Pilgrimage To The Our Lady of Guadalupe

When I last visited Mexico City (CDMX) nearly a decade ago, I somehow did not register that the world’s most popular pilgrimage site is located inside the administrative border of the city. For most Americans, there is no way you have not seen the iconic image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. I have occasionally seen this image of the Virgin for years, but I have not bothered to look up its history and significance. But in my defense, different images of the Virgin look quite similar after a while. During my most recent visit to Mexico City, I was determined to check out places I missed during my previous trip. This time, besides the canals of Xochimilco, the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe was at the top of my list.

The new Basilica of Our Virgin of Guadalupe.

Located at the foot of Tepeyac Hill, the shrine to the Virgin is quite far away from the city of town. From the posh neighborhood of Polanco, it was a solid 45-minute Uber ride through the city’s expressway. It was the first time we realized just how enormous this metropolis is. We were dropped off just at the back of the main cathedral. If you have not seen the picture of the church, you are bound to be surprised by the modern tent-like structure. The conical-shaped roof certainly does not invoke the image of a religious sanctuary. Instead, it is reminiscent of Tokyo’s Yoyogi National Gymnasium. Though the style of the building may seem like a disappointment for most, it is nonetheless a remarkably functional piece of architecture.

Measuring 330 feet in diameter, the modern basilica was inaugurated in 1976 to take over the important role of custodian of the venerated image. The modern design allows all worshippers an unobstructed view of the holy image. Lining the building are full-height doors, which could be opened to allow additional pilgrims to attend the mass from the adjacent public plaza. The original basilica, which still stands next to it, has been declared structurally unsound because of the extreme level of subsidence. From certain angles, the old basilica appears to be on the brink of collapse. Interestingly, the old basilica is still open for mass at a designated time but is otherwise closed for pilgrims.

The Old Basilica of Our Virgin of Guadalupe, which suffers from a particularly severe case of subsidence.

And like other major pilgrimage sites elsewhere, the sanctity of its original landscape has been transformed into an efficient machine for funneling pilgrims around. The public plaza in front is immense. I have read somewhere that the 1999 papal mass held here by Pope John Paul II was attended by a quarter of one hundred thousand faithful. The vast plaza reminds me of the setup at the Sanctuary of Fátima in Portugal. Like at Fátima, the open space is featureless by nature to accommodate the mass of visitors. Aside from a Christmas tree and a manger scene, this place lacks the charm you expect. But unlike the Vatican’s Saint Peters Square, there is no religious statue or fountain on the square of this wide-open plaza. It certainly looks more like an authoritarian parade ground than anything else if you ask me.

The map of the entire fenced complex of Guadalupe.

As the world's most popular Catholic pilgrimage site, this place is about maximum efficiency. The entire complex is immense and comprises over a dozen structures of various sizes, ages, and importance. However, I do have to say that my favorite was a little stand at the side of the cathedral from where a priest in sunglasses threw ladles of holy water over a long throng of pilgrims; it is just so different from the typical Catholic ceremony that I was used to. Before we started our tour of the complex, it was worthwhile to take my time to learn about the history of the Our Lady of Guadalupe.

The Tale of Juan Diego

According to legends, a local Chichimec peasant named Juan Diego passed by Tepeyac Hill on his daily visit to his local church. In December 1531, he heard the calling of the Virgin Mary by the slope of the hill. On two separate occasions, he was granted the apparitions of the Virgin Mary at the hill. Supposedly, Mary asked him to approach the local bishop to erect a shrine on the spot to honor her. As an individual known locally for his religious conviction and fervor, Juan Diego’s tall tale did little to convince the local bishop, Juan de Zumárraga. The bishop asked him to find a sign to prove the apparitions took place. When he next saw the Virgin Mary, she allegedly filled his traditional overcoat with roses and promised his uncle's illness would heal.

Representation of some indigenous Aztecs venerating the Virgin of Guadalupe.

The very excited Diego approached the bishop to show him the roses, and they discovered that the Virgin had miraculously left her image on his coat (tilmahtli or tilma). The artistry and grace of the image and the miraculous recovery of Diego’s uncle convinced the bishop of the apparition's authenticity. Bishop Zumárraga, who was also the first bishop of Mexico, granted the wish to erect a shrine dedicated to Mary. The tale of the Virgin of Guadalupe jumpstarted the astonishing drive of evangelization among the indigenous population of Mexico. Compared to the blood-thirty practices of the Aztec religion, the warm gaze of Mary certainly looked like a tempting alternative.

The image's authenticity is deeply rooted in the unusual state of fabric preservation. Made out of cactus fiber, the tilma is supposed to last roughly fifty years under any normal condition. The image was kept open to incense and soot from oil lamps for over two centuries. Its nearly pristine state of preservation is widely considered to be a miracle in itself. The supposed scientific analysis that has been done on the image further perplexed scientists. The lack of varnish and the absence of clear brushstrokes confounded scholars. But as far as I could tell, most of these forensic investigations were conducted under the auspice of the church. Its objectivity is questionable to me.

Juan Diego revealed his *tilma* to Juan de Zumárraga, the first Bishop of Mexico.

Of course, no visit to the site should not go without a visit to the actual tilma itself. And unlike many Catholic relics in Europe, it was not hidden behind the altar inside some reliquary. Even though the image itself is not massive, the display and the architecture made tilma a focal point no matter where we stood. As an architect, I learned a lot in school about the evolution of Christian churches since Roman times. One particular aspect of church architecture is the special attention paid to accommodating large numbers of pilgrims. The standard “Latin Cross” plan that we associated with Catholic churches seemed from the desire to separate worshippers from the pilgrim traffic.

The juxtaposition of the old and new basilica.

Being the most visited pilgrimage shrine, the architect of the modern basilica paid special attention to such needs. For those who can’t be bothered with attending one of the many masses during the day, there is a separate side entrance at the south for direct access to the icon without interrupting the service. To prevent bottlenecks, the church installed three sets of people movers to help keep people moving along. Seeing how modern technology is useful in a religious setting was fun. We were both surprised by how close we could get to the tilma.

Having seen so many reproductions of Our Virgin of Guadalupe, I admit that seeing the authentic image was somewhat of an anticlimax. The image looks exactly like it appears on computer screens and posters. Honestly, I did not know what to think of it. It was neither impressive nor a bore. To be honest, I was more fascinated with the modernist feature wall that is fully gilded with gold leaves and basilica’s amazing chandeliers. Even though we did not feel inspired, it was a unique experience to observe how this single image inspired Catholics worldwide. And in case you are wondering, there is a back passage to allow pilgrims to loop back to the people mover when the "pilgrim traffic” was not heavy.

The Cultural Symbolism of The Virgin of Guadalupe

As an agnostic who grew up in a polytheistic society, I must admit that I have a strange fascination for the Catholic Church. While I may not understand much of the theology, I had an unhealthy interest in learning about the papacy and the politics of Roman Curia. I am convinced that the more one learns about the church's history, the less likely a non-believer would take all the miracles seriously. So, it should be no surprise that I have many questions about this alleged apparition. To start, many historians question the existence of Juan Diego. A growing number of church historians and Mexican priests stated that there is no convincing historical record that Juan Diego existed. The silence of Bishop Juan de Zumárraga, a central character of the apparition, further made me question the historical accuracy of the episode.

A rather tattered shrine at the Central de Autobuses of San Miguel de Allende.

In the risk of offending the entire Catholic world and all Mexicans, there is little doubt in my mind that the image on display was a work of men, not a divine creation. But like anything paranormal, the truth is sometimes moot. Even if Our Lady of Guadalupe is a historical fiction dreamed up by the church, its effectiveness in evangelizing the native population is without a question of doubt. Among all the characteristics of the image, the most important one is arguably the Virgin’s darker skin tone, which had great resonance with the local population. Guadalupe came from a monastery in Guadalupe, Spain, home to a famous Black Madonna.

Embedded within the image of the Virgin are also various symbols that have special meaning to the local Nahuatl people. From her loose hair to the number of stars in the image, the artists who created this image knew the right button to push. It is, for sure, a good piece of artistic propaganda. According to many Mexicans, only two things unite all Mexicans: the national football team and Our Lady of Guadalupe. Throughout the modern history of Mexico, the icon of the Virgin has been a prominent symbol of Mexican sovereignty. In a bid to increase his popularity, the first President of Mexico, José Miguel Ramón Adaucto Fernández y Félix, actually changed his name to Guadalupe Victoria. Now, that is a shameless political move.

During the Mexican War of Independence of the early 19th century, Captain Ignacio Allende stopped at the Santuario de Jesús Nazareno in the village of Atotonilco. His revolutionary army took the banner of Our Lady of Guadalupe from the church and used it as the banner of revolution. The image of the Virgin has since become a potent political symbol of national unity and political dissent. Even though it is a potent symbol of Mexico, the popularity of the apparition is found across the western hemisphere. Noted revolutionaries elsewhere in the region, such as Simón Bolívar, also found political inspiration in the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe.

One of my favorite activities on this trip was a game I called “Spot The Virgin.” The popularity of the Our Lady of Guadalupe across this part of Mexico is remarkable. Whether it is a roadside shrine or a bus station, the icon is everywhere we look. It is also common to see it on apparel or other common merchandise. The icon is also a popular subject for Mexican artists. At four separate art museums we visited on this trip, special exhibits were dedicated to the famous icon. Works range from traditional folk carving to Cubist-style statuettes. I am not sure how popular the avant-garde ones are with the public, but I found those to be particularly beautiful.

The Theme Park of Guadalupe

As mentioned, the vast basilica complex comprises more than a dozen separate structures. To get a full experience, spending a couple of hours here to explore is worthwhile. Compared to Fátima, the atmosphere here is decidedly festive and family-oriented. Beyond the public plaza, the back of the complex is set up as a landscaped park. In a typical Mexican fashion, plenty of vendors sold everything from rosaries to grilled corn. There were also various photo booths with props and costumes for visiting families. This was a great place for young families to spend an afternoon.

The Pocito Chapel is undoubted the most beautiful Baroque building in Mexico.

One of the most interesting buildings was the Old Indian Parish (Antigua Parroquia de Indios). Completed in 1650, it was among the oldest structures in the complex. Judging from the severity of subsidence, the building’s age was quite self-evident. For over a century, the original banner of Guadalupe of Ignacio Allende was kept inside before being transferred to a museum for safekeeping. But the sacristy on the altar's right side made this church particularly popular among pilgrims. Preserved are the foundations of the first two hermitages built at the side of Tepeyac Hill to fulfill the wish of the Virgin of Guadalupe. Allegedly, this was where Juan Diego resided during his last years.

Steps away from the Old Indian Parish would be the so-called Pocito Chapel (Capilla del Pocito). The oval-shaped chapel houses a natural sulfur spring at the foot of Tepeyac Hill. As you would expect, there are plenty of legends of miracles connected to this spot. While interestingly, the main draw for me is its fantastic architecture. Laid out in an oval form, the chapel is one classic example of Baroque architecture. Many historians regard this as the most innovative Baroque building in the New World. From an architect's perspective, I could certainly see the influence of Francesco Borromini and Gian Lorenzo Bernini here.

Chapel of the Little Hill of the Angels marks the location of where Juan Diego collected the winter rose under the instruction of Virgin Mary.

Just past the Pocito Chapel, we came across beautiful ponds with fountains at the foot of the hill. On the hill is a full-size sculptural group recreating the scene of apparitions. I imagine it is useful for speaking to young children about supernatural events. A stairway from the fountain leads visitors to the top of Tepeyac Hill. At the summit is the Chapel of the Little Hill of the Angels (Capilla del Cerrito de los Angeles). At this very spot, Juan Diego allegedly collected roses at the instruction of the Virgin Mary. So, you could argue this is the holiest site in the entire complex.

Around the chapel, there are plenty of souvenir vendors and areas for prayer candles. Sadly, the chapel was closed during our visit. I only hope it was not due to structural issues like the basilica. But fortunately, the view from the plaza in front of the chapel was splendid. Not only did we get a splendid view of both the old and new basilica, but we also got a panoramic view of Mexico City. Not surprisingly, this is a popular place for young couples to spend a romantic afternoon. Just about everyone there had religious souvenirs in hand. It was hilarious to see couples tongue-kissing while holding a plastic model of baby Jesus.

Very modern carillon at the middle of the vast public square.

It was not until we returned to the main plaza that I realized we followed the route opposite the recommended direction. By then, the sun had already set, and twilight hours were magical. The conical roof of the new basilica was lighted up. As much as I think the modern basilica looks a little out of place, the real architectural oddball of the whole complex must be the massive Carillon opposite the basilica. Consisting of 47 bronze bells, it is not the most beautiful piece of architecture in the world. Besides the bells, there are also a clock, sundials, and an astronomic clock. But the most interesting of all is the Aztec calendar wheel located at the backside of the carillon. At first, it may seem odd to have pagan symbols so proudly displayed at a Catholic shrine. But I suppose this tolerance toward indigenous heritage is precisely why Our Lady of Guadalupe achieved such popularity with the people.

Like all pilgrimage sites, the real attraction is all the pilgrims. Many would have traveled wide and far from all over Mexico and elsewhere to be here. Given the Catholic’s position on religious icons, it is common to see pilgrims carrying their own images of Our Lady of Guadalupe. People often logged massive icons on their backs to be blessed at the shrine. As a traveler and tourist, I sometimes forget how much effort people put into getting here. For some, this would be a trip of a lifetime, similar to the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca. I count myself lucky to be able to bear witness to this wonderful place of worship.

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Pilgrimage To The Our Lady of Guadalupe

The Tale of Juan Diego

The Cultural Symbolism of The Virgin of Guadalupe

The Theme Park of Guadalupe

Megalithic Temples of Malta

Life And Death In Guanajuato