Festival de Virgin de Guadalupe

Beginning Dec 1st and culminating on Dec 12th, Mexicans hold their most important religious celebration in honour of the Virgin of Guadalupe.  Here is the background to this event:

Our Lady of Guadalupe is Mexico’s most popular religious and cultural image and also holds the titles Empress of the Americas and Patroness of the Americas.  Two accounts published in the 1640’s published in Spanish and Nahuatl, tell how during his walk from his home village to Mexico City early in the morning of December 9th, 1531 the peasant, Juan Diego, saw a vision of a young girl 15 or 16 years of age surrounded by light on the slope of the Hill of Tepeyac. Speaking in the local language of Nahuatl the Lady asked for a church to be built at that site in her honor and from her words Juan Diego recognized her as the Virgin Mary.  Diego told his story to the Spanish bishop, who asked the peasant to return to the Lady and ask for some miraculous sign to prove her claim.  The Virigin told Diego to gather some flowers from the top of the Hill of Tepayac. It was winter and no flowers bloomed but Diego found flowers of every sort, and the Virgin herself arranged them in his peasant cloak. When Diego opened the door in front of the bishop on December 12^th, the flowers fell to the floor, and in their place was the Virgin of Guadalupe miraculously imprinted on the fabric.

The entire country of Mexico honours Guadalupe during this time to thank her for the successes of the past and to remind her of their hopes for the future. The celebrations centre around the church, and on each day different groups (businesses, organizations or neighbourhoods) participate in the pilgrimages to pay homage to the Virgin of Guadalupe.  They also shoot off rockets about 5 am each day, sometimes during the day, and then again in the evening.  They are louder than firecrackers, but no lights or colours - just noise!  

All of the towns and villages near us have been decorated with altars to this patron saint.  They are large and small, in front of homes and businesses, in the plazas and along the highway.  However, we have been told that of all the towns along Lake Chapala, San Juan Cosalá (the village closest to our home), celebrates the Virgin of Guadalupe the most.  We had to go see for ourselves - especially after the daily rocket reminders - we wanted to witness the finale.  

The streets of San Juan Cosalá, affectionately called 'The Village' by our community on the hill

Alters to the Virgin of Guadalupe

The parade was the focal point of the evening

But the children dressed in traditional costumes were the best

Following the parade, the crowd gathered at the plaza for more festivities