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Truly one of the most remarkable images that fascinates the world and has done so since the 16th Century. A miraculous images given to a humble man to deliver a message to the Bishop resulting in mass conversions.
In the world of the 16th Century the heart of the Catholic Church was ripped through the Protestant ‘Reformation’. However, Heaven had other plans with the conversion of some 6 million plus Aztecs in Mexico through the miraculous story of Our Lady of Guadalupe. A miraculous image of the Mother of God would amaze the world for centuries and with modern technology, the image contains more mystery than meets the eye.
One of the most loved shrines to Our Lady is that of the patroness of the Americas, Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico. Millions of pilgrims from all over the world travel to the miraculous image to offer their prayers and devotions and to be taken by its’ beauty and mystery. Here on display is an image that can not be replicated by human art and contains symbolism that indulges the senses and evangelizes the observer.
This is will of God and the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe is remarkable.
What is the story and the message of Our Lady of Guadalupe?
The Aztecs of Mexica were a tribe that indulged the sacrifice of children as part of their pagan rituals but the events in 1532 would change these practices and Heaven, through our Lady, would crush them.
Mexico was occupied by Spanish Monks who would be in the service of the Aztecs and assist them in giving up these pagan practices to become a Christian and worshiping the One, True and Triune God.
Juan Diego was born in 1474 and died on the 30 May 1548. He was 47 years of age at the time of his departure into eternal life. During the time of the apparition, Juan Diego was 57-58 years of age. Duan Diego had recently converted to the Catholic faith from a humble Aztec Indian tribe.
The Aztec Indians were living an immoral life and serving a pagan god or gods. The Spanish Catholic conquest would prove both influential and at the same time hostile toward the Aztec Indians. However, Heaven through the Blessed Mother had other ideas.
Duan Diego encounters the Blessed Virgin Mary on December 12, 1531.
The Story in Summary:
On December 12, 1531, Juan Diego was walking between his village and Mexico City, where the Catholic mission was headquartered.
Along the way, in the village of Guadalupe, the Virgin Mary appeared, speaking to him in his native language.
The Virgin Mary asked Juan Diego to take a message to the Spanish Bishop requesting a Church be guilt on the site. However, when Juan Diego took this request to the Bishop, the Bishop did not believe him and requested a sign of a miraculous nature.
At this communication to the Virgin Mary, the Virgin Mary asked Juan Diego to gather flowers from a hill, even though it was winter, when no plants bloom.
Juan Diego found Spanish roses and presented these to the bishop. When the roses fell from his tilma (a kind of apron) an icon of the Virgin remained imprinted on the cloth.
The Three Apparitions:
Here are the Words on 3 separate apparitions with Juan Diego of our Blessed Mother:
December 9 Apparition:
The Virgin Mary to Juan Diego on December 9, 1531, requesting the construction of a Church:
“Juanito, dearest Juan Diego.
Juanito, my dearest son, where are you going?
Know and understand well, you my most humble son, that I am the ever-virgin Holy Mary, Mother of the True God for whom we live, of the Creator of all things, Lord of heaven and the earth.
I wish that a temple be erected here quickly, so I may therein exhibit and give all my love, compassion, help, and protection, because I am your merciful mother, to you, and to all the inhabitants on this land and all the rest who love me, invoke and confide in me; listen there to their lamentations, and remedy all their miseries, afflictions and sorrows.
And to accomplish what my clemency pretends, go to the palace of the bishop of Mexico, and you will say to him that I manifest my great desire, that here on this plain a temple be built to me; you will accurately relate all you have seen and admired, and what you have heard.
Be assured that I will be most grateful and will reward you, because I will make you happy and worthy of recompense for the effort and fatigue in what you will obtain of what I have entrusted.
Behold, you have heard my mandate, my humble son; go and put forth all your effort.”
December 9 Apparition:
The Virgin Mary to Juan Diego on December 9, 1531, the second request is made to the Bishop for the construction of a Church:
“Hark, my little son, you must understand that I have many servants and messengers, to whom I must entrust the delivery of my message, and carry my wish, but it is of precise detail that you yourself solicit and assist and that through your mediation my wish be complied.
I earnestly implore, my son the least, and with sternness I command that you again go tomorrow and see the bishop. You go in my name, and make known my wish in its entirety that he has to start the erection of a temple which I ask of him. And again tell him that I, in person, the ever-virgin Holy Mary, Mother of God, sent you.”
December 12 Apparition:
The Virgin Mary to Juan Diego on December 12, 1531, the miraculous Tilma image and the conciliation from Our Lady to the heavy heart of Juan Diego due to the illness of his Uncle:
“Hear me and understand well, my little son, that nothing should frighten or grieve you. Let not your heart be disturbed. Do not fear that sickness, nor any other sickness or anguish.
Am I not here, who is your Mother?
Are you not under my protection?
Am I not your health?
Are you not happily within my fold?
What else do you wish?
Do not grieve nor be disturbed by anything. Do not be afflicted by the illness of your uncle, who will not die now of it. Be assured that he is now cured.
Climb, my dear son, to the top of the hill; there where you saw me and I gave you orders, you will find different flowers. Cut them, gather them, assemble them, then come and bring them before my presence.
My dear little son, this diversity of roses is the proof and the sign which you will take to the bishop. You will tell him in my name that he will see in them my wish and that he will have to comply to it. You are my ambassador, most worthy of all confidence. Rigorously I command you that only before the presence of the bishop will you unfold your mantle and disclose what you are carrying. You will relate all and well; you will tell that I ordered you to climb to the hilltop, to go and cut flowers; and all that you saw and admired, so you can induce the prelate to give his support, with the aim that a temple be built and erected as I have asked.”
The Miracle Manifests
Two miracles occurred on December 12, the most beautiful Castilian roses which Juan was asked to gather could not grow and bloom because there was frost on the ground, and the ground was an infertile place where only cactus and thistles grew.
Listening to the Mother of God, Juan gathered them, with Our Mother’s help in arranging them in his tilma, or poncho, and told him to show them to the Bishop.
When he brought them to the Bishop, the Bishop was amazed at the roses, but was even more amazed at what began to happen to Juan Diego’s tilma. Right before their very eyes, the image of Our Lady began to form on the cloth. The picture of Mary was beautiful and the Bishop fell to his knees.
He had the church built at Virgin Mary’s request.
What is Miraculous about the image?
The tilma is still intact since 1531. The colors have not faded and the cloth has not deteriorated. It has been on display in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe for all this time. The appearance of Our Lady on the Tilma is significant for the Aztec Indians:
- God had her dressed in a way that they would understand who she was.
- She was dressed in royal clothes that showed that she was very important, perhaps a queen.
- She also had the symbol of the cross at her neck which was the same symbol the Spaniards had on their ships and in the churches they built.
- She had a sash tied around her waist which meant that she was with child, for this was the way the Aztec women dressed when they were pregnant. And on her beautiful dress were all sorts of designs and flowers. But there was one flower on her dress that was very significant. It had only four petals. To the Aztecs, the four-petal flower was the symbol for the true God, the God above all gods.
- This flower was located on her abdomen, right over the place where Jesus was growing inside of Her.
The Aztecs immediately understood that this was the Mother of the True God!
Our Lady of Guadalupe converts millions of Aztec Indians
On the brink of war, the Aztecs who had sacrificed humans and often killed 50,000 people per year and the Spaniards lived completely different culture but this miracle of the Tilma would change Mexico for ever.
The Aztec Indians embraced Christianity and it helped the Spaniards to treat the Indians with respect and as human beings. In seven years, 6,000,000 Indians converted to the Catholic faith. This was the biggest conversion in the history of the Church!
Mary’s appearance also put an end to the worship of stone gods and the ritual of human sacrifice.
Juan Diego is declared a Saint by the Church
Juan Diego, the humble man to whom the Virgin Mary appeared, was canonized in the summer of 2002.
Mary’s appearance also put an end to the worship of stone gods and the ritual of human sacrifice.
Who is Our Lady of Guadalupe the Patroness?
We pray for Mary’s help today to bring an end to the human sacrifice of God’s children through abortion and to convert non-believers.
Our Lady of Guadalupe is also called the Patroness of the Unborn.
Her feast day is on 12 December.
Our Lady of Guadalupe,
Pray for Us!
