The history and story of Our Lady of Guadalupe is very long and rich. Her Feast Day, celebrated on 12 December, was approved by Pope Benedict XIV in 1754.
Our Lady of Guadalupe, also known as The Virgin of Guadalupe or by Her Spanish name, La Virgen de Guadalupe, is the Patroness of the Americas. Her patronage of Latin America was declared by Pope Pius X in 1910. The patronage was extended to the Philippines by Pope XI in 1935. Finally, in 1946, Pope Pius XII declared Our Lady of Guadalupe the Patroness of all the Americas.
Many popes have visited the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, located four miles from the center of Mexico City. The current Basilica was dedicated in 1976. In 1979, the Holy Father Pope John Paul II visited the Basilica, knelt before the image, and refered to Her as the "Star of Evangelization" and "Mother of the Americas." The Holy Father Pope John Paul II visited the Basilica three times during his pontificate.
Appearing to St. Juan Diego, Our Lady's apparition in Mexico in 1531 moved millions to convert from pagan religions to The One True God. Prior to Her apparition, residents of the area practiced a polytheistic religion that included human sacrifice. But after Her apparition, in a period of about one decade, millions of souls converted to Christianity. Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared to St. Juan Diego in 1531. In 1541, Franciscan priest and historian Motolinia wrote that nine million Aztecs had converted to Christianity.
Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared to St. Juan Diego four times during the year 1531. Her message to St. Juan Diego was one of love and assurance of Her Loving Protection. In Her words during the fourth apparition were:
"Hear me and understand well, my son the least, that nothing should frighten or grieve you. Let not your heart be disturbed. Do not fear that sickness, nor any other sickness or anguish. Am I not here, who is your Mother? Are you not under my protection? Am I not your health? Are you not happily within my fold? What else do you wish? Do not grieve nor be disturbed by anything. Do not be afflicted by the illness of your uncle, who will not die now of it. be assured that he is now cured." It was later learned that St. Juan Diego's uncle had been cured of his illness.
St. Juan Diego reported these apparitions to the local bishop and Her request to have a church erected in Her honor. Having a hard time believing St. Juan Diego, the bishop asked St. Juan Diego to bring a sign from Our Lady. At the fourth apparition, Our Lady complied with the bishop's request for a sign. She instructed St. Juan Diego: "Climb, my son the least, to the top of the hill; there where you saw me and I gave you orders, you will find different flowers. Cut them, gather them, assemble them, then come and bring them before my presence."
Being that it was the month of December, no flowers would be expected to grow anywhere in the region. And besides, even if it were the season for flowers to grow, nothing would grow on the barren hilltop where Our Lady of Guadalupe instructed St. Juan Diego to collect flowers. Here was the first miracle attributed to Our Lady of Guadalupe. On the hilltop, Juan Diego found an abundant supply of roses which he collected and brought back to Our Lady. Then Our Lady's loving hands arranged them in the tilma and instructed St. Juan Diego: "My son the least, this diversity of roses is the proof and the sign which you will take to the bishop. You will tell him in my name that he will see in them my wish and that he will have to comply to it. You are my ambassador, most worthy of all confidence. Rigorously I command you that only before the presence of the bishop will you unfold your mantle and disclose what you are carrying. You will relate all and well; you will tell that I ordered you to climb to the hilltop, to go and cut flowers; and all that you saw and admired, so you can induce the prelate to give his support, with the aim that a temple be built and erected as I have asked."
St. Juan Diego carefully brought these precious flowers, arranged by Our Lady's own hands, protected by his white tilma.
Opon arriving to give the bishop these flowers, after a wait, St. Juan Diego said: "Sir, I did what you ordered, to go forth and tell my Ama, the Lady from heaven, Holy Mary, precious Mother of God, that you asked for a sign so that you might believe me that you should build a temple where she asked it to be erected; also, I told her that I had given you my word that I would bring some sign and proof, which you requested, of her wish. She condescended to your request and graciously granted your request, some sign and proof to complement her wish. Early today she again sent me to see you; I asked for the sign so you might believe me, as she had said that she would give it, and she complied. She sent me to the top of the hill, where I was accustomed to see her, and to cut a variety of rosas de Castilla. After I had cut them, I brought them, she took them with her hand and placed them in my cloth, so that I bring them to you and deliver them to you in person. Even though I knew that the hilltop was no place where flowers would grow, because there are many crags, thistles, thorns, nopales and mezquites, I still had my doubts. As I approached the top of the hill, I saw that I was in paradise, where there was a great variety of exquisite rosas de Castilla, in brilliant dew, which I immediately cut. She had told me that I should bring them to you, and so I do it, so that you may see in them the sign which you asked of me and comply with her wish; also, to make clear the veracity of my word and my message. Behold. Receive them."
St. Juan Diego then unfolded the tilma and the Miraculous Image of The Blessed Virgin of Guadalupe was visible. This image on the tilma still exists today! There is no shortage of miracles associated with this image of the Virgin of Guadalupe.
The tilma's cheaply-made cloth of cactus fiber that should have lasted only a couple decades. And yet, it still survives today in Our Lady of Guadalupe's Basicila in Mexico City. The image on the tilma went unprotected from 1531 until 1647, over 100 years, until it was finally covered with glass to protect it from the elements. Even more amazing is that a bomb placed in below the image in 1921 in the Old Basilica exploded and caused considerable damage to the building but nothing happened to the fragile tilma. Science tells us that there are many other miraculous things about the tilma. For example:
It maintains a constant temperature of 98.6 degrees, equivalent to human body temperature.
The arrangement of the stars on the garment Our Lady is wearing is identical to the arrangement of the stars when She appeared to St. Juan Diego.
Ophthalmologists tell us that both eyes of the image on the tilma reflect an individual (a "bearded man") who matches the description of St. Juan Diego. In fact there is a type of reflection, the Sanson-Purkinje effect, characteristic of human eye reflections, that is a triple reflection. Studies of the eyes of the image on the tilma, starting with the first conducted in 1956 by Dr. Javier Torroella Bueno, indicate that this Samson-Purkinje effect of the tilma is exactly as it would be if the eyes were human. Due to the natural curvature of the human cornea, this effect would cause the reflections to be in precise spots. Studies have confirmed that the reflection of the eyes of the tilma are in the precise location that one would expect in human eyes.
Our Lady of Guadalupe Novena - This Novena is particularly popular starting nine days before the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadlaupe. Her Feast Day is December 12 every year.
Day One
Dearest Lady of Guadalupe, fruitful Mother of holiness, teach me your ways of gentleness and strength. Hear my humble prayer offered with heartfelt confidence to beg this favor...... Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.
Day Two
O Mary, conceived without sin, I come to your throne of grace to share the fervent devotion of your faithful Mexican children who call to you under the glorious Aztec title of Guadalupe. Obtain for me a lively faith to do your Son’s holy will always: May His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.
Day Three
O Mary, whose Immaculate Heart was pierced by seven swords of grief, help me to walk valiantly amid the sharp thorns strewn across my pathway. Obtain for me the strength to be a true imitator of you. This I ask you, my dear Mother. Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.
Day Four
Dearest Mother of Guadalupe, I beg you for a fortified will to imitate your divine Son’s charity, to always seek the good of others in need. Grant me this, I humbly ask of you. Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.
Day Five
O most holy Mother, I beg you to obtain for me pardon of all my sins, abundant graces to serve your Son more faithfully from now on, and lastly, the grace to praise Him with you forever in heaven. Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.
Day Six
Mary, Mother of vocations, multiply priestly vocations and fill the earth with religious houses which will be light and warmth for the world, safety in stormy nights. Beg your Son to send us many priests and religious. This we ask of you, O Mother. Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.
Day Seven
O Lady of Guadalupe, we beg you that parents live a holy life and educate their children in a Christian manner; that children obey and follow the directions of their parents; that all members of the family pray and worship together. This we ask of you, O Mother. Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.
Day Eight
With my heart full of the most sincere veneration, I prostrate myself before you, O Mother, to ask you to obtain for me the grace to fulfill the duties of my state in life with faithfulness and constancy. Our father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.
Day Nine
O God, You have been pleased to bestow upon us unceasing favors by having placed us under the special protection of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary. Grant us, your humble servants, who rejoice in honoring her today upon earth, the happiness of seeing her face to face in heaven. Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.
