There are shrines everywhere you turn in Mexico, especially those celebrating Our Lady of Guadalupe. In 1531, a “Lady from Heaven” appeared to a peasant at Tepeyac, a hill northwest of what is now Mexico City. Legend says she identified herself as the Virgin Mary and requested that a church be built on the site. The Virgin of Guadalupe has symbolized the Mexican nation since the Mexican War of Independence. The armies of Miquel Hidalgo, Emiliano Zapata and Subcomandante Marcos all marched beneath flags bearing the Guadalupan image, and Our Lady of Guadalupe is generally recognized to be a symbol of all Catholic Mexicans. The Basilica of our Lady of Guadaloupe in Mexico City was apparently the most visited Catholic Shrine in the world in 1999.
On the drive down we passed several images of Our Lady of Guadaloupe painted on the sides of mountains and there were dozens of small shrines along the sides of the road. This shrine was at a Pemex (gas) station.
We pass these shrines everyday.
This was discovered at the Old Mazatlan Inn, the little boutique hotel where our friends Jerry and Diane are staying.
The Feast of our Lady of Guadalupe is celebrated on December 12, and the day is considered a Holy Day. This very large shrine is 2 blocks from the casita and has been decorated for the occasion.
And that's the end of today's lesson!
It's so interesting to me thatCatholics honour the Virgin Mary all over the world with such passion! I loved the pictures !Do you recall in Germany how Christmas was celebrated with all those bells ringing. It was very moving even to teenagers who were busy ripping open presents and guzzeling the liqueur from european chocolates.It was so lovely!
ReplyDeleteThose Christmases we spent in Germany were magical weren't they? I especially remember the wonderful displays in all the shop windows; even the tiny little stores had a Christmas scene, often with moving parts. And yes, I do remember those amazing chocolates!
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