Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared to a little Indian on the hill of Tepeyac, in Mexico, to manifest with maternal tenderness a message full of love and hope for all her children. Let us discover in this summary of the account of the apparitions of Guadalupe — taken from the original Nican Mopohua — what the Virgin Mary also speaks to us, asks of us, and promises us today.
At that time, in the year one thousand five hundred and thirty-one, a few days into the month of December, it happened that there was a poor Indian, named Juan Diego as it is said, a native of Cuautitlán. It was Saturday, very early in the morning, and he was coming in pursuit of divine worship and its commandments. Upon arriving near the little hill called Tepeyácac, dawn was breaking, and he heard singing above the little hill: it sounded like the song of various precious birds. Their song was very soft and delightful and beautiful… As soon as it suddenly ceased and silence fell, he heard himself being called from above the little hill, and they said to him: “Little Juan, Juan Dieguito.”
Then he dared to go where he was being called. When he reached the summit, he saw a lady standing there, who told him to come near. Her garment was radiant like the sun. He bowed before her and heard her words, very gentle and courteous, like one who attracts and greatly esteems. She said to him: “Little Juan, the smallest of my children, where are you going?” He replied: “My Lady and Little Girl, I must arrive at your house in Mexico Tlailolco, to follow the divine things which our priests, delegates of our Lord, give and teach us.”
Then Our Lady revealed to him: “Know and understand well, you, the smallest of my children, that I am the ever Virgin Holy Mary, Mother of the true God by whom one lives; of the Creator beside whom everything exists; Lord of heaven and earth. I greatly desire that a temple be erected to me here, in order there to show and give all my love, compassion, help, and protection, for I am your merciful mother; to you, to all of you together who dwell in this land, and to my other lovers who invoke me and trust in me; there I will hear their laments and remedy all their miseries, sorrows, and pains.”
And in order to accomplish what my mercy intends, go to the palace of the bishop of Mexico and tell him how I send you to make known to him what I greatly desire: that here on the plain he build me a temple; you shall recount to him exactly all that you have seen and admired and what you have heard.
Be assured that I shall greatly thank you and reward you well, for I shall make you happy and you will greatly merit that I reward the labor and fatigue with which you will seek to accomplish what I entrust to you. See that you have already heard my command, my smallest son; go now and put forth all your effort.”
Juan Diego and his attempts to transmit the Message of the Lady
Juan Diego, after delivering the message to the Bishop, returned to the little hill and found the Lady of Heaven, who was waiting for him, in order to tell her what had happened. She answered: “Listen, my smallest son, understand that there are many of my servants and messengers whom I can charge to carry my message and accomplish my will; but it is altogether necessary that you yourself request and help, and that through your mediation my will be fulfilled.
I greatly beg you, my smallest son, and with firmness I command you, that tomorrow once again you go to see the bishop. Give him my message in my name and make known to him fully my will, that he must carry out the temple that I ask of him. And once again tell him that I myself, the ever Virgin Holy Mary, Mother of God, send you.”
For the second time Juan Diego went to visit the Bishop and gave him the message of the Virgin, and then went to give the response to Our Lady. She said: “It is well, my son, tomorrow you shall return here so that you may carry to the bishop the sign he has asked for; with that he will believe, and concerning this he will no longer doubt nor suspect you; and know, my son, that I shall reward your care and the labor and weariness that you have endured for me; go now, for tomorrow I await you here.”
On Tuesday, very early in the morning, Juan Diego came from his house in Tlatelolco to call the priest for his sick uncle. He went around the hill and passed on the other side in order to arrive quickly in Mexico and so that the Lady of Heaven would not detain him. He thought that by going around that way, She who watches well over all places would not be able to see him. She came out to meet him at the side of the hill and said to him: “What is the matter, my smallest son? Where are you going?”
After hearing Juan Diego’s response, the most merciful Virgin answered: “Listen and understand, my smallest son, that what frightens and afflicts you is nothing; let not your heart be troubled; do not fear that sickness, nor any other sickness or anguish. Am I not here, I who am your Mother? Are you not under my shadow? Am I not your health? Are you not perhaps in my lap? What more do you need? Let nothing else grieve or disturb you; do not be afflicted by your uncle’s sickness, for he will not die from it now: be certain that he has already recovered.” Juan Diego remained greatly consoled and begged her to send him quickly to see the bishop, to bring him some sign and proof so that he might believe him.
A trustworthy ambassador
The Lady of Heaven said to Juan Diego: “Go up, my smallest son, to the summit of the little hill, there where you saw me and where I gave you my commands; you will find different flowers there. Cut them, gather them together, collect them; then come down immediately and bring them into my presence.”
When he arrived at the summit, he was greatly astonished that so many varied and exquisite Castilian roses had bloomed before the season in which they usually grow. He brought to the Lady of Heaven the different roses that he had gone to cut. “My smallest son, this diversity of roses is the proof and sign that you shall carry to the bishop. You shall tell him in my name to see in it my will and that he must fulfill it. You are my ambassador, very worthy of trust.
I strictly command you that only in the presence of the bishop shall you unfold your cloak and reveal what you carry. You shall recount everything well.”
The tilma and the miracle of the roses
Upon arriving at the bishop’s palace, the steward and other servants of the prelate came out to meet him. He begged them to say that he wished to see him, but none of them wished to do so. He waited for a long time until he was attended to. He recounted to him the conversation he had just had with the Lady of Heaven and the charge to deliver the roses to him. “Here they are: receive them.”
He unfolded his white cloak, for he carried the flowers in his lap; and as soon as all the different Castilian roses were scattered upon the ground, there was imprinted upon it and suddenly appeared the precious image of the ever Virgin Holy Mary, Mother of God, in the manner in which it is kept and preserved today in her temple at Tepeyac, which is called Guadalupe.
As soon as the bishop saw it, he and all who were there knelt down. The bishop, with tears of sorrow, prayed and asked forgiveness for not having carried out her will and command. When he rose, he untied from Juan Diego’s neck, where it had been fastened, the cloak upon which the Lady of Heaven had been imprinted and appeared. Then he took it and placed it in his oratory.
Propagation of Christianity
This tilma upon which the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe was miraculously imprinted, and which is currently preserved in the Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico, produced astonishing effects. In less than 10 years it brought nine million baptized people into Catholicism.
The influence of Our Lady of Guadalupe spread rapidly from Mexico throughout all Hispanic America and therefore, over the centuries, around 1946 she was named Empress of the Americas by H.H. Pius XII and today she is also recognized as Protectress of unborn children. The miraculous tilma is the most important cloth in Christianity after the Holy Shroud and contains a variety of supernatural elements that deserve separate study.
The Most Blessed Virgin, through her apparition on the hill of Tepeyac, changed the face of all America. Today she can also change the face of the present world if we entrust ourselves to Her. Let us continue praying the Holy Rosary in order to obtain peace for the world and the conversion of hearts.
