Our Lady of Guadalupe By: Maryrose Richards Melissa Rivera Nicole Vulpi Kristen Norrgard

Religion The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a major Catholic shrine in the outskirts of Mexico City In 1999, the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City became the most-visited Catholic shrine in the world.

History –December 9th, 1531 On the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Juan Diego, a recent convert had just come from mass and heard a young woman calling his voice while walking by Tepevac Hill At the top of the hill he saw a woman clothed in splendid light, it was the Virgin Mary Her message for him was to go to see the Bishop of Mexico City, have a church be built, and to hear the petitions of the people there

–Juan was granted the right to build a church after a few tries with Franciscan Bishop Fray Juan Zumarraga The Bishop didn’t believe Juan, though the bishop had been praying to Mary for help and secretly thought Juan’s arrival was an answer to his prayers The bishop refused to believe him until he saw a sign

–Juan did not return for a few days because his uncle was ill, on the 12 th he was returning from getting a priest and the Virgin Mary appeared on his way back, saying that his uncle was already healed Our Lady appeared to his uncle and healed him Juan was instructed to go the top of the hill and gather the flowers growing in his cloak and bring them to the bishop Once he met with the bishop, he let down his cloak to show the flowers and there was an image on his cloak, everyone in the knelt That was the sign the bishop was waiting for and he promised to build a shrine It is stated that the cloth has still not deteriorated after 478 years

Pilgrimage to Guadalupe While on their pilgrimage to the Basilica of Guadalupe, some pilgrims crawl on their knees for miles They pray to the Virgin of Guadalupe

The pilgrimage is held all year-round but it is most popular on December 12, the anniversary of Juan Diego’s sighting of the Virgin, also known as the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe which consists of music and dancing and celebrating the Virgin of Guadalupe. About million pilgrims visit Our Lady of Guadalupe yearly Devoted pilgrims believe that the Virgin of Guadalupe can cure alcoholics and almost any sickness. They put all of their faith in the Virgin to take away their problems. They promise the Virgin and fulfill their promise

Who goes on the pilgrimage? MEXICO CITY, DEC. 14, More than 6.1 million pilgrims visited the Basilica of Guadalupe on Friday and Saturday to mark the 478th anniversary of the apparitions of the Virgin to Juan Diego on the hill of Tepeyac, according to the official figures made public Saturday night. The figure breaks the historic attendance record set in 2008 when just over 6 million pilgrims visited the shrine last year on the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, considered the most important day in the religious calendar for Mexicans. A recent surveyed showed that one out of every four Mexicans say they have received a favor or miracle through the intercession of the Virgin, who is patron of the Americas.

Why go on this pilgrimage? The shrine at Guadalupe is considered the holiest place in the Western Hemisphere. –The Basilica commemorates the Virgin Mary's appearance and honors her request that a Shrine be built in Her honor. –Its miraculous history provides a spiritual journey for those who wish to be enlightened

Inside the basilica

What happens during the pilgrimage? The journey to Our Lady of Guadalupe is a six day pilgrimage ITINERARY: Day 1: U.S.A. - Mexico City Depart from Local Airport for Mexico City. On arriving, we'll meet our guide for our six-day adventure. Transfer to our deluxe hotel for dinner and overnight in Mexico City.

Day 2: Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Tilma of Juan Diego and Chapel of Tepeyac After breakfast, we travel by way of the Plaza of the Three Cultures (Tlatelolco) to visit the baptismal place of Juan Diego. As we drive you will be enchanted by the artful blending of pre-Hispanic and Hispanic cultures. Our destination is the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the patroness of the Americas. Celebrate Mass in the brilliantly colored, modern Basilica dedicated in Join your prayers with those of other pilgrims as you kneel before the altar displaying the astounding Tilma, the sackcloth bearing the image of the Holy Virgin. In the afternoon we visit the pyramids of Teoihuacan – the Place of Sun and Moon - the Temple of Quetzalcoatl, and other ancient structures. Dinner and Overnight in Mexico City.

Day 3: Puebla, Shrine of San Miguel del Milagro and Ocatlan After breakfast visit Puebla, about 60 miles southeast of Mexico City is a city known by many names over the years: City of Angels, City of Tiles, Heroic City of Zaragoza. Today we know it as simply Puebla. Continue tour to Tlaxcala. Enjoy the ride through the mountains as we travel to Tlaxcala and the Shrine of San Miguel Del Milagro. Celebrate Mass at the site where St Michael the Archangel appeared to Diego Lazaro in 1631, directing him to the Grotto and to a well of miraculous curative waters. Then see the image of Our Lady burnt into a tree trunk after she appeared to Juan Diego Bernardino in Perfectly preserved, the image in a tree resides in the Basilica of Our Lady of Ocotland. Return to hotel for dinner and overnight in Mexico City.

Day 4: Mexico City After breakfast, we're off to the Museum for Anthropology, itself an architectural wonder housing artifacts from Mexico's pre-Columbian civilizations. After lunch, we travel to the Plaza of Santo Domingo, the first church built by the Dominicans in Housed within is the first rosary shrine in Mexico, Our Lady of the Rosary and a second shrine, Our Lady of Covadonga (the headquarters of the Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary founded in 1538). This evening allows for an optional performance at the Palace of Fine Arts of the acclaimed Mexican Folklore Ballet. Dinner and overnight in Mexico City.

Day 5: Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe After breakfast we will attend Mass at Shrine. Afternoon visit the last remaining canals at Xochimilco. Here, the farms still produce flowers, fruit and vegetables for the city, and you will take a leisurely trip in a gondola ride. Dinner and overnight in Mexico City. Day 6: Mexico City - U.S.A. After breakfast, depart from Mexico City for our return flight to USA.

Examples of People on the Pilgrimage –Julio Cesar - 19 year old Mexican Catholic metalworker who crawled on his knees for five hours to reach the Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City. He asked the Virgin to look after his children and his request was answered so he was thanking her –Bertin Nava - salesman who walked for six hours to see the Virgin. “This is family tradition. My father started coming when I was small and started the custom of coming every year, walking from the house to here,” –Ricardo Lozano - walked for 2 1/2 days from Atlixco, in the central state of Puebla. Carrying a thick blanket on his back. “I have strong faith and wanted to make the journey to the Virgin”

Prayers to Our Lady of Guadalupe

Memorare Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary of Guadalupe, that in thy celestial apparitions on the mount of Tepeyac, thou didst promise to show thy compassion and pity towards all who, loving and trusting thee, seek thy help and call upon thee in their necessities and afflictions. Thou didst promise to hearken to our supplications, to dry our tears and to give us consolation and relief. Never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession, either for the common welfare, or in personal anxieties, was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, we fly unto thee, O Mary, ever Virgin Mother of the True God! Though grieving under the weight of our sins, we come to prostrate ourselves in thy august presence, certain that thou wilt deign to fulfill thy merciful promises. We are full of hope that, standing beneath thy shadow and protection, nothing will trouble or afflict us, nor need we fear illness, or misfortune, or any other sorrow. Thou hast decided to remain with us through thy admirable image, thou who art our Mother, our health and our life. Placing ourselves beneath thy maternal gaze and having recourse to thee in all our necessities we need do nothing more. O Holy Mother of God, despise not our petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer us. (Here mention your petition.) Five Hail Marys...in gratitude for the four apparitions to Juan Diego and the one to Juan Bernardino.

Prayer of Our Lady of Guadalupe Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mystical Rose, make intercession for the Holy Church, protect the Sovereign Pontiff, help all those who invoke thee in their necessities, and since thou art the ever Virgin Mary, and Mother of the True God, obtain for us from thy most holy Son the grace of keeping our faith, of sweet hope in the midst of the bitterness of life, of burning charity, and the precious gift of final perseverance. Amen. One Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father...in gratitude for the Miraculous Portrait as a continuing miracle and testimony.

Morning Offering Immaculate Heart of Mary, Heart of my Mother, Our Lady of Guadalupe, I unite to thy purity, thy sanctity, thy zeal and thy love, all my thoughts, words, acts, and sufferings this day, that there may be nothing in me that does not become through thee, a pleasure to Jesus, a gain to souls, and an act of reparation for the offenses against thy Heart.

Prayer Remember, O most gracious Virgin of Guadalupe, that in your apparitions on Mount Tepeyac you promised to show pity and compassion to all who, loving and trusting you, seek your help and protection. Accordingly, listen now to our supplications and grant us consolation and relief. We are full of hope that, relying on your help, nothing can trouble or affect us. As you have remained with us through your admirable image, so now obtain for us the graces we need. Amen.