The feast in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe goes back to 1531, when a 57-year-old widower named Jaun Diego lived in a small village near Mexico City. He was on his way to attend Mass in honor of Our Lady when he heard beautiful music like the warbling of birds. A radiant cloud appeared, and within it stood an Indian maiden dressed like an Aztec princess. The lady spoke to him in his own language and sent him to the bishop of Mexico, a Franciscan named Juan de Zumarraga. The bishop was to build a chapel in the place where the lady appeared.

Eventually the bishop told Juan to have the lady give him a sign. Our Lady provided roses for Juan to carry to the bishop in his tilma (cape).

When Juan Diego opened his tilma in the bishop’s presence, the roses fell to the ground, and the bishop sank to his knees. On the tilma where the roses had been appeared an image of Mary exactly as she had appeared at the hill of Tepeyac.

The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is celebrated on December 12th.