanish origin meaning "wolf valley".
What are the words of Our Lady of Guadalupe?
"Know, know for sure, my dearest, littlest, and youngest son, that I am the perfect and ever Virgin Holy Mary, Mother of the God of truth through Whom everything lives, the Lord of all things near us, the Lord of heaven and earth.
What is the prayer of Our Lady of Guadalupe?
Blessed Virgin Mary, protect our families, so that they may always be united, and bless the upbringing of our children. fall, help us to rise again, to return to Him, by means of the confession of our faults and sins in the Sacrament of Penance, which gives peace to the soul.
Where did the Virgin of Guadalupe originate?
Origin and early history. Main article: Juan Diego. Virgin of Guadalupe in Monastery of Guadalupe, in Cáceres, Extramadura, Spain. The shrine to Our Lady of Guadalupe in Spain was the most important Marian shrine in the medieval kingdom of Castile.
What is the Virgin of Guadalupe and Castas?
Luis de Mena, Virgin of Guadalupe and castas, 1750, a frequently reproduced painting, uniquely uniting the image Virgin and a depiction of the casta system. Allegory of the papal declaration in 1754 by pope Benedict XIV of Our Lady of Guadalupe patronage over the New Spain in the presence of the viceroyal authorities.
What is the common denominator of Guadalupe?
The author Judy King asserts that Guadalupe is a "common denominator" uniting Mexicans. Writing that Mexico is composed of a vast patchwork of differences—linguistic, ethnic, and class-based—King says "The Virgin of Guadalupe is the rubber band that binds this disparate nation into a whole.".
Where is the most visited Catholic pilgrimage destination in the world?
The shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe is the most visited Catholic pilgrimage destination in the world. Over the Friday and Saturday of December 11 to 12, 2009, a record number of 6.1 million pilgrims visited the Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City to commemorate the anniversary of the apparition.
Where is the chapel of Our Lady of Guadalupe?
Mexican culture. Chapel of Our Lady of Guadalupe in the cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris, Paris, France. Reliquary in the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles, United States, containing a fragment of the tilma of Juan Diego.
When was the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe?
With the help of the Informaciones Jurídicas de 1666, a Catholic feast day in name of Our Lady of Guadalupe was requested and approved, as well as the transfer of the date of the feast of the Virgin of Guadalupe from September 8 to December 12, the latest date on which the Virgin supposedly appeared to Juan Diego.
Who is the goddess of the little miracles?
One notable reference in literature to La Virgen of Guadalupe and her predecessor, the Aztec Earth goddess Tonantzin, is in Sandra Cisneros ' short story "Little Miracles, Kept Promises", from her collection Woman Hollering Creek and Other Stories (1991). Cisneros' story is constructed out of brief notes that people give Our Lady of Guadalupe in thanks for favors received, which in Cisneros' hands becomes a portrait of an extended Chicano community living throughout Texas. "Little Miracles" ends with an extended narrative (pp. 124–129) of a feminist artist, Rosario "Chayo" de León, who at first didn't allow images of La Virgen de Guadalupe in her home because she associated her with subservience and suffering, particularly by Mexican women. But when she learns that Guadalupe's shrine is built on the same hill in Mexico City that had a shrine to Tonantzin, the Aztec Earth goddess and serpent destroyer, Chayo comes to understand that there's a deep, syncretic connection between the Aztec goddess and the Mexican saint; together they inspire Chayo's new artistic creativity, inner strength, and independence. In Chayo's words, "I finally understood who you are. No longer Mary the mild, but our mother Tonantzin. Your church at Tepeyac built on the site of her temple" (128).
When was the Virgen de Guadalupe first raised?
Critical inquiries into la Virgen de Guadalupe were first officially raised in Catholic church in 1888 by historian Joaquín García Icazbalceta.
When is the Virgin of Guadalupe's birthday?
The main celebration for the Virgin of Guadalupe is on December 12th, the date that she appeared to the Indian Juan Diego in 1531. People travel from all over the country, some for weeks by foot, to attend the celebration.
What did Guadalupe wear in Mexico City?
We were at an open air market on the north end of Mexico City. In the decal, Guadalupe wore a modest dress that resembled an old time-y nightgown bearing a pattern of red flowers.
Where did the Virgin Mary come from?
The origin of la Virgen de Guadalupe dates back to December 12, 1531. On this date in Tepeyac, which is located on the outskirts of Mexico City, an indigenous shepherd named Juan Diego saw a vision of the Virgin Mary in Aztec garb. Mary asked him in his indigenous language to build a temple in her honor. After multiple sightings, ...
Why is Diego's vision special?
Diego’s vision is special because it is believed to be the first time an Aztec saw the Virgin Mary bearing physical features like own. Her brown skin drew similarities to Tonantzin, one of many goddesses worshipped by the Aztec people. Guadalupe’s visual representation also evokes traditional Catholic imagery.
Where is Juan Diego's cloak?
Take the tilma, [Juan Diego’s cloak that features an image of la Virgen de Guadalupe and still hangs in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City ]. Even those who would argue the tilma was not painted by the hand of God can’t argue over how old it is. That image definitely came out of early Colonial Mexico.
Where is the Virgin of Guadalupe statue?
Pilgrims carry a large painting of the Virgin of Guadalupe outside the Basilica de Guadalupe in Mexico City. The main celebration for the Virgin of Guadalupe is on December 12th, the date that she appeared to the Indian Juan Diego in 1531.
What is the meaning of the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe?
This led to an image of Our Lady that is full of symbols that were meant to teach the Aztec people who she was and highlight her closeness to the local population. Face and Hair – Instead of the typical “white” Madonna, Our Lady of Guadalupe appears with the complexion of the indigenous people. More specifically she is a mestizo, a combination ...
What did the Aztecs believe about angels?
Angel – It was believed that angels took the Aztecs’ sacrifices to their gods. In this case, the lady is the sacrifice given and stands as the perfection of all sacrifices. Also, only royalty were lifted on shoulders, so it again points to her place in the heavenly court. The angel also has wings that are similar to an eagle’s wings in Aztec iconography.
What does the medallion on the lady's neck mean?
Her knee is slightly bent which could indicate a prayerful dance. Medallion – A circle medallion is around her neck that is engraved with a cross. This symbolized her consecration to Jesus Christ. Sun – Behind the lady are the rays of a sun. This meant she was greater than their Aztec sun god.
Why is the Virgin Mary on the mantle?
The famous image is steeped in spiritual symbols. When the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Juan Diego and imprinted her image on his tilma, a cactus-fiber mantle, she did so recognizing the local beliefs of the Aztec people. This led to an image of Our Lady that is full of symbols that were meant to teach the Aztec people who she was ...
What does the hair on the lady's tunic mean?
Her hair is loose, indicating that she was a virgin maiden. Mantle and Tunic – The lady wears a rose-tinted tunic with four-petaled flowers imprinted on it, symbolizing the earth and the four seasons. The rose color may point to the dawn, symbolizing a new era.
The Virgin of Guadalupe Quotes in Bless Me, Ultima
The Bless Me, Ultima quotes below all refer to the symbol of The Virgin of Guadalupe. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one: ).
The Virgin of Guadalupe Symbol Timeline in Bless Me, Ultima
The timeline below shows where the symbol The Virgin of Guadalupe appears in Bless Me, Ultima. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Who wrote the book The Amazing Truth of Our Lady of Guadalupe?
Dan Lynch. "The Amazing Truth of Our Lady of Guadalupe." Catholic Exchange (December, 2002).
What did Our Lady promise Juan?
Juan did so and Our Lady promised to give him the sign. On December 12, Our Lady again appeared to Juan on Tepeyac Hill and told him to pick the Castilian roses which miraculously appeared there and bring them to the Bishop as a sign for him to believe her request. Juan gathered the roses into his tilma and brought them to the Bishop.
What is the image of Our Lady?
The Image of Our Lady is actually an Aztec Pictograph which was read and understood quickly by the Aztec Indians. THE LADY STOOD IN FRONT OF THE SUN - She was greater than their dreaded sun-god "Huitzilopochtli".
What color is Queen of the Earth?
THE DESIGN ON HER ROSE-COLORED GARMENT - She is the "Queen of the Earth," for she is wearing a map of Mexico telling the Indians exactly where the apparition took place.
Why is the blue hue of her mantle a Queen?
THE BLUEâGREEN HUE OF HER MANTLE - She was a Queen for she wears the color of royalty.
Where did Our Lady ask the Bishop to build a church?
She asked his to go to the Bishop and request him to build a church for her on the barren hill of Tepeyac which is now part of Mexico City. Our Lady wanted to show her merciful love to all of her children. The prudent Bishop asked Juan to ask the Lady for a sign. Juan did so and Our Lady promised to give him the sign.
When did the stars on Our Lady's Mantle appear?
The stars on Our Lady's Mantle coincide with the constellation in the sky on December 12, 1531.
Why is the Virgin of Guadalupe worshiped today?
The reason being is that the story of the immaculate conception was already rooted in culture long before the conquest of Mexico by the Spaniards and introduction of false religion.
Where is the Virgin of Guadalupe?
Encyclopedias or handbooks on Mexico also typically have entries on this important sacred figure.#N#According to tradition, the Virgin appeared to a Nahua man named Juan Diego in December 1531 on Tepeyac Hill, north of Mexico City, where there was a shrine dedicated to the female Aztec earth deity Tonantzin. To this day, in Nahuatl-speaking communities (in other communities as well), the Virgin continues to be called “Tonantzin” and her appearance is commemorated on December 12 each year.
What is the Virgin of Nahuatl called?
To this day, in Nahuatl-speaking communities (in other communities as well), the Virgin continues to be called “Tonantzin” and her appearance is commemorated on December 12 each year. Tonantzin means “Our Sacred Mother” in the Nahuatl language and she continues to be connected symbolically to fertility and the earth.
Why is there an Aztec eagle on the Mexican flag?
There is an Aztec eagle on the Mexican flag for a reason, it replaced something else. And I know many are interwoven psychologically by the forceful conversions but there will be a day when the basica will go down for the sake of all forced conversions around the world. Do not ever forget your roots!
Is the Virgin of Guadalupe a Catholic?
There are many myths surrounding the Virgin of Guadalupe but she has been recognized by the Catholic church as a manifestation of the Virgin Mary. The Virgin of Guadalupe has become a national symbol of the Mexican nation and she is viewed by many to be a special protector of Native American peoples.
Is the Virgin of G a tonantzin?
Mexicolore replies: With respect, using terms like ‘ridiculous’ just produces heat with no light. Of course The Virgin of G isn’t Tonantzin; but she was cleverly created by the Spanish to, as you say, RESEMBLE Tonantzin! This isn’t coincidence, it was part of a deliberate attempt by the Spanish to fuse and blur these figures together in the eyes of local people so that, attracted and very likely confused by the similarities, they would be drawn ideologically away from their ancient beliefs and towards the Christian faith. All we’re trying to do here is to clarify where this (con)fusion came from, certainly not to encourage it!
Is the Virgin of Guadalupe the same as the Tonantzin?
In conclusion, in the minds of many people living within and outside of Mexico, the Virgin of Guadalupe and the ancient Tonantzin are one and the same. This sacred figure can be seen to represent the emergence of Mexico as a unified nation born out of the destructive encounter between European and pre-Hispanic civilizations.
Overview
Trans-religious significance
Religious imagery of Our Lady of Guadalupe appears in Roman Catholic parishes, especially those with Latin American heritage. In addition, due to the growth of Hispanic communities in the United States, religious imagery of Our Lady of Guadalupe has started appearing in some Anglican, Lutheran, and Methodist churches. Additionally, Our Lady of Guadalupe is venerated by some Mayan Orthodox Christians in Guatemala.
Description of Marian apparitions
According to Nican Mopohua, a 17th-century account written in the native Nahuatl language, the Virgin Mary appeared four times to Juan Diego, an indigenous Mexican peasant Chichimec and once to his uncle, Juan Bernardino. The first apparition occurred on the morning of Saturday, 9 December 1531 (Julian calendar, which is December 19 on the (proleptic) Gregorian calendar in …
Pontifical approbations
• Pope Benedict XIV — in the papal bull Non est Equidem of 25 May 1754, declared Our Lady of Guadalupe patroness of what was then named "New Spain", corresponding to Spanish Central and Northern America, and included liturgical texts for the Catholic Mass and the Roman Breviary in her honor.
• Pope Leo XIII — granted a decree of coronation towards the original Mexican relic on 8 February 1887. Later, through the Sacred Congregation of Rites, he issued an add…
• Pope Benedict XIV — in the papal bull Non est Equidem of 25 May 1754, declared Our Lady of Guadalupe patroness of what was then named "New Spain", corresponding to Spanish Central and Northern America, and included liturgical texts for the Catholic Mass and the Roman Breviary in her honor.
• Pope Leo XIII — granted a decree of coronation towards the original Mexican relic on 8 February 1887. Later, through the Sacred Congregation of Rites, he issued an addendum epistle …
Early history
The shrine to Our Lady of Guadalupe in Guadalupe, Cáceres, in Extremadura, Spain was the most important Marian shrine in the medieval kingdom of Castile. It is one of the many dark or black skinned Madonnas in Spain and is revered in the Monastery of Santa María de Guadalupe, in the town of Guadalupe, from which numerous Spanish conquistadors stem. The name is believed to be deri…
The beatification of Juan Diego
Under Pope John Paul II the move to beatify Juan Diego intensified. John Paul II took a special interest in non-European Catholics and saints. During his leadership, the Congregation for the Causes of Saints declared Juan Diego "venerable" (in 1987), and the pope himself announced his beatification on May 6, 1990, during a Mass at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, …
Marian title
In the earliest account of the apparition, the Nican Mopohua, the Virgin de Guadalupe, later called as if the Virgin Mary tells Juan Bernardino, the uncle of Juan Diego, that the image left on the tilma is to be known by the name "the Perfect Virgin, Holy Mary of Guadalupe."
The Virgin of Guadalupe is a core element of Mexican identity and with the ris…
Venerated image and Diego's tilma
The venerated image of Our Lady of Guadalupe features a full-length representation of a young woman with delicate features and straight, dark hair in a centre parting. She stands facing the viewer's left, with her hands joined in prayer and head slightly inclined down, gazing with heavy-lidded eyes at a spot below and to her right (the left of the viewer).
The figure is dressed from neck to feet in a pink robe and cerulean mantle, one side folded within …