Our Lady of Guadalupe
Feast Day: December 12
Our Lady of Guadalupe is a name given to Jesus’ mother, Mary.
Mary appeared to a man in Mexico named Juan Diego as he was walking to Mass. She asked him to build a church. Juan went to the archbishop and told him what Mary had said to him, but the archbishop did not believe him.
A couple of days later, he saw Mary again, and she told him to gather roses that were growing in the ground. This was very special because it was the middle of winter! Juan put the flowers in his cloak and carried them to the archbishop. When he opened his cloak to show the archbishop the roses, an image of Mary appeared on the cloak!
Because of this miracle, many people in Mexico became Catholic. The image of Mary, known as Our Lady of Guadalupe, on Juan’s cloak can still be seen today at a church in Mexico. Millions of people visit the church every year to see it! Many scientists have said that the image is a miracle.
We now call Juan “St. Juan Diego” because he listened to Mary.
To celebrate Mary’s appearance in Mexico, try helping a parent cook a Mexican dish, like tacos or burritos, or watch a movie or cartoon about St. Juan Diego and Our Lady of Guadalupe.
