Upcoming on December 12th is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. This apparition of Our Lady in Mexico City is very close to my heart. In fact, I have made a pilgrimage to the Shrine to see the Tilma twice. Seeing the Tilma in person does not compare to seeing a copy of it. There is such a palpable presence of Our Lady that one cannot doubt the authenticity of this miracle. With this feast day rapidly approaching, here are 9 fun facts!
1. The Hill - The hill the Blessed Virgin appeared on is called Tepeyac Hill. “Tepeyac” literally means “nose mountain.” Here it refers to the fact that Tepeyac Hill is the first and most prominent hill in a series of three hills. Tepeyac Hill was also once the most notorious location of child sacrifice in Aztec culture.
2. Aztec Princess - Our Lady appeared to Blessed Juan Diego dressed as an Aztec princess. Her clothing as it appears on Blessed Juan Diego’s tilma is replete with Aztec symbolism.
3. Reflection in Mary’s Eyes - When put under a microscope, scientists discovered that light is reflected in Mary’s eyes in the exact same way as in a living human eye. Not only that, but you can see Blessed Juan Diego himself reflected in her eyes. A Japanese optometrist actually fainted when examining the eyes on the tilma because he said he was looking into human eyes.
4. The Roses - First of all, it was Winter and flowers weren’t blooming at that point. Secondly, the roses that Juan Diego picked at Mary’s request were not native to the region, but were Castilian roses native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa. The Bishop recognized the roses because they were grown in the region of Spain where he was from.
5. The Tilma - The tilma is made out of cactus fibers. This material should’ve decayed within 5 years. And yet after nearly 500 years it’s still perfectly intact. Over the years it has had nitric acid spilled directly on it, and even survived a bombing with 12 sticks of dynamite. And yet the tilma remains in near perfect condition.
6. The Skeptic - In the 1750s a skeptical artist in Mexico City did an exact recreation of the tilma, going so far as to even encase it in the same type of glass case. He kept it in the same environment, exposed to the same conditions as the original tilma. Within 7 years his recreation was so badly decayed and rotted that it was removed from public display.
7. Can’t be Recreated - There are no animal or mineral pigments on the tilma. These would’ve been present had the image on the tilma been painted. There are also no under drawings or brush strokes on the image. The pigments that were available in the time and in that area would’ve faded by now, and yet the image hasn’t faded.
8. Mary’s Skin Tone - The color in Mary’s skin changes depending on one’s distance to the image. The further you are, the darker her skin tone and the more she resembles an Aztec princess. The closer you get, the lighter her skin tone and the more she appears as a young Jewish girl.
9. The Stars - The stars on Mary’s mantle are exactly as they would have appeared on Dec. 12, 1531. The perspective is as if you’re looking from behind the sky to Earth — like Heaven looking down on Earth. The pattern of the stars would place the constellation corona borealis (the crown) on her forehead, virgo (the virgin) over her heart, and leo (the lion—i.e. the Lion of Judah) over her womb.
If this doesn't convince you of the power of Our Lady of Guadalupe, I don’t know what will! If you would like to learn more about the image, the evangelical power within, and the beauty of what it meant to the Aztec, join us in the church on December 11th at 7 pm for a powerful presentation. As well, join us to celebrate this beautiful feast day on December 12th at 6:15 am, 8:15 am, and 7 pm!
I also hope to take a group of parishioners on pilgrimage to go and see our Lady at some point! For now, here are some pictures from my visits!
- Fr. Andrew
