The Queen of Mexico Photo: PIXABAY
Culiacan, Sinaloa.- Many of us have dedicated prayers to her, asked for a miracle, performed commands and visited the temples in which she is paid tribute, and we clearly also know about her origin and history, but there are some curious facts that few know about the Virgin of Guadalupe and about its importance in our Mexican culture. In addition, this year will not be held with large festivals or pilgrimages due to the pandemic, so this article can serve to commemorate it. Why are we celebrating on December 12th?
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The celebration of the Virgin of Guadalupe takes place year after year on December 12, since this date was when it had its appearance on the hill of Tepeyac, having as a witness Juan Diego, who told him to ask in his name a temple to honor her, thus becoming an important icon for the Mexican Church. For its part, it has devoted parishioners from all over the world, being proclaimed in 1910, by Pope Pius X, as the patron saint of Latin America.
The Brunette of Tepeyac Photo: PIXABAY
1. It is the one that has the most testimonies of miraclesThe Virgin of Guadalupe is one of the most revered most holy around the world, thus being the one of which the most testimonies are available of miracles. Among them are attributed the end of two epidemics that plagued Mexico, as well as many cases of healing.2 The Basilica of Guadalupe, the second most visitedTras its appearance to Juan Diego and proven its existence, the capital bishop Juan de Zumárraga began the construction of what we now know as the Basilica of Guadalupe, this being the one that keeps the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe, becoming the second most visited after st. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.
The Basilica of the Virgin of Guadalupe Photo: PIXABAY
3. Juan Diego CuauhtlatoatzinDocuments stored in the historical acquis of the Vatican indicate that Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin was an indigenous person of Chichimeca origin, who gave for 4 days the appearance of the Virgin of Guadalupe, from the 9th to the 12th of December, with 57 years of age.4. Venerated Mother The Hill of Tepeyac was a point of worship where indigenous people worshipped Toci-Tonantzin, who has his translation of Nahuatl as a “revered mother”. For this reason it began to speculate that the appearance of the Guadalupana in this place was a symbol of adoration towards the Mexican mother.
Photo: PIXABAY
5. Religious mantleTo check the veracity of the appearance of the Morenita del Tepeyac, Juan Diego gathered beautiful flowers at the top of the hill, despite the winter climate and the arid floor, on a mantle, which he carried in front of the bishop as proof; by dropping the flowers, they took the surprise that the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe was embodied in the mantle. This, made of maguey fiber, a very fragile material, still remains in perfect condition after more than 500 years. 6. Attacking the Queen of Mexico In the Cristera War, an unknown man arrived in the Basilica of Guadalupe, approaching the image of our Lady, under the pretext of placing a bouquet of flowers on his altar. The bouquet contained dynamite, which exploded damaging everything around it, with the exception of the figure of the guadalupana: the crystal containing it had no damage.
