Ever wondered why Mexicans are obsessed with the Virgin Mary? In Mexico, inmates get the Virgin tattooed on their backs because she is so revered that no one would dare cross the Virgin and stab you in the back. Interesting form of a health insurance. Last weekend I went to La Villa de Guadalupe to learn more.
La Villa de Guadalupe is the second-most visited Catholic site in the world after the Vatican. It is located at the site where the Virgin of Guadalupe appeared to St. Juan Diego and told him to build her a cathedral. Here is the official story from wikipedia:
"Official Catholic accounts state that on the morning of December 9, 1531, Juan Diego saw an apparition of a young girl at the Hill of Tepeyac, near Mexico City. Speaking to him in Nahuatl, the girl asked that a church be built at that site in her honor; from her words, Juan Diego recognized the girl as the Virgin Mary. Diego told his story to the Spanish Archbishop of Mexico City, Fray Juan de Zumárraga, who instructed him to return to Tepeyac Hill, and ask the "lady" for a miraculous sign to prove her identity. The first sign was the Virgin healing Juan's uncle. The Virgin told Juan Diego to gather flowers from the top of Tepeyac Hill. Although December was very late in the growing season for flowers to bloom, Juan Diego found Castilian roses, not native to Mexico, on the normally barren hilltop. The Virgin arranged these in his peasant cloak or tilma. When Juan Diego opened his cloak before Bishop Zumárraga on December 12, the flowers fell to the floor, and on the fabric was the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe."
According to the story, this is the image that was on the fabric when the cloak fell to the floor:
The exact origin of Guadalupe is not clear to me, but it is possible that the Aztecs used Guadalupe as a replacement symbol for one of their old gods Tonantzin, Mother Earth, by masking her as a symbol of Catholicism, the Virgin Mary. The Spaniards were happy because Mexicans started converting to Catholicism, and the indigenous Mexicans were happy as they could worship a new reincarnation of their old beliefs. Historians can debate that idea, but what is clear is that Guadalupe was a new religious symbol in the Americas and symbol for Mexico. The Mexican who took us to the site said that in her opinion, the Virgin of Guadalupe is more important to Mexicans than Jesus. That really blew my mind. The Virgin of Guadalupe, who essentially is Virgin Mary is above Jesus? Catholicism in Mexico is definitely different than the USA and Europe.
It looks like the Vatican is adjusting to this new flavor of Catholicism. Latin America is the area of largest growth for Catholicism as it has the right demographics and the countries are highly religious. Wikipedia, our infallible source, says that Mexico is 83% Catholic, and 10% Christian. It is no coincidence that the new Pope is from Argentina. But enough history, here's some pictures.
This is the view immediately upon entering the compound. There is a cathedral in front, a huge area to worship to the left, and a large open square to the right.
Mexicans revere the Virgin of Guadalupe so much that many approached the final 50 meters to the church crawling on their knees.
Inside was absolutely packed, which makes sense as it was Sunday. Mass is conducted hourly from 8 am to 9 pm on Sundays.
In the front of the Church is the cherished orginal tilma of San Juan Diego. You are allowed to see it passing below on moving escalators so that a crowd cannot form.
These are the people movers that keep you from staring at the tilma for too long so as not to create a crowd. I thought it was pretty funny. You have about 7 seconds to appreciate the Virgin.
Here is the story for our Spanish speaking readers.
An altar of candles where people would bring their own candles and light them.
Some sort of an indigenous mock dance being done in front of the Cathedral to the beat of drums.
A view from the square. The old cathedral is on top of the hill on the right side, and the new Cathedral is on the left.
And of course afterwards you can buy all of your Virgen de Guadalupe memorabilia. I bought a Virgen de Guadalupe key ring and a Jesus Candle.
The foundation of this church is sinking at 1 cm per year. You can really see the lean on that left tower. Would not want to be inside that during an earthquake.
Hope you found that informative.
