Our Lady of Guadalupe not only looked like a native woman, but she also spoke in the same language as one. She came at a time of conflict between the Spanish and the Indigenous peoples to ask Juan Diego to persuade the bishop to build a church. As a sign to the bishop, she instructed the saint to gather Castilian roses in full bloom despite the winter. When he presented the flowers to the bishop, he discovered her image left on his tilma.
Today, the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City houses that image, which is visited by millions of pilgrims each year. She is not only considered the patroness of the Americas but also of the unborn. Here’s why.
In 1999, Pope John Paul II established Dec. 12 as the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
“This is our cry: life with dignity for all! For all who have been conceived in their mother’s womb, for street children, for Guadalupe!” he declared at the basilica.
Neary 20 years later, in 2018, Pope Francis entrusted to Our Lady of Guadalupe “in particular, those who are awaiting the birth of their children.”
“St. John Paul II commended to her maternal protection the life and innocence of children, especially those who run the risk of not being born,” he told Polish pilgrims during his general audience. “By her intercession, in this time of Advent, let us implore the gift of children for families without children, respect for the conceived life and the openness of hearts to Gospel values.”