# data[].attributes.headline
Why is the lady of Guadalupe so important in Mexican culture?  

# data[].attributes.subject
Why is the lady of Guadalupe so important in Mexican culture?  

# data[].attributes.body
the Virgin of Guadalupe is the patron saint of Mexico. She is depicted with brown skin, an angel and moon at her feet and rays of sunlight that encircle her.

# data[].attributes.headline
Why is this only celebrated in Mexican culture?  

# data[].attributes.subject
Why is this only celebrated in Mexican culture?  

# data[].attributes.body
The virgin Mary is very important in Mexican culture because she is a powerful symbol of Mexican identity.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Elena Rubio, a teacher in Brooklyn, New York, was five years old when she first heard the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

"It was on a family trip to Mexico," she recalled. "Back then, I couldn't figure out whether the Virgin Mary and this lady were the same person. Then my mom told me that Our Lady of Guadalupe had appeared in Mexico, and I was totally intrigued. I was fascinated, because it seemed to be a real thing, something with proof left behind."

For Rubio and millions of other Mexicans and Mexican-Americans, December 12th holds special significance. It marks the date in 1531 when the Virgin Mary purportedly appeared to an indigenous Mexican, in the last of several apparitions.

To the present day, Our Lady of Guadalupe remains a powerful symbol of Mexican identity and faith, and her image is associated with everything from motherhood to feminism to social justice.

Across the U.S., many of the faithful will be attending mass; in some communities like Des Plaines, Illlinois the mass is preceded by a pilgrimage to a venerated shrine for the beloved virgin.
RELATED: Voices: Growing Up with Our Lady of Guadalupe
Rubio is continuing the religious tradition, telling her own young children about Our Lady of Guadalupe. "It's interesting how, in our culture, she is still so prevalent and recognizable. She is still revered, like the ultimate symbol of goodness." Rubio revealed to NBC News that in her home, she has Our Lady of Guadalupe artwork, icons, and even a small nightlight bearing her image. "I guess she's watching over us," Rubio laughed.

According to lore, it was a winter's day in 1531 when the Virgin Mary first appeared to Juan Diego, a peasant, as he was crossing a hillside near present-day Mexico City. She appeared as a dark-skinned woman who spoke Nahuatl, Juan Diego's native language. This woman asked Juan Diego to build her a little house, a casita, on the hill. Twice Juan Diego reported this to his local bishop, who didn't believe him. The second time, the bishop asked for proof of the apparitions.

Early on the morning of December 12th, the lady appeared again to Juan Diego and told him to gather some flowers at the top of the hill - a strange request because flowers were not in season in December. Juan Diego did as he was instructed, and found an array of Castilian roses. The lady helped him arrange them in his tilma (cloak), and he returned to the bishop with them as evidence. As Juan Diego presented the tilma to the bishop, the flowers tumbled out and the two men discovered a life-size image of the Virgin Mary on the inside of the cloak. This image is known as Our Lady of Guadalupe.

To Jeanette Rodriguez, author of Our Lady of Guadalupe: Faith and Empowerment Among Mexican-American Women, there are aspects of this story that make it unique. She finds it significant that the apparition chose to appear to a peasant.

"That makes sense, because God always chooses the people the world rejects," she said. "The Lady of Guadalupe also offered a different brand of faith. She didn't say, go to church or say the rosary. She said 'If you love me, trust me and believe in me, I will respond.'"

The historical context of this story is important, according to Rodriguez, a professor at Seattle University. The apparitions were seen only ten years after the conquest of central Mexico by the Spanish, at a time when the indigenous people of the Americas were devastated.

The notion of a brown-skinned Mary figure was critical to the eventual conversion of millions of indigenous people to Roman Catholicism.

"When indigenous people saw Guadalupe's image on the cloak, they could recognize the symbols surrounding her; the sun, the stars, the southern cross, and the placement of her hands indicating a gesture of offering," Rodriguez said.

The sash around Our Lady of Guadalupe's waist, Rodriguez explained, indicates that she is with child - one of the rare depictions of the mother of God as pregnant.

Today the Basilica of Guadalupe stands on the site where Our Lady of Guadalupe is said to have appeared to Juan Diego. It is one of the top attractions in Mexico, drawing millions of tourists and pilgrims every year. The cloak bearing the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe is on display, its colors seemingly not faded after hundreds of years.

December 12th became a national holiday in Mexico in 1859. Pope Pious XXII crowned Our Lady of Guadalupe "Empress of the Americas" in 1945, and she has long been recognized as the patron saint of Mexico.

In some ways, Our Lady of Guadalupe has become less of a religious symbol and more of a general cultural symbol, says John Moran Gonzalez, director of the Center for Mexican American Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. "The idea of the Virgin can retain her appeal without specifically being anchored in religious tradition."

"Our Lady is seen as the champion of the underdog, of the Indian, of all those who lack power in society," Gonzalez said. "In that sense she continues to be relevant as long as disparities in economic and political power exist. "

"You have to remember that she is the ultimate Mexican mother," Gonzalez added. "She is all about motherhood. And who doesn't love their mother?"

Our Lady of Guadalupe has particular resonance for Mexicans and Mexican-Americans. "We grew up with her, we are used to seeing her," said Pat Mora, author of the children's book, The Beautiful Lady: Our Lady of Guadalupe. "And as the Mexican-American population grows, the power of her image grows with it."

"The sense of her as a maternal force is relevant to all kinds of people," Mora noted. "There is almost a philosophical, contemplative quality to her. Though we may see her as silent, I see her as a figure that knows the power of quiet."

As a writer, Mora finds the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe fascinating. "It incorporates all of the senses; the beauty of her garment, the scent of the roses, the sound of her singing. These are interesting elements for an artist to play off of."

Several of Mora's books have featured Our Lady of Guadalupe as a character; in one, she appeared as a guest on a talk show.

Our Lady of Guadalupe has also figured into real-life historical events. Father Miguel Hidalgo launched Mexico's war for independence from Spain in 1810 by declaring, "Long live the Virgin of Guadalupe!" During the Mexican Revolution, Emiliano Zapata and other fighters carried her image into battle.

As recently as 1994, the Huffington Post reports, some Zapatista guerrillas continued this tradition during their uprising in the southern state of Chiapas. In such ways, Our Lady of Guadalupe has become a potent symbol of Mexican patriotism.

In the U.S., Our Lady of Guadalupe has at times been utilized as a social justice icon, her image evoked by everyone from Cesar Chavez in the 1970s to immigration reform activists in the 2000s.

"She is used as a symbol of justice," Mora said, "because she holds an appeal to the poor, to marginalized people. In the modern day, we can see her as representing people standing against oppression, declaring their independence."

In Mexican-American communities, the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a common sight. Aside from churches, she is seen on murals and calendars, in museums and on cholo (gang member) tattoos.

There are, however, apparently limits to the types of appropriation of Our Lady of Guadalupe's image that the general public will tolerate.

In 2001, visual artist Alma Lopez generated controversy with her rendering of Our Lady of Guadalupe in her familiar pose, wearing a bikini made of roses. Angry crowds protested museums and universities where the digital artwork was exhibited, claiming it disrespected Catholics and a sacred image. Lopez was threatened, and called a "pervert" and a "witch."

Lopez still receives emails from people upset about her work, entitled Our Lady. "But I am a feminist, and I would never create an image of a woman without respect," Lopez said. "It was never my intent to do work for controversy, or just for work's sake. I have actually thought a great deal about the Virgin of Guadalupe."

Lopez believes that the image stirs such passion in people because it taps into deep connections between memory, home and family. "In fact, the more I research the story - and its true origins - the more I believe in the power of the image."

Lopez sees the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe as a testament to the resilience of indigenous people; a strength that she believes is embodied in modern-day immigrants who survive despite racism and stereotypes.

For Cristofer Pereyra, director of the Hispanic Missions Office at the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix, December 12th marks a feast day that his community enthusiastically celebrates.

"We have so many events that we have had to combine them. They go on for the week before the actual date," he said. "We have processions with mass, and thousands of people come."

"I know that people still pass the story down," Pereyra said. "Some of them may no longer be practicing the faith anymore, sadly. But they have the statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe at home. The devotion is real. They believe."

Author Jeanette Rodriguez maintains that Our Lady of Guadalupe helps fuel the spirit of Mexican-Americans and other Latinos. "No matter how people try to knock us down, we never hit the floor. We have our Virgin of Guadalupe," she said. "We have our family, our culture, and our Virgin."
Follow NBC Latino on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Our Lady of Guadalupe is a powerful symbol of Mexican identity

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
For millions of Mexicans and Mexican-Americans, December 12th holds special significance.

# data[].attributes.body
Our lady of Guadalupe Feast Day
Each December 12th, the Mexican Catholic community celebrates the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
An elder Mexican man makes his way to Mass in the early morning twilight of December 9, 1531. He is a peasant, a simple farmer and laborer, and he has no education. Born under Aztec rule, he is a convert to Catholicism, and each step he takes this morning is a step into history.

The morning quiet is broken by a strange music that he will later describe as the beautiful sound of birds. Diverting his path to investigate the sound, Juan Diego comes face to face with a radiant apparition of the Virgin Mary.

Juan Diego is 57 years old. He has just encountered the Virgin Mary on Tepeyac Hill, the site of a former Aztec Temple. His wife has died two years earlier, and he lives with his elder uncle, scratching his living from the earth as a humble peasant farmer. Why should this unlearned, man be chosen by Our Lady to carry a message to the Bishop? Perhaps because she would find none other as humble as Juan Diego.

Juan Diego is dazzled by the incredible beauty and miraculous nature of Our Lady's appearance. She appears as a native princess to him, and her words sound more beautiful than the sweetest music ever made.

Our Lady calms the startled traveler, and assures him of who she is. She instructs Juan Diego to visit his bishop and ask that a temple be built on the site of her appearance, so that she will have a place to hear petitions and to heal the suffering of the Mexican people. "Now go and put forth your best effort," Our Lady instructs.

Visibly shaken, Juan Diego approaches the Bishop who is initially very skeptical of his account. What did this peasant truly want? Does he merely seek attention? Notoriety? Money? Or is he possessed by demons? Has Juan Diego been tricked by the Devil?

The Bishop patiently listens to Juan Diego's accounts and dismisses him. The humble farmer has failed.

Juan Diego begins to doubt himself. He returns to Tepeyac Hill where he hopes for some conformation of what he's experienced. Indeed, Our Lady does not disappoint, for she appears again, as radiant as before. Juan Diego tells Our Lady what she already knows, that the Bishop did not believe him. She instructs him to return the next morning and ask again.

The Bishop is beside himself. Why did this peasant insist on telling this story? How could he know if the peasant was lying or perhaps insane? At their second meeting, the Bishop asks for a sign. Juan Diego makes a promise he won't keep, saying he will return the very next morning with a sign from Our Lady.

But that evening, Juan Diego returns home to find his uncle, Juan Bernadino, who is 68 years old, and suddenly, terribly ill. The illness is known to the people there and it brings a burning fever so hot, it's almost always fatal. Juan Diego cannot leave his uncle's bedside to keep his pledge to the Bishop. He spends two days with his uncle, trying to save him. When it becomes apparent his uncle is about to die, he leaves to find a priest who can prepare him for death.

Frightened and saddened, Juan Diego sets off in a great hurry, time is running out, and Juan Diego is afraid his uncle will die without a last confession. On the road, in his way, Our Lady appears for a third time. Upset and afraid, Juan explains himself. Our Lady replies, "Am I not your mother? ... Are you not in the crossing of my arms?" she asks.

Shamed by the admonishment, but emboldened by Our Lady's presence, Juan Diego asks for the sign he promised to the Bishop. He knows he is wrong to doubt Our Lady. Juan Diego is instructed to climb to the top of Tepeyac Hill where he will find flowers. He is to pick the flowers there, which are unlike any he has seen before, and he is to keep them hidden in his tilma until he reaches the Bishop.

Juan Diego is skeptical again. It's December, what flowers could grow on the summit of the hill in this cold?

Nevertheless, he obeys and atop the hill he finds a great number of flowering roses which he picks and hastily gathers into his cloak.

For the third time, Juan Diego is ushered in to see the Bishop. The skeptical cleric has waited for two days to see what sign Our Lady has for him. Juan opens his tilma, letting the roses cascade to the floor. But more than the roses, both men are astonished to see what is painted on his humble tilma - an exquisite image of Our Lady.

In the image, she stands as she appeared, a native princess with high cheekbones. Her head is bowed and her hands are folded in prayer to God. On her blue cloak, the stars are arranged as they appeared in the morning darkness at the hour of her first apparition.

Under her feet, is a great crescent moon, a symbol of the old Aztec religion. The message is clear, she is more powerful than the Aztec gods, yet she herself is not God.

At the same time Our Lady is appearing to Juan Diego, and directing him to cut the flowers on Tepeyac Hill, she also appears to his uncle, Juan Bernadino who believes he is about to die. As soon as she appears, the fever stops and Juan Bernadino feels well again. She tells Juan Bernadino, she wants to be known as "Santa Maria, de Guadalupe."

Our Lady of Guadalupe did not appear again, for her mission was complete. The temple was built and remains there today, in what is now a suburb of Mexico City. Juan Diego's tilma, woven from cactus fibers, with a shelf-life of just 30 years at best, remains miraculously preserved.

The symbolism of Our Lady's dress is obvious to over eight million Native Mexicans, whom all speak different languages. She is brighter than the sun, more powerful than any Aztec god, yet she is not a god herself, and she prays to one greater than her. Her gown is adorned with stars in the correct position as in the night sky, and the gold fringe of her cloak mirrors the surrounding countryside. Millions of natives will convert at the news of what has happened. Millions more will make pilgrimages over the next five centuries to see the miraculous tilma, and to honor Our Lady of Guadalupe. Great miracles continue to occur, even today.

Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you.Help Now >

On October 12, 1945, Pope Pius XII, decreed Our Lady of Guadalupe to be "Patroness of all the Americas." Her feast day is December 12, and it is a Holy Day of Obligation in Mexico.

Our Lady of Guadalupe had this to say to Juan Diego:

"Know for certain, least of my sons, that I am the perfect and perpetual Virgin Mary, Mother of the True God through whom everything lives, the Lord of all things near and far, the Master of heaven and earth. It is my earnest wish that a temple be built here to my honor. Here I will demonstrate, I will exhibit, I will give all my love, my compassion, my help and my protection to the people. I am your merciful mother, the merciful mother of all of you who live united in this land, and of all mankind, of all those who love me, of those who cry to me, of those who seek me, of those who have confidence in me. Here I will hear their weeping, their sorrow, and will remedy and alleviate all their multiple sufferings, necessities and misfortunes."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Our Lady of Guadalupe - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
An elder Mexican man makes his way to Mass in the early morning twilight of December 9, 1531. He is a peasant, a simple farmer and laborer, and he has no education. Born under Aztec rule, he is a convert to Catholicism, and each step he takes this morning is a step into history.

# data[].attributes.body
What is the topic?
Why is it important?
Why must the study be done in this particular place?
What previous research has been done on topic, place or related
areas?

# data[].attributes.body
This celebration commemorates the appearance of Mary to the Mexican peasant Juan Diego in 1531.