Archbishop's web site Denver Catholic Register Parishes Catholic Pastoral Center
April 17, 2002
Hispanic Office plans fall pilgrimage to Mexico
Tour sites include Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe
By Erlinda Moscoso
"For 13 days, Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared to me. Daily, I would see a picture of her, someone would mention her, I'd hear a song about her, a medal with her image was given to me — she came up in a conversation during lunch. I thought it was strange that she kept showing up in my life. I realized she wanted something, so I joined the pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe to see if she gives me a clearer answer."
— A past pilgrim to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Most do not receive such a special invitation to visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, but many desire to see Mary's miraculous image enshrined at the basilica and to walk on the ground where she appeared to Blessed Juan Diego nearly 471 years ago.
On Oct. 14-19 the Hispanic Office of the Archdiocese of Denver is sponsoring a pilgrimage to Mexico to visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
In December 1531, Mary appeared to Diego, an indigenous man, on a hill at Tepeyac outside present-day Mexico City. She asked for a shrine to be built. When Diego approached the bishop about Mary's request, he was not believed. Mary gave Diego a sign to take to the bishop — roses in bloom in the middle of winter. Diego placed the roses in his tilma and took them to the bishop. When he opened the tilma the roses spilled out unto the floor revealing a beautiful image of Mary imprinted on the tilma. The bishop believed Diego and a shrine was built at Tepeyac.
There have been many attempts to discredit the image and the story. Lately, rumors have suggested that Diego was merely a legend. But the Vatican has affirmed his existence and Pope John Paul II will travel to Mexico on July 30 to canonize him.
The tilma has undergone many tests, including infrared photography and digital enhancement, yet science cannot explain how the image was produced or how it has managed to endure. The life span of the rude cloth should not have exceeded 20 years. It has withstood an acid spill, an explosion, smoke from thousands of candles and untold numbers of hands touching it. Amazingly, the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe continues to maintain its original beauty.
As a result of Our Lady of Guadalupe's appearance to Diego, eight million Aztecs converted to Catholicism. Beloved by Hispanics and non-Hispanics alike, she is Patroness of the Americas.
In addition to visiting the basilica, pilgrims on the Hispanic Office tour will visit churches in Puebla, the Shrine and Sanctuary of Our Lady of Ocotlan in Ocotlan, and the Blessed First Martyrs Shrine and the Church of San Francisco in Tlaxcala (pronounced La Scala).
Other sites include the pyramids of the sun and moon, Plaza of the Three Cultures, the baptismal place of Juan Diego, the site of Miguel Pro's assassination, the Zocalo, the National Palace with Diego Riviera's murals, the Metropolitan Cathedral (the largest in North America), and the National Museum of Anthropology.
Tour price of $1299 includes round-trip airfare, accommodations in first class hotels, daily breakfast and dinner, entrance to tours, and travel in air-conditioned buses with bilingual tour guides.
For more information, call the Hispanic Office at 303-433-9013.
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