The Virgin Of Guadalupe

The patron saint of Mexico is the Virgin ofGuadalupe. It is said that she miraculously appeared in theyear 1531 in Guadalupe to a poor Indian man named Juan Diego. Her message is of love and compassion to protect all mankind. The Virgin asked Juan Diego if he would ask the bishop to build a church at the hill at Tepeyac in her honor for all to worship, especially the Indians. Juan Diego went to the bishop just as he had promised the Virgin. At first the bishop did not believe Juan Diego's story, but after several appearances, Mary told Juan Diego she would give him a sign to take to the bishop so that he would believe. She told Juan Diego to climb to the top of the hill where he would see beautiful roses blooming among the cactus. He carried the roses in his tilma (a poor quality cactus-cloth) as instructed by the Virgin and did not show them to anyone. When he arrived at the door of the bishop's house, the guards refused to allow him to enter without opening the tilma. As Juan Diego opened his tilma slightly to show the roses, the roses became a part of the fabric. The guards let Juan Diego inside to see the Bishop. When the tilma was opened, everyone including the bishop fell to their knees in awe to see such a lovely picture of the Virgin in the fabric.