OUR LADY OF GUADULUPE
One of the earliest Christian converts in the Americas was an Aztec man named Juan Diego. His home was a place called Cuantitlan, which was close to the city we now know to be Mexico City. Juan was a native Aztec, a simple uneducated peasant farmer, who's life was to be transformed by way of a simple meeting with a beautiful lady who announced herself as - the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God.
Mary calls Juan with her soft voice: 'Juan come up here.'
One day in 1531 an 18 year old young Christian Aztec man, a convert to the new religion was on his way to attend Mass. He was passing by Tepeyac Hill where the birds were singing, when suddenly he heard. a soft voice calling him. 'Juan come up here.' Juan didn't feel inclined to respond as the voice came from the top of the hill, where there was the ruins of an old temple. The priest at the time had told Juan to not have anything to do with the old religion. but the woman's sweet voice called louder, 'Come up Juan, I have something to tell you.' Juan was curious. He began to climb the steep hill. The singing birds and the sweet voice drew him higher and higher, when suddenly Juan was faced with a beautiful lady. All around her were golden rays. She was dressed in a blue cape which had stars dotted throughout. He at once fell to his knees. The maiden told him, 'I am the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God. I desire that a chapel be built here. There I will hear your people's troubles and relieve their sufferings.' 'Go to the Bishop in Mexico City and tell him everything that you have seen and heard. Juan was by amazed by the beauty of the vision and replied, 'yes, my lady, I will do everything you asked.'
Juan delivers the message
When Juan arrived at the Bishop's house, he knocked the door, but the servant refused to open it when he saw the poor Indian standing at the stoop. Juan knocked again and insisted that he see the Bishop as 'I bring him an important message.' This time the servant responded by opening the door and leading him to the Bishop's office.
Juan delivered the message to the Bishop and told him everything, including Our Lady's instruction, that a chapel be built in her honour.
But the Bishop refused to believe that the Holy Virgin would appear to a poor Indian. He told Juan to ask the Lady for a sign, and 'then I will believe and carry out her wishes.'
A disappointed Juan left the Bishop's office and he hurried home. When he arrived, he discovered that his uncle was sick and near death. The old man begged Juan to bring a priest. Juan left before dawn and avoided the hill going around it, hoping to arrive at church faster.
Suddenly the Virgin Mary appeared with Golden lights surrounding her. A cherub lay at her feet and she seemed to float above the rough brown grass.
Mary asked Juan,'Where are you going my son?' Bowing low, Juan replied, 'i'm hurrying to bring a priest to my dying uncle - to hear his last confession.' 'Do not worry,' the Lady told Juan. 'At this very moment your uncle is completely healed.'
Juan was amazed and very grateful to hear the news about his uncle. He then explained the response he had received from the Bishop about Our Lady's message. In particular, the request for a sign.
The Miraculous image of Mary
The Lady instructed Juan to climb to the top of Tepeyac hill. He did as he was instructed, and although winter he found many bushes covered with roses.
Juan laid his tilma (a rough cape woven of cactus fiber) on the ground, and filled it with the blooming roses. He returned to the Lady and she rearranged the flowers, and tied the corners of the tilma behind Juan's neck.
The Holy Virgin told Juan to return to the Bishop with the sign and request that he build a chapel in her name, to honour her.
Juan returned to the Bishop's residence, and on being received by the Bishop, Juan opened his tilma spilling dozens of huge red roses at the Bishop's feet.
The Bishop's eye's were not on the roses, but he was staring at Juan's empty tilma. For on it was a portrait of the Lady exactly as Juan had described her. All of the people in the room dropped to their knees before this miraculous image of Mary, the Holy Mother of God.
The Bishop was convinced and ordered a chapel to be built in the Virgin's honour Thousands have since claimed to be healed whilst praying at the chapel .
In 1709, a great church was built to replace the chapel. Juan's tilma was placed above the altar for all to see. The picture on the tilma became known as the Virgin of Guadalupe.
The church was re-built into a larger basilica in 1975, and the picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe is now 450 years old, and is as bright as it was when new - and is in perfect condition.