The Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe in Mexico is commemorated annually on December 12; millions of people go to the vicinity of the Basilica of Guadalupe and at midnight they sing the mañanitas, make prayers, requests and give thanks for many situations.
Origin of the Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe in Mexico
The origin of the Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe dates back to December 12, 1531, when the Virgin Mary appeared to Juan Diego for the fourth time on the Tepeyac hill, currently a representative place for Catholics.
According to popular traditions, Juan Diego, a native of Cuautitlán, was looking for help for his uncle, who was sick. The Virgin of Guadalupe appeared before the humble man next to the “Pocito” and told him that his relative was now healthy.
It should be noted that the Virgin of Guadalupe had already asked Juan Diego on three occasions to take Bishop Fray Juan de Zumárraga to the hill, because she wanted a temple to be built. However, he resisted because his uncle was seriously ill.
After the Virgin of Guadalupe appeared to Juan Diego for the fourth time and told him that his uncle was fine, the man climbed to the top of Tepeyac Hill. The Virgin of Guadalupe asked Juan Diego to go pick some roses, which did not bloom in that place and at that time. The roses were carried in Juan Diego’s shawl to the bishop. At the moment when he unfolded his shawl to give the roses to the bishop, the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe was revealed.
It was not until 1667 that Pope Clement IX instituted December 12 as a day of celebration in honor of the Virgin of Guadalupe. In 1824, the National Congress declared this day as a National Holiday.
When does the celebration of the Virgin of Guadalupe begin?
In Mexico, pilgrims begin heading towards the Basilica of Guadalupe on December 1st to visit the ‘Morenita del Tepeyac’, attend mass and offer their thanks; from December 1st to 12th, thousands of people come to Villita.
The most important day of the celebration is December 11th, as thousands of people gather to be present at midnight and sing the traditional mañanitas, since the 12th is the official day to celebrate the ‘Morenita’.
During the afternoon of December 11th, the serenade to the Virgin of Guadalupe begins, then at midnight the mañanitas begin and throughout the night there are songs, prayers and music to celebrate the ‘Morenita’, while on the 12th at noon the masses begin, which pilgrims attend out of devotion.
What does the name Guadalupe mean?
“Guadalupe”, the name of the ‘Morenita del Tepeyac’, has three versions of meanings. According to María Alicia Meyer, researcher at the UNAM Institute of Historical Research, the first version of its meaning corresponds to the Arabic “Wad-al-luben”, which means ‘Hidden River’; a second version comes from Arabic and Latin, which together form the etymology “Wad”, which means “River of Wolves”; while the third version dates back to Nahuatl with “coatlaxopeuh”, which means a person who “crushes the snake”.
