The bishop of the new diocese of Mexico, Fray Juan de Zumárraga, asked for a tangible sign to verify that the message indeed came from the Mother of God.
On December 11th, the day Juan Diego was to see the Virgin for the fourth time, Juan Diego’s uncle fell gravely ill, and Juan Diego had to stay with him. When his uncle seemed to be in his final hours, Juan Diego left early in the morning of December 12th in search of a priest.
Although Juan Diego tried to avoid her on his way, Our Lady of Guadalupe approached him and asked where he was going. Juan Diego explained his intentions but did not understand what was happening. Our Lady of Guadalupe told him: “Am I not here, I who am your mother?” Moreover, she told him that his uncle had recovered.
Then, Our Lady of Guadalupe asked Juan Diego to collect some flowers at the Tepeyac Hill. There, Juan Diego found Castilian roses, which are not typical in Mexico, especially not at that time of year.
Juan Diego returned to the bishop, as Our Lady of Guadalupe had promised him that she would perform a miracle so that the bishop would believe him. Juan Diego presented himself with total confidence. When he opened his tilma, the roses fell to the ground, revealing the image of Mary miraculously imprinted on the tilma, precisely as she had appeared to him.
The next day, Juan Diego returned to his uncle and found him completely recovered, as Our Lady of Guadalupe had said. His uncle, Juan Bernardino, then told him that the Virgin had appeared to him and that she wanted to be known by the title “Guadalupe.”
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Now, let me share with you some interesting facts about the Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe:
Did you know this about Our Lady of Guadalupe?
1. There are no sketches or underdrawing in the image
Studies have been conducted, and infrared photography has shown that there is no preliminary drawing before the appearance of Our Lady of Guadalupe on the tilma.
In ancient times, given its complexity, a sketch was usually made before painting a portrait. Such an exquisite representation of a textile made of cactus fiber is inexplicable, given the absence of a preliminary drawing.
2. The image has endured and shows no signs of deterioration
Juan Diego’s tilma is made of a rough cactus fiber that typically disintegrates in 15 to 30 years. However, the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe has remained intact for around 500 years without fading or cracking.
It has been subjected to many incidents: candle smoke for many years, nitric acid spill, and even a bomb explosion! When the bomb detonated, a marble railing and windows 50 meters away were shattered, and a brass crucifix was deformed entirely, but inexplicably, the image remained intact.
3. The stars that appear in the image are astronomically correct
The stars correspond precisely to the constellations of the winter sky on December 12, 1531.
The constellations are displayed as if they were observed from outside the heavens. It is as if we had an image of someone looking at it from outside the universe.
4. The eyes of Mary are surprisingly realistic
The microscopic resemblance of a bearded man (Juan Diego) was discovered in the pupils of the Virgin, first in 1929 and then in 1951.
No human painter could have foreseen or managed to place infinitesimally small images of Juan Diego in the eyes of Our Lady of Guadalupe so that later human technologies could detect them.
Mary’s eyes were examined with a 2,500x magnification, and an ophthalmologist was able to identify 13 individuals in both eyes in different proportions, just as human eyes would reflect an image. It seemed to be when Juan Diego unfolded the tilma before Bishop Zumárraga.
Incredibly, when the eyes of Our Lady of Guadalupe are exposed to light, the pupils contract; when the light is removed, they return to a dilated state.
5. Mary assumes a different ethnicity depending on the point of view
The skin color of Our Lady of Guadalupe varies depending on the distance from which one observes the miraculous image. From afar, the Virgin is seen with a darker skin tone, and more resembles an Aztec princess. When you get closer, you can see that her skin tone is lighter, and she looks more like a young Jewish woman.
6. A skeptic attempted to make a copy
In the 1750s, a skeptical artist in Mexico City made an exact recreation of the tilma, even placing it in the same type of display case. He kept it in the same environment, exposed to the same conditions as the original tilma. In just 7 years, his recreation had deteriorated so much that it had to be removed from public display.
7. Each year, it is estimated that around 10 million people visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Millions of people visit Our Lady of Guadalupe in her Basilica each year, making her home in Mexico City the most popular Marian shrine in the world and the most visited Catholic church after the Vatican.
In total, 26 popes have officially honored Our Lady of Guadalupe. Saint John Paul II visited her Shrine four times, and Pope Francis once.
There are many more interesting facts about this image and many miracles attributed to it. Still, the devotion of the Mexican people to this invocation of Our Lady is truly moving and profound.
Do you want to know even more?
This video explains many more things about the Virgin of Guadalupe. The more you know about Her, the more you will realize how important this story, Image, and Virgin are worldwide.
It is a long video, but with every minute that passes, it becomes more enjoyable! I assure you that you will learn things about the Virgin of Guadalupe that you do not yet know.
Among many other facts presented in the video, the meaning of what Monsignor Eduardo Chávez, Postulator of Saint Juan Diego, says at minute 3:11 looks pretty significant, very important for the laity. You can’t miss it!
Click here to watch the incredible video about Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Prayer to Our Lady of Guadalupe
I invite you to pray this prayer to Our Lady of Guadalupe today for all those who wish to return to Jesus and receive the sacraments of the Catholic Church.. Que reciban la fortaleza para combatir las tentaciones malignas y la gracia para seguir el llamado de Dios en sus vidas:
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, amen.
Oh Immaculate Virgin, Mother of the true God and Mother of the Church! You, who from this place show your mercy and compassion to all who seek your protection; listen to the prayer that we address to you with filial trust and present it to your Son Jesus, our only redeemer.
Mother of mercy, Teacher of hidden and silent sacrifice, to you, who come to meet us sinners, we consecrate today all our being and all our love. We also consecrate to you our lives, our work, our joys, our illnesses, and our sorrows.
Give peace, justice, and prosperity to our peoples; since everything we have and are, we place under your care, Our Lady and our mother. We want to be entirely yours and walk with you on the path of full fidelity to Jesus Christ in his Church: do not let go of your loving hand.
Virgin of Guadalupe, Mother of the Americas, we ask you for all the bishops, so that they may lead the faithful along paths of intense Christian life, love, and humble service to God and souls.
Our Lady of Guadalupe, contemplate this immense harvest, and intercede so that the Lord may instill a hunger for holiness in all the People of God, and grant abundant vocations of priests and religious, strong in faith, and zealous dispensers of the mysteries of God.
Amen.
You can use the Catholic Mass Times app to find the nearest Catholic church with Mass, Confession, and Adoration schedules. It will surely help you! Download it now.
