MEXICO CITY. Thousands of devotees congregated at Mexico City’s Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe on Tuesday to celebrate the 492nd anniversary of the Virgin of Guadalupe’s apparition in 1531. The atmosphere was filled with the melodious strains of the traditional Mexican birthday song “Las mañanitas” as a gesture of reverence to the country’s patroness.
Authorities estimated that over five million faithful pilgrims had visited the Basilica in the days leading up to the annual celebration, many embarking on journeys from distant villages, some cycling, and others arriving by buses to the Basilica’s expansive patio. A sea of tents dotted the area, sheltering pilgrims who had spent the night in anticipation of greeting the Virgin in the morning.
However, the pilgrimage was marred by tragedy as Mexico City prosecutors reported that three pilgrims, part of a group on motorcycles, were run over and killed on a highway leading from Mexico City towards Puebla. Ten others were injured when a pickup truck collided with the group late Monday, with the driver subsequently arrested. Such processions of pilgrims on foot or vehicles are a common sight on highways in December, sometimes occupying lanes of roadways.
Despite the challenges, the cold temperatures, long walks, and the wait to see the Virgin’s cloak inside the Basilica did not deter the devoted pilgrims, many of whom covered the last mile carrying flowers or large paintings of the Virgin.
According to church tradition, in 1531, the Virgin of Guadalupe appeared to the Indigenous peasant Juan Diego, and her image was miraculously imprinted on his cloak, which is now displayed inside the church. Juan Diego was canonized as a saint in 2002 by Saint John Paul II.
For many, the pilgrimage is a symbolic gesture of gratitude and faith, with some traveling the last stretch to the Basilica barefoot or on their knees. Sara Peña Montaño, 46, from the state of Morelos, came with a group of 80 people and waited all night to greet the Virgin, expressing her excitement and gratitude for her son’s safe return after being detained in the United States for crossing the border illegally.
The pilgrimage also drew international participants like Elizabeth Kuszka, 66, from Phoenix, Arizona, who came to pray for her people and witness the devotion of the Mexican faithful. The annual celebration of the Virgin of Guadalupe remains a significant cultural and religious event, bringing together people from diverse backgrounds to share in a moment of spiritual connection and communal celebration.
Paraluman P. Funtanilla
Paraluman P. Funtanilla is Tutubi News Magazine's Marketing Specialist and is a Contributing Editor. She finished her degree in Communication Arts in De La Salle Lipa. She has worked as a Digital Marketer for start-up businesses and small business spaces for the past two years. She has earned certificates from Coursera on Brand Management: Aligning Business Brand and Behavior and Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content. She also worked with Asia Express Romania TV Show.
