It was dark and cold at 6:30 am on Saturday December 12 when members of Sacred Heart Parish gathered to honor Our Lady of Guadalupe. The day began with singing and Mariachi music, followed by a procession to Centro San Juan Diego on Lawrence Street, a hearty breakfast and return to Sacred Heart Church for Mass at 10 am. Monsignor Jorge de Los Santos celebrated Mass and parishioners presented the story of Mary's appearance to Juan Diego, a poor humble Aztec Indian.
On December 9, 1531, in Mexico, Our Lady appeared to Juan Diego, who had recently converted to the Catholic faith. She asked him to go to the bishop and tell him to build a church where she said "I will show and offer all of my love, my compassion, my help and my protection to my people." Juan Diego did as she asked, but the bishop asked for a sign that this message was really from Our Lady.
Mary granted his request. On December 12, she showed Juan where the most beautiful Castilian roses were and told him to gather them. It was a miracle that the roses were there and in bloom because the ground was an infertile place where only cactus and thistles grew and the weather was cold. After Juan Diego gathered them, she helped arrange them in his tilma, or cloak, and told him to show them to the bishop.
When Juan Diego brought the roses to the bishop, he was amazed at the flowers, but was even more amazed at what began to happen to Juan Diego's tilma. Right before their very eyes, the image of Our Lady began to form on the cloth, and the bishop fell to his knees. He had the church built.
After 470 years, the colors have not faded and the cloth has not deteriorated. The tilma has been on display in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe for all this time.
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