Our Lady of Guadalupe was declared “Patroness of all America” by Pope Pius XII

On a Saturday, in the year 1531, the Blessed Virgin appeared to an indigenous man who, from his village, was walking to Mexico City to participate in catechesis and Holy Mass while on the hill of Tepeyac, near the capital. This converted Indian was called Juan Diego (canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2002).

Our Lady then told Juan Diego to go to the bishop and ask him to build a sanctuary in that place for the honor and glory of God.

The local bishop, using prudence, asked the indigenous person for a sign from the Virgin which, only in the third apparition, was granted. This happened when Juan Diego was looking for a priest for his sick uncle: “Listen, my son, there is nothing to fear, don’t be worried or scared; Do not fear this illness, nor any other unpleasantness or affliction. Am I not here, by your side? I am your giving Mother.

Did I not choose him for myself and take him into my care? What do you want more than this? Do not allow anything to distress and disturb you. As for your uncle’s illness, it is not fatal. I ask you, believe right now, because he is already healed. Dear son, these roses are the sign that you will take to the Bishop. Tell him in my name that in these roses he will see my will and fulfill it. You are my ambassador and deserve my trust. When you arrive before him, unfold your “tilma” (cloak) and show him what you carry, however, only in his presence. Tell him everything you saw and heard, omit nothing…”

Prelate saw not only the roses, but the miracle of the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, painted prodigiously on the mantle of the humble indigenous man. He took the cloak with the image of the Blessed Virgin to the chapel, and there, amid tears, he asked Our Lady for forgiveness. It was December 12, 1531. A beautiful confirmation came when Juan Diego went to visit his uncle, who healthily narrated: “I also saw her. She came to this house and spoke to me. He also told me that he wanted a temple to be built on the hill of Tepeyac and that her image would be called ‘Saint Mary of Guadalupe’, although he did not explain why.” Faced with all this, many converted and the sanctuary was built.

The great miracle of Our Lady of Guadalupe is her own image. The fabric, made from cactus, does not last more than 20 years and has been around for more than four and a half centuries. For 16 years, the canvas was completely unprotected, the image was never retouched and to this day experts in painting and chemistry have not found any sign of corruption on the canvas.

In 1971, some experts inadvertently dropped nitric acid on the entire painting. And not even the force of such a corrosive acid damaged or stained the image. With the invention and expansion of photography it was discovered that, just as the figure of the people we speak to is reflected in our eyes, in the same way the figure of Juan Diego, the aforementioned bishop and the interpreter was reflected and recorded in the eyes of the painting of Our Lady. American scientists have come to the conclusion that these three figures stamped on Our Lady’s eyes are not a painting, but images engraved on the eyes of a living person.

Declared Pope Benedict the ship of the Church… God has not acted like this with any other nation.” Crowned in 1875 during the Pontificate of Leo XIII, Our Lady of Guadalupe was declared “Patron Saint of all America” by Pope Pius XII on October 12, 1945.

On January 27, 1979, during his apostolic trip to Mexico, Pope John Paul II visited the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Guadalupe and consecrated all of Latin America, of which the Virgin of Guadalupe is Patroness, to the Blessed Mother.

Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us!