Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mexico
(12 December)
The Virgin appeared four times to Juan Diego, who had converted to the faith, and asked for a shrine to be built in her honour.
When the bishop did not believe the story of the apparition, the Virgin asked Juan Diego to pick flowers on the barren hill in the middle of winter, as a sign for the bishop.
As soon as Juan opened his cloak (tilma) before the bishop, the flowers fell out and the famous image of the Virgin miraculously appeared; it remains remarkably well preserved to this day!
A shrine was built in honour of Mary, “Our Lady of Guadalupe”.
Miracles continue to this day,
and Guadalupe has become one of the most famous Marian shrines in the world, and one of the most visited Catholic pilgrimage sites in the world!
