He who saw Her

Today is the Memorial of St. Juan Diego.

In April of 1990 Juan Diego was declared Blessed by Pope John Paul II at the Vatican. The following month, in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, during his second visit to the shrine, John Paul II performed the beatification ceremony. On July 2002 he was canonized by the Church, during a ceremony celebrated by John Paul II, again in the Basilica of Guadalupe.
Who was this Juan Diego?

He was the humble native of Mexico who saw and spoke to the Virgin of Guadalupe most unexpectedly, on his trek over rugged mountain paths to attend Mass. He was a devout family man, and John Paul II called him the model of humility for us all.

This site has Juan Diego’s story, as well as Pope John Paul’s homily during the canonization ceremony in 2002.

In accepting the Christian message without forgoing his indigenous identity, Juan Diego discovered the profound truth of the new humanity, in which all are called to be children of God. Thus he facilitated the fruitful meeting of two worlds and became the catalyst for the new Mexican identity, closely united to Our Lady of Guadalupe, whose mestizo face expresses her spiritual motherhood which embraces all Mexicans. This is why the witness of his life must continue to be the inspiration for the building up of the Mexican nation, encouraging brotherhood among all its children and ever helping to reconcile Mexico with its origins, values, and traditions.

Go here and watch the trailer for the new movie, Guadalupe. In it, you’ll see the depiction of Juan Diego and the story behind the miracle. Most importantly, you’ll see the image that Mary herself left on his cloak. It is astonishing.