Mother Christ, Superstar
Members of Barrio Logan’s Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church‘s congregation filled the space to the rafters over the weekend with round-the-clock services in honor of La Morenita‘s traditional feast day.
Officially celebrated on December 12, the services drew a slew parishioners who brought their images of the Virgen to be blessed, while enjoying a Technicolor feast in the form folkloric dancers, norteño groups singing Las Mañanitas, and a slew of outdoor vendors peddling everything from champurrado to Virgen-emblazoned lightsabers along the way.
The services, included a special plea for immigrants, minority ethnic groups, and an appeal for stateside discrimination against “morenitos” (dark-skinned ones) to end.
Said to have manifested to a simple peasant by the name of Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin in the 1500’s on Tepeyac hill—much to the disbelief of Mexico’s first bishop Juan de Zumárraga, the Virgencita’s last appearance brought with it a special request: that Juan Diego cut some roses not native to the land, place them in his tilma (cloak), and offer them to the bishop who had asked for proof of the contact. When Juan Diego unfurled his tilma, the image of the Madonna with indigenous features appeared.
To this day the tilma is on display in Mexico City’s Basílica de Guadalupe, where millions of believers have paid tribute to it, earning the Virgen the title of “Queen of Mexico,” as well as “Empress of the Americas”, and “Patroness of the Americas.”
All pics ©Enrique Limón/ElZonkeyShow.com
