 |
|
|
 News from Around the Americas | December 2007 
Churches Celebrate the "Feast" of Our Lady of Guadalupe
 Galen Holley - Daily Journal
go to original
Mary, the mother of Jesus, has been depicted in many ways, most often as a blushing, pale European. Our Lady of Guadalupe is an ethnic image of Mary: One with dark, distinctly "Indian" features that exemplifies the universality of the Christian Gospel.
Catholic churches will celebrate the "Feast" - a special day of observances, marked on the liturgical calendar - of Our Lady of Guadalupe on Dec. 12. The image and its history will play a central role in dramas, dancing and other forms of cultural expression that are important to Hispanic people.
When the Spanish conquistadors arrived in Latin America in the 16th century they began converting the natives to the Catholic faith.
Sr. Soledad Mendoza, Pastoral Coordinator at St. Christopher Catholic Church in Pontotoc, said that the Spaniards brought mixed blessings.
"They were violent and hungry for gold," she said. "They tried to destroy the Indian culture. However, many of the monks and priests loved the native people and brought the authentic message of Jesus Christ."
The Spainards' initial efforts at evangelizing met with limited success.
Then, as legend has it, something miraculous happened. The events are recorded in a 16th-century work, written in Nahuatl - the Aztec language - by the Indian scholar Antonio Valeriano.
On Dec. 9, 1531, an Indian peasant and converted Catholic named Juan Diego was walking on Tepeyac Hill, outside modern day Mexico City, when he saw a vision: A pregnant Indian woman, clothed in a turquoise robe with bright stars, with rays of sunlight emanating behind her, her hands folded in prayer. She identified herself as "The Virgin Mary, mother of the one true God." Mendoza said that Mary clearly distinguished herself from the gods of the pagan fertility cult, whose rights took place on the Tepeyac Hill.
Deep symbolism
Elquin Gonzales, coordinator of Hispanic ministry at St. James Catholic Church in Tupelo, said that the images of Juan Diego and Mary held deep symbolic meaning for the pre-Spanish, indigenous people. "Juan Diego represented simple, uneducated, everyday people. Mary appeared as one of them," said Gonzales.
Mary had dark skin and spoke in Nahautl. Her turquoise cloak signaled royalty to the Indians; the black sash around her waist was their sign for pregnancy. She was clothed in stars and stood upon the moon - signs connecting her both to Indian concepts of deity and to Rev. 12: 1.
Juan Diego notified the Spanish bishop who reacted with skepticism and requested a miraculous sign. "Perhaps because Juan Diego was not important the bishop didn't believe him," said Gonzales.
Mary reappeared to Juan Diego over three days and told him, even though it was December, to gather flowers upon the hill. Juan Diego found a patch of Spanish roses, gathered them and dropped them before the bishop, revealing the image of Mary seared into his cloak.
Through the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe the native people warmed to the Christian faith and began converting in greater numbers.
Today, the image of "Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe" is perhaps the most pervasive religious image in Hispanic culture. As Dr. Ed Sission, associate professor of Anthropology at the University of Mississippi said, "She appears on walls in East Los Angeles and on family altars across the U.S."
The Patroness of the Americas
Our Lady of Guadalupe has been adopted by Christians in most all Hispanic countries. "She is called The Patroness of the Americas,'" said Gonzales.
He added that Our Lady of Guadalupe represents the universality of the Christian Gospel. "She teaches the native people of God's love and she turns them from pagan ways," said Gonzales.
Sisson said that the Virgin of Guadalupe has served as a national symbol for Mexico. "Her image is revered by Catholics and non-Catholic Mexicans as a symbol of their homeland and traditions..." said Sisson.
During the Mexican War for Independence from Spain,1810-1821, native military leaders, such as Jose Maria Morelos and Felix Fernandez - who later became the first president of Mexico under the adopted name Guadalupe Victoria - used the image to rally national sentiment.
Jesus is central
Gonzales said that people sometimes misunderstand the devotion: The center of the image is not really Mary - it's Jesus.
"Our Lady of Guadalupe is pregnant with Jesus. When we venerate Mary, we are really worshiping him," said Gonzales. He added, "In the Gospels, Mary always points beyond herself, to her son. We never worship' Mary."
Ana Gonzales of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in New Albany said that the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe's close proximity to Christmas further emphasizes this point. "Like the pregnant mother, we are waiting in joy for Jesus," she said.
Juan Diego was canonized as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church in 2002. His cloak, bearing Mary's image, hangs in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe near Mexico City on the site of the Tepeyac Hill. The basilica is one of the most visited sites in Christianity, second only to the Vatican in number of annual pilgrims.
Elquin Gonzales said that it's hard to overstate how big the Feast (officially Dec. 12) is among Hispanic Catholics.
St. James in Tupelo will celebrate the Feast on Sunday with manaitas' - early-morning festivities - including a re-enactment, followed by mariache music, ceremonial dancing, then breakfast. The festivities will resume at 2 p.m. when the statue of Mary will be carried in a procession, into the church, for mass. "The procession symbolizes our earthly pilgrimage, with Mary as an example for us to follow - through the world, into the arms of her son." said Gonzales.
Maggie Mendoza of St. Francis in New Albany said that having an Hispanic image of Mary is a great source of ethnic pride. "She's like us. She's an example for women, for Hispanics - for all people," said Mendoza. "That's what she shows us: To be united in her son."
Contact Daily Journal religion editor Galen Holley at galen.holley(at)djournal.com. |
| |
|
Vallarta Weddings
Tell a Friend
Site Map
Print this Page
Email Us