Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Patroness of the Americas

12th December

On 9 December 1531, Our Lady appeared to Juan Diego at Tepeyac, which is near Mexico City today. She sent him to request of Bishop Zumárraga the building of a shrine there, where she promised to pour out her grace upon those who invoked her. The bishop asked Juan Diego to present proof of the apparition. On 12 December, Our Lady sent Juan Diego to gather roses. Despite the cold of winter, he found roses in bloom and gathered them within his cloak, or tilma. Our Lady arranged the roses and sent them with Juan Diego to the bishop as proof. Opening his tilma, the roses fell to the ground and there remained impressed upon the tilma the image of Our Lady, the apparition at Tepeyac.


The image of Our Lady of Guadalupe depicts Mary with native features. Gold stars cover her blue mantle and the black girdle about her waist signifies pregnancy. The moon is beneath her feet and one of the angels supports her.

God of power and mercy,
who blessed the Americas at Tepeyac
with the presence of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Guadalupe;
grant, we beseech you, through her intercession,
that we may accept one another in Christ
and through the outpouring of your justice into our hearts ,
come to rejoice in the gift of your peace.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God forever and ever.

AMEN

Our Lady of Guadalupe

Pray for us