The Story of Our Lady of Guadalupe

For three months, these six young women, all parishioners of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Mexia, worked hard selling food (tamales, enchiladas, spaghetti, etc.), holding dances and raffling horses to raise money for the Our Lady of Guadalupe feast. They are Nancy Perez of Teague, Karina Cisneros of Mexia, Reyna Escobedo of Mexia, Julie Mora of Coolidge, Lily Reyes of Mexia and Melissa Dominguez of Jewett. (Courtesy photo) The feast in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe goes back to the 16th century. Chronicles of that period tell us the story.

A poor Indian named Cuauhtlatohuac was baptized and given the name Juan Diego. He was a 57-year-old widower and lived in a small village near Mexico City. On Saturday morning, Dec. 9, 1531, he was on his way to a nearby barrio to attend Mass in honor of Our Lady.

He was walking by a hill called Tepeyac when he heard beautiful music like the warbling of birds. A radiant cloud appeared and within it a young Native American maiden dressed like an Aztec princess. The lady spoke to him in his own language and sent him to the bishop of Mexico, a Franciscan named Juan de Zumarraga. The bishop was to build a chapel in the place where the lady appeared.

Pictured is the statue of Our Lady at St. Mary's in Mexia decorated by the roses brought by devotees on her feast day and carried on the shoulders by the parishioners on the procession day held last Saturday. (Courtesy photo) Eventually the bishop told Juan Diego to have the lady give him a sign. About this same time Juan Diego's uncle became seriously ill. This led poor Diego to try to avoid the lady. The lady found Diego, nevertheless, assured him that his uncle would recover and provided roses for Juan to carry to the bishop in his cape or tilma.

When Juan Diego opened his tilma in the bishop's presence, the roses fell to the ground and the bishop sank to his knees. On Juan Diego's tilma appeared an image of Mary as she had appeared at the hill of Tepeyac. It was Dec. 12, 1531.

Up to this date, 477 years ago, this cape is exposed to the public and its color never faded. Our Lady of Guadalupe is the patroness of Americas and the of the Unborn.

St. Mary's Catholic Church in Mexia has a special veneration, not an adoration, to the Mother

of God.