Spend a Little Time with a VirginJun 07 '01 Write an essay on this topic.The Bottom Line The Virgin of Guadalupe isn't just a symbol of hope to Mexico's religious faithful, it's a symbol of national identity. She is a symbol of hope to poor peasants who have nothing else but hope and she is a protector of people who have been oppressed by every government and army they've ever seen. The Virgin of Guadalupe is more than just a symbol and icon to millions of Mexican faithful, she is also a powerful saint and a revered part of daily life. Everywhere in Mexico, symbols of the Lady of Guadalupe show up (often unexpectedly). Statues are placed in roadside shrines and decals adorn the back of buses and taxis. T-shirts bear her likeness, and candles with her image painted on the side are lit as desperate pleas for a miracle. You might hike miles up a rugged backwoods trail to the top of a mountain in the Sierra Madres, and likely as not, you'll find a carefully tended shrine to the Virgin there with a hand lettered sign inviting all who pass to greet the lady and thank her for her providence. The Virgin of Guadalupe is so important to the spirit of Mexico that it takes more than a week to adequately sing her praises, and in more than a few parts of Mexico, the feast of the Lady of Guadalupe draws bigger crowds than a Christmas or Easter mass. While the official holiday is December 12, parades and festivals start on the 6th and culminate on the 12th. Celebrating the Virgin of Guadalupe The biggest and best-known celebration to the Virgin is unquestionably the one at the basilica in Mexico City on December 12th. That celebration is like New Years Eve in Times Square. It is attended by the capital's elite, is televised nationally, and features events like pop singer Juan Gabriel singing hymns. More typical and enjoyable to tourists like us are the celebrations in dozens of other cities and towns throughout the republic -- especially those with a church dedicated to the virgin. One of the best I've ever been to was in Puerto Vallarta, whose large cathedral is consecrated in the name of the Virgin of Guadalupe. I was in Puerto Vallarta in December of 1999 during the celebrations, and it was definitely an event that was hard to miss. Indians from the countryside would dress in elaborate costumes and march miles to the resort city. The big processions would start around sunset, and there were several of them every evening. As we rode the bus from the Marina district to downtown, we passed several processional groups marching along the side of the road near the Sheraton Bouganvillea. There were elaborate floats built on trucks of every size and description, marching bands, and groups of the dressed up indians (who were referred to as "matachinas" -- I don't know why, and I don't even know if I've got the word exactly right). Downtown, people would line up along the narrow sidewalks as the processions wound their way towards the Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe -- the huge old barroque church whose domes and distinctive iron crown are among the most photographed sites in town. Electrical wires hang over the streets in Puerto Vallarta, and particularly tall floats would have someone with a long pole marching in front of the float to push the wires out of the way. Some of the groups were indian groups, but others were not. There were also groups of children dressed in traditional colors, or sometimes dressed as young virgins or young Juan Diegos. The wide wood doors of the old cathedral were thrown open and marchers proceeded into the cathedral. The processions were repeated several times each evening, but not for the benefit of the tourists. There are just far more marchers and floats coming into town than could be accommodated in one single parade. If you catch a procession on the tail end, don't worry, just hang out for an hour or so and another procession will be along. Meanwhile, a couple blocks away at the town's large central square near the end of the malecon, rows of vendors lined up stands of food. Any delicacy you could imagine could be gotten here! There were stands selling fresh squeezed fruit juice punches, several with homemade pies and pastries. One corner of the zocolo was dominated by a group of young men with huge copper vats over gas-fired cajun cookers where they were roasting fresh nuts. Crowds were everywhere and a delicious blend of scents filled the evening air. The whole city was alive and celebrating a joyous event. It was like being a guest at a party with 100,000 of your closest friends! Other cities are different. Last winter I was in Monterrey in December and the celebration was smaller and more subdued, although it was also only December 9, and I was there in the afternoon, not the evening. There were processions of matachinas marching into town from the countryside, and they would dance in a plaza area outside the cathedral. Interesting, but not nearly as festive as the celebration in Puerto Vallarta. Perhaps I just need to come back when the party is really in full swing... The Virgin's Story The story behind the Virgin of Guadalupe takes place in 1531, when a young Aztec named Juan Diego (sometimes referred to as "a peasant," other times as "an Aztec prince") was on a hillside outside Mexico City when the image of Mary appeared to him, asking for a church to be built in her honor. Diego told the bishop, but he did not believe the young native boy. The virgin re-appeared and told Diego to pick some roses, wrap them in his coat, and take them to the bishop as a sign that she was there and had made roses grow in a place and at a time when they could not have grown. Diego did as he was told and took the roses to the bishop. When he appeared before the bishop and unwrapped the coat, the flowers had been transformed into a vivid image of the Virgin Mary burnished into the coat. Over the centuries, the Virgin of Guadalupe has become a symbol of hope for the poor and oppressed. She has become the universal symbol of hope throughout the Americas, where she sometimes is referred to as the Blessed Virgin, or in places like Puerto Rico, as Our Lady of Divine Providence. Regardless of the name, the message of divine hope remains constant. In Mexico (and other Latin American countries), the image of the virgin is a powerful symbol. Her image is often invoked when nothing short of divine intervention can solve a problem. Basilica of Guadalupe There are many churches and cathedrals dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe, but none are as significant as the Basilica of Guadalupe, located on the north side of Mexico City in the neighborhood of Villa de Guadalupe Hidalgo (Metro station La Villa Basilica on line 6). The basilica is a huge circular cathedral. It is here that you can see Juan Diego's original coat bearing the virgin's image, and a visit to this cathedral is worthwhile no matter what time of year you find yourself in the city. The basilica may be modern and new, but praising the virgin in this place is as old as the city itself. The first temple to the Virgin was built here in the 1500s, and has been expanded and rebuilt several times since. Most recently in the 1970s when the old cathedral's foundation had started to sink and shift, making it unsafe for worshippers. The basilica is open daily, but the most spectacular time to visit is early December -- especially December 12, which is when the special celebration to the Virgin takes place. The basilica has also hosted various special ceremonies and events, including a solemn mass conducted here in 1999 by Pope John Paul II. Hope and Identity While the Virgin of Guadalupe is a symbol of hope and compassion for millions of Mexicans, she is far more than that. She is also a symbol of national pride and identity. She is the patron saint of a whole nation. One can never truly understand the Mexican psyche or its culture without first understanding the significance and power behind its most important religious icon -- so spend a little time with the Virgin.  |
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