Pilgrimage to Guadalupe By: Paulette Campo, Angelica Cusma, Max Pendergast

Mock Itinerary for Pilgrimage

DAY 1 Depart U.S.A. for your flight to Mexico City. Upon arrival you will transfer to your hotel. After Mass, you will have a welcome dinner

DAY 2 Have Mass at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe. After Mass you will have a tour of the Basilica, where the Tilma of Juan Diego is located, and the grounds including the hilltop Chapel of Tepeyac where the history of Our Lady's visit to Guadalupe will be related.

DAY 3 Visit Tupetiac, site of the Fifth Apparition. A church is built over this spot and is known as the Church of the Healing. You will also visit San Juan Teotihuacan, the most widely known archeological zone in Mexico. Of particular interest will be the Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon, the oldest structures in the area. Afterwards you visit Acolman, the 16th century Monastery before you return to your hotel for overnight.

DAY 4 Depart for full day excursion to Tlaxcala to visit the Shrine of San Miguel del Milagro. It is here that St. Michael the Archangel appeared to Diego Lazaro de San Francisco in 1631 and told him of a miraculous spring. Then on to Ocatlan, where in 1531, the Blessed Virgin appeared to Juan Diego Bernadino. The Blessed Virgin Mary burned an image of her perfections into the trunk of an old oak tree. Ever since, Mary has been honored as Our Lady of Ocatlan, Our Lady of the Oak that Burned. Return to your hotel for overnight.

DAY 5 Have Mass at the Basilica before you transfer to the airport for the return flight home.

4 day pilgrimage depart from Houston: $1049.00 Average Cost 4 day pilgrimage depart from Houston: $1049.00 5 day pilgrimage (during Feast of our Lady of Guadalupe): depart from Houston $1199.00

History of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Juan Diego and Our Lady of Guadalupe Our Lady of Guadalupe is an aspect of the Virgin Mary who appeared to St. Juan Diego, an Aztec convert to Roman Catholicism, in 1531. According to the traditional account, Juan Diego was walking between his village and Mexico City on December 12, 1531 when Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared, speaking to him in his native Nahuatl language. She told him to build a church at the site.

When Juan Diego spoke to the Spanish bishop, the bishop did not believe him, asking for a miraculous sign to prove his vision's authenticity. The Virgin appeared to Juan Deigo again and, although it was winter, to him to gather flowers. Miraculously, Spanish roses bloomed at his feet. When Juan Diego presented these to the bishop, the roses fell from his apron (the Tilma) and an icon of the Virgin was miraculously imprinted on the cloth. The bishop ordered a church built at once, dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Interview with Jack and Joan Pendergast Jack and Joan Pendergast visited Guadalupe in the early 80s, a few weeks after the 450th anniversary of Our Lady. We called them to ask about their experience in the Basilica… What kinds of people did you encounter? Where were they from? Almost entirely Indians [Native Americans] from Mexico… they would come in groups. Except for the priests – many were Caucasian. We were some of the only white people there… We didn’t see many from other countries What was most striking about the pilgrimage? Well, seeing the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. It’s set very high up, surrounded by a gold frame. What did you gain spiritually from this pilgrimage? Joan: Peace, very great great peace. You could just feel the peaceof being there where our Lady’s picture is. She was right underneath a big Crucifix. She was right there with Christ, you know what I’m saying? Jack: I think the big thing for me was the number, the amount of people that came. The Basilica was full every mass, every hour. Even a couple weeks after the anniversary. hordes of people, some on their knees Do you have any other thoughts? It certainly left you feeling the devotion in Mexico. The pope declared her Our Lady of the Americas, and she revealed herself right in the middle of the Americas.

Mass at the Basilica Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCnSEyoqthM (watch this one) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yZ-Qf0rdas&feature=related

Why do people go on the pilgrimage Why do people go on the pilgrimage? What are the historical and contemporary reasons? People from every state and many corners of the world come to worship at the Cerro del Tepeyac, the site where the Aztecs paid homage to the goddess Cihuacoatl ("mother of the serpent") also called Tonantzin ("our mother"). The apparition of Guadalupe there dates to the time of the Spanish conquest and is the point of fusion between Catholicism and the religion of our indigenous ancestors. Tonantzin represents femininity, the mother, the same way the Virgin of Guadalupe represents the Virgin Mary of Christianity. Guadalupe is an icon of Mexican culture, of mexicanidad, and the patron saint and protector of Mexicans throughout the country and the world.

Pilgrim Faith Guadalupe is one of the few places where Mary has revealed herself to the world. It is a physical connection to the spiritual. Like the Shroud of Turin, the supposed shroud Jesus was buried in, the shroud given to Juan Diego is a physical miracle that remains with us today. Guadalupe is one of the few pilgrimage locations that have such prominent relics attached to them, that are so beautiful and well preserved. “Help, forgiveness, and during these unstable economic times, divine help in finding a job, but most of all they say they’re here to assure the Virgin of their continued devotion” An act of thanks to the Virgin Mary – praising her in the place she chose to appear. Catholics believe that Mary is a divine intercessor for their prayers. The amount that flock to Guadalupe, Lourdes and Fatima show this intense desire to ask for Mary’s assistance in healing and spiritual guidance.

The Image on the Tilma A cross-shaped image symbolizing the cosmos and called is said to be inscribed beneath the image's sash. *The stars on Our Lady's Mantle coincide with the constellations in the sky on  December 12, 1531. *There is no under sketch, no sizing and no protective over-varnish on the image. Her belt is interpreted as a sign of pregnancy Revelation 12:1: "arrayed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars." *The image shows no sign of deterioration after 450 years! The tilma or cloak of Saint Juan Diego on which the image of Our Lady has been imprinted, is a coarse fabric made from the threads of the maguey cactus. This fiber disintegrates within 20-60 years!  Her blue-green mantle was described as the color once reserved for the divine couple Ometecuhtli and Omecihuatl

Important Sites of the Pilgrimage Chapel of Tepeyac: Oncethe Aztec temple to Tonantzin,mother of the gods. Here Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared to Juan Diego encourage the worship of the Father. Today only a replica of her picture hangs here, the original image is in the modern basilica.

Old Basilica Begun in 1695 and finished in 1709 Succeeded the Chapel of Tepeyac as the shrine of the Image. Subject to the ravages of the earthquakes experienced by the city. Today it is leaning and has been closed for the safety of the public.

New Basilica Dedicated in 1976 Can hold 20,000 people There are 1000 subterranean pillars to support the structure, but no internal ones. The Image of Our Lady hangs is a space where the people can pass on a conveyor belt system to view the Image above. Mass is celebrated each half hour for the sake of the pilgrims.  

Capuchin Chapel Parish church of the region, Also suffered from sinking. Believed that Juan Diego is buried on the site.

Carillon Completed in 1991 Bell and clock tower shows computerized images representing the four apparitions of Our Lady to Juan Diego. Standing 76.5 feet tall, it can play 38 different chimes and 23 melodies.

Galleon Masts of a ship were carried to the site in the 1700s Fulfillment of a vow to build a shrine on Tepeyac if Our Lady would save the ship's crew from a tropical storm. The masts are today encased within the modern monument. 

Fun Facts In 1999, the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City became the most-visited Catholic shrine in the world. In 2002, the Pope declared Juan Diego a saint; he was the first Mexican to achieve sainthood. Replicas of the miraculous image can be found in thousands of churches, including the National Shrine in Washington, D.C. and the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.

Prayer of Our Lady of Guadalupe In the United States, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is celebrated on December 12. The following is the Opening prayer of the memorial of Our Lady of Guadalupe. God of power and mercy, you blessed the Americas at Tepeyac with the presence of the Virgin Mary of Guadalupe. May her prayers help all men and women to accept each other as brothers and sisters. Through your justice present in our hearts may Your peace reign in the world. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

La Oración a Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Santa María de Guadalupe, Mística Rosa,  intercede por la Iglesia, protege al Soberano  Pontífice, oye a todos los que te invocan en sus  necesidades. Así como pudiste aparecer en el  Tepeyac y decirnos: "Soy la siempre Virgen  María, Madre del verdadero Dios", alcánzanos  de tu Divino Hijo la conservación de la Fe. Tu  eres nuestra dulce esperanza en las amarguras  de esta vida. Danos un amor ardiente y la  gracia de la perseverancia final. Amén.

Work Cited 1) “Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mexico City.” Sacred Destination . N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2009. <http://www.sacred-destinations.com/‌mexico/‌mexico-city-basilica-guadalupe>. 2) DeLange, George. “Basilica de Guadalupe.” Mexico City D.F. Mexico Travel & Tour Pictures, Photos, & Information. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Oct. 2009. <http://www.delange.org/‌Guadalupe2/‌Guadalupe2.htm>. 3) “Prayers to Our Lady of Guadalupe.” Our Lady of Guadalupe . N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2009. <http://www.sancta.org/‌prayers.html>. 4) Vega, Brenda. “Walking on faith for Guadalupe.” Inside Mexico . N.p., Dec. 2006. Web. 27 Oct. 2009. <http://www.insidemex.com/‌travel/‌rumbo-a/‌this-far-by-faith>. 5) <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJYZbPrHY3U>