Virgin of Guadalupe
This is the image that surpasses them all, I think. This is the image She created. You can go there today, to the Basilica of the Virgin of Guadalupe in Mexico City, and look at the image on the cloak of Juan Diego that was created by Her hand. Where there was once a simple, humble, rather flimsy ’tilma’, there is now an inexplicably durable, lasting, absolutely captivating image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
A few weeks ago I went with my family to see her for the first time. We’re seasoned world travelers and have visited many shrines and pilgrimage sites. That helps, in Mexico City, because it’s one of the most densely populated, heavily congested cities in the world. We were there on a Sunday, along with thousands of Mexicans, to see Her. Over the years, I’ve learned a lot about the image and the incredible details on her gown, on her cloak, in her eyes. You can know the whole story and not be prepared to see Her in person.
The Basilica has Mass every hour. It’s stuffed beyond capacity for each Mass, and the next crowd suffocates the exterior waiting to move in. The plaza out in front always holds native dance groups performing to native drums and music, surrounded by people native to the land. I saw exactly two other tourists the whole day, and they were European. It seemed like half of Mexico came to town that Sunday to attend Mass and honor the Virgin.
Approaching the Basilica, we were stuck in traffic many blocks out, but began seeing steady streams of people in the center walkway that separates traffic, walking purposefully toward…Her. They were all carrying something. They had bouquets of flowers, framed pictures, very large framed images that took several people to carry, statues, yard shrines, native Mexican decorations, and very large ornamental arrangements that took a lot of time to construct, carried lovingly and with determination. They wanted to bring it to Her and have it blessed, or leave it as a gift. The sense of devotion was indescribable.
A couple of words capture the day we had there, and I watched intently. Love, and family. The love for the Virgin of Guadalupe was beyond telling. It was in-bred in everyone there, and absolutely everywhere. It was profoundly sincere and deeply ingrained. And families were among the most humble and simple I’ve ever seen, devoted to each other, and to Her. Middle aged people gently helped their older parents, younger parents held their little children. Families were everywhere. People were peaceful and content and respectful.
Our Lady of Guadalupe is the Patroness of America, Patroness of the Unborn, Patroness of the new evangelization….and Mother.
I couldn’t take my eyes off her for much of the Mass, and afterward. On the ‘people mover’ below the altar that allows the crowds to move back and forth to view the image closer without disrupting the Mass above, people were quietly reverential. On one of our (many) passes through, a small boy hoisted on his father’s shoulders stared up at her and then, innocently, waved. How familiar he was with her, and happy to see her.
I can’t tell you how beautiful she is.