About Our Lady of Guadalupe
Sunday, December 12, 2021
Our Lady appeared to Juan Diego, a Native American, in 1531. She told him to go see the bishop and tell him to build a church. The bishop did not believe him. She appeared again to Juan Diego and told him to pick some flowers and bring them to her to arrange in his tilma (cloak). He did this. When he returned to the bishop to show him the flowers, the image of our Lady of Guadalupe was imprinted on his tilma. This time the bishop believed him.
In the image, Our Lady appeared dressed as an Aztec princess. There are many fascinating things about this image:
- The black bow which is visible under her hands is a sign of pregnancy in this culture.
- There is no sketch under the image, as an artist would normally make for a complex composition.
- Minuscule reflections of a bearded man, thought to be Juan Diego, can be seen in her eyes. These were first detected in the early 20th century. Up to that point, the technology did not exist to see them.
- The stars on her cloak are in the same position as the constellations in the night sky on December 12, 1531.
- The pattern on her dress is a topographical map of the area in Mexico where she appeared.
- She is standing in front of the sun and on top of the moon, indicating that she is greater than the sun and moon gods the people had been worshiping. On her throat is a black cross, pointing them to her son Jesus.
- The tilma, which is made of cactus fibers, shows no sign of disintegration, even though it is almost 500 years old.
To learn more, watch this video about the Miraculous Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Patron Saint
Our Lady of Guadalupe is the patroness of the Americas, Mexico, and the pro-life movement.
Read about Our Lady of Guadalupe
- Our Lady of Guadalupe: The Graphic Novel
- Our Lady of Guadalupe: Mother of the Civilization of Love
- Guadalupe: A River of Light: The Story of Our Lady of Guadalupe From the First Century to Our Days
Gift Ideas
Top ideas for Our Lady of Guadalupe
The Miraculous Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe
This video tells the history of Our Lady of Guadalupe, including how Juan Diego came to meet her and his difficulties in getting the local bishop to believe his story.
Blessed Virgin Mary Coffee Cup
Show your devotion to the blessed mother with this beautiful, minimal image of the Virgin Mary and Jesus. Includes the scripture quote: “All generations to come shall call me blessed” – Luke 1:48
Prayer to Our Lady of Guadalupe
This prayer to Our Lady of Guadalupe is attributed to St. John Paul II. He had a great devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe. He first prayed this prayer in 1979 when visiting her basilica in Mexico.