Shrine of Guadalupe

Earlier in the day, before the pyramids, we visited the Lady Of Guadalupe. We learned about how the ancient people accepted the Lady and how it got the native to change from worshiping their gods, and change to Christianity.

Juan Diego, a native, was visited by a girl, now called Lady of Guadalupe. Speaking in his native language, Nahautl, the girl asked that a church be built at the site of their meeting. Diego told this story to the Spanish Bishop, but the bishop wanted the proof of this event. The Lady told Diego to gather flowers, even thought it was winter and there were none. He found roses not indigenous to the area, but were found in where the bishop had once lived. Diego gathered the flowers, and The Lady arranged them on a tilma, or peasant cloth. When Diego presented the tilma to the bishop, the lady appeared.

Because it is believed that this event occurred around the beginning of December, and so December 12 is recognized as the Feast Day. The people of Mexico participate in a pilgrimage to visit the shrine over many weeks, not only on December 12. As you know, the population of Mexico City is over 12 million. This means not everyone cannot visit the shrine on December 12. The day before we viewed the tilma and the grounds, 60,000 people had arrived at the shrine! Luckily, there were very few there when we visted!