Our Lady of Guadalupe
From the archives: Extract from an article in Madonna, May 1901

Our Lady of Guadalupe is Queen of Mexico. The building of first a chapel and eventually a basilica to honour Mary came about through the efforts of Indian peasant Juan Diego in the early sixteenth century. These events are retold in the beautiful story of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The Basilica was finished in 1709. Late in the nineteenth century it was closed for restoration. It reopened in 1895 and the miraculous picture was crowned. This article from Madonna described details of the magnificently jewelled crown and the elaborate ceremony of crowning. Because the basilica’s foundations were sinking, a new one was built nearby, between 1974-76. Pope John Paul II visited there on his first overseas trip in 1979. At the conclusion of World Youth Day in Toronto in July, Pope John Paul II will travel to Mexico to canonise Juan Diego.
On a hill about three miles north of the city of Mexico [New Mexico] stands the cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe. It was begun about one hundred and forty years ago, to commemorate the apparition of our Blessed Lady to a poor Indian.

It was on Saturday, December 9, 1531, that Juan Diego, a poor Mexican Indian, left the little village where he lived to go to the city of Mexico, about three miles distant. He started before daybreak so that he might be in time to hear Mass in honour of the Blessed Virgin, for whom he had great devotion. Day was beginning to break as Juan reached the foot of a mountain, which he was just about to climb, when he heard the sound of music. Looking up he saw a bright, white cloud. From the centre of this cloud shone a ray of light, forming a halo in which were all the colors of the rainbow.
Juan could scarcely believe his eyes till he heard a sweet voice call his name. He hastened to climb the hill, and at the top found a very beautiful woman, around whom shone a light that made the stones and bushes sparkle like gems. When the Indian drew near, our Blessed Lady, for it was she, told him that she wished a church to be built on that spot, and bade him go to Mexico and tell this to the bishop.

On reaching the city, Juan went straight to the bishop, and humbly related what the Blessed Virgin had confided to him. The bishop listened with attention, but fearing Juan might be misled, he put him off, and bade him come again. Juan returned homeward, feeling very sad.

When he reached the place of the vision he saw our Blessed Mother waiting for him. He was not surprised, and going up he threw himself at her feet, and told her of his want of success. The Blessed Virgin listened with kindness, and told Juan she had millions of angels at her command, but she had chosen him, her faithful servant, for this work. She ordered him to return to the bishop and repeat the message. Poor Juan told her he was afraid it was useless, but promised to obey.

He went to Mexico the next day, and in his simple manner told that he had seen the Blessed Virgin a second time, and she had again commanded him to have a church built in her honour. ‘I believe you’, said the bishop; ‘but to be still more certain, ask her who sends you for some sign by which we may know if she be really the Mother of God.’ He then dismissed Juan, but sent some servants to follow him and note what happened. The servants did as they were bidden, but suddenly the Indian disappeared, and no trace of him could be found. Then the servants returned, and told the bishop that Juan was deceiving him, and ought to be punished.
In the meantime Juan went to the spot where the Blessed Mother was awaiting him. As before, he knelt at her feet and repeated what the bishop had said. With great tenderness Our Lady bade him come to her the next day, saying she would give him the asked-for sign. Juan promised to return; but when he reached home he found his uncle very ill, so he determined to remain with the sick man. As the latter grew worse, Juan started on the second day to bring a priest, so that the man might receive the last sacraments.
Remembering that he had not kept his promise, and fearing to meet the Blessed Virgin, the Indian took another path, and was hurrying on, when he saw her coming down the hill to meet him. ‘My son’, said she, ‘where are you going?’ The Indian, confused, threw himself at the feet of his Queen, and said with simplicity, ‘Well beloved Virgin, do not be displeased with me. I am going for a priest, that my uncle, your servant, who is dangerously ill, may make his confession and receive the last sacraments. Pardon me, and I will return at daybreak tomorrow, without fail.’

When he had finished speaking, the Blessed Virgin told him that his uncle was cured. ‘Go now’, she said, ‘to the top of the hill, and gather the roses that are blooming there. Put them in your cloak, and bring them to me; I will tell you what to do with them.’
Though Juan had never seen any roses there, he obeyed without a word. How great, then, was his surprise to find a garden rich with flowers. Filling his tilma, or cloak, with roses, he placed it on his shoulders and hurried back to his Queen. Our Lady took the roses in her pure hands, and letting them drop back into the cloak, said to Juan, ‘Present these to the bishop, and say that they are the proof of the command I give you. Do not show any one what you carry, and open your cloak only in the presence of the bishop.’

Thanking the Blessed Virgin, Juan started once more for the city. When he reached the bishop’s house, the servants, noticing that he carried something concealed in his cloak, began to push and pull him about, till they discovered what he had. At sight of the roses the men attempted to take them from him, but whenever they were touched they turned to painted flowers on the Indian’s cloak.
When Juan was brought before the bishop he opened his cloak to show the sign that was to prove his words, and fresh, sweet-smelling roses, wet with dew, fell to the floor, while on the cloak itself appeared a beautiful picture of the Immaculate Mother of God.
‘The finger of God is here’, said the bishop, and then he knelt before the picture and gave praise to God. The miraculous picture was placed in the principal church of Mexico, where it remained till a suitable chapel was built on the hill, as the Blessed Virgin desired.