The Latino community has always had a special devotion to our Blessed Mother. This devotion dates back to 1531, when Mary appeared to Juan Diego, a 57-year-old indigenous farmer, as he was walking to Mass. Our Blessed Mother told him to build a church on that spot, so, as she directed, he went to the bishop. But the bishop didn’t believe him and asked for proof of his story.
The next day, Juan returned to the hill and found Castilian roses in bloom—unusual for December. He gathered the roses in his tilma (a cloak made of cactus fiber) and held them close to his chest, exactly as Mary instructed. When he reached the bishop and opened his cloak, the beautiful roses fell out. To the astonishment of everyone present, the tilma bore a beautiful image of the Blessed Mother.
Like the Miraculous Medal, the image was given directly from heaven, and it was uniquely filled with symbols familiar to the Aztec people. Over the centuries, it has formed the identity of millions of Latinos, and the miracles around it continue to flourish. Just ask Guadalupe Da Costa Montesinos.
“My mom named me after Our Lady of Guadalupe as a way of saying ‘thank you’ for protecting me during her pregnancy,” Guadalupe says. “When she was pregnant, she not only developed a kidney infection, but the umbilical cord was wrapped around my neck at birth. My mom told me I was blue when I was born.” Although she lost a fair amount of oxygen from that complication, she was born a perfectly healthy baby.
Guadalupe, too, has received miraculous help from Mary. “I had great difficulty becoming pregnant,” she says. “The doctors told me that I would never be able to conceive. So, my husband and I prayed to Our Lady of Guadalupe, asking for her intercession. After waiting and praying for ten years, I finally got pregnant.” Guadalupe’s daughter is also named Guadalupe, in honor of our Blessed Mother’s miraculous help.
In 2019, the Shrine honored Our Lady of Guadalupe with an original oil painting by Jose Gerardo Rico, which was commissioned and paid for by the Latino community and placed in the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in the Lower Shrine. For the past twenty years, the community has felt at home in the Shrine now that they have a special place to pray to Our Lady of Guadalupe, a symbol of their identity and faith.
“The Latino culture is collectivist,” Guadalupe says. “We like to do things together as a group.” Once a month, morning and evening Spanish Masses are celebrated. “This makes a huge difference in our lives, because we are able to understand the homily, the readings, and the Mass itself,” explains Guadalupe, “and we can interact with other Spanish-speaking people. The homilies always revolve around Mary and her example—and encourage us to go to Jesus through her.” After Mass, the community gathers in the Lower Shrine “to share our testimonies and a light lunch.” The entire day is a visible witness of their love for Mary.
Plaques can be purchased through our Gift Shop.
On the first Tuesday of each month, Come to The Basilica Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal on the first Tuesday of each month, which is dedicated to all Latino and Hispanic communities. As one family, we gather for the Mass, pray to our Blessed Mother, and enjoy fellowship. Learn More Here.