When December arrives, most of the people in the world focus on the Christmas celebrations. Meanwhile, in Mexico, millions of people are getting ready for a different and big celebration.
December 12th is the Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe also known as Our Lady of Guadalupe. It’s a massive celebration for Mexican Catholics. Not every Mexican celebrates it, but based on the latest official census 2020, 77.7% of the population is catholic.
On December 12th, Mexican Catholics show their gratitude and faith to one of their biggest religious icons. It’s a day for them to visit the virgin in the Basilica of Guadalupe to ask favors and miracles too. It’s a celebration but being religious, it’s not a party but a mixture of festivity, faith, offerings, sacrifice, devotion, and church rituals. Happiness, pain, tears, and sweat are part of the environment.
From December 1st or even a month before, depending on how far they live from the capital, pilgrims from all over the country get ready to travel to Mexico City for the celebration. But it’s not a common pack and go, some go by bus or car, but most of the so-called pilgrims follow the tradition of going from their hometowns and cities to the capital by bicycle or by foot. Yes, some of them walk more than one thousand kilometers carrying images, figures (all sizes, small, big, and even human-size), paintings of the Virgin of Guadalupe. Their goal is to arrive in the Basilica of Guadalupe to kneel in front of the image of the virgin to receive her blessing.
To give you a reference, in 2019, based on Mexico City government statistics, 9.8 million pilgrims visited the Basilica of Guadalupe, located in the Mexican capital.
Let’s dive into more details for you to know what is exactly December 12th for Mexicans. If you get interested, you could include the celebration on your next traveling plan.
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What is celebrated on December 12th in Mexico?
Officially, on December 12th, Mexicans commemorate the myth of the appearances (four in total) of the Virgin of Guadalupe that occurred in 1531 to Juan Diego, a humble peasant. The myth says that the virgin appeared to ask for the construction of a temple in her honor. The exact place pointed by her is where the current Basilica of Guadalupe is located.
But in the 20th century, with the beginning of the TV in Mexico, the celebration included a musical to sing the traditional “Mañanitas” to honor the virgin. The “Mañanitas” is the Mexican song used to celebrate people’s birthdays. For this reason, some people think that December 12th is the birthday of the Virgin of Guadalupe. This version is common but not correct, not official. To be clearer, it’s not about the virgin’s age, but the moment she appeared for the first time/times.
Besides, this day, Mexico celebrates the name day of all women and men that are named Guadalupe. Some people also call the date “Lupitas’ Day”. Lupita is a common nickname for Guadalupe.
The celebration of the name day is also a religious tradition. Christians, mostly in the Americas and Europe, yearly celebrate the day of the calendar linked with their baptismal name. Most of the existent names have a biblical or saint origin.
Do you know what Mexicans celebrate on the 5th of May? Read about it here: "Cinco de Mayo is not what you expect."
What is a myth?
Myth is defined as a symbolic narrative, usually related to early events in human history, used to explain natural or social phenomena. Commonly, a myth involves supernatural events or beings and for this reason, such a story is pointed out as not objectively true or possible. Many myths are connected with different religious beliefs worldwide. Religious beliefs, as you know, can be delicate matters to analyze or criticize. So the more connected with a current or fundamental matter or tradition for a specific society these stories are, the harder for some people to accept them as myths.
What is the myth of the Virgin of Guadalupe?
The myth of the Virgin of Guadalupe is the story that tells how the Virgin appeared for the first time in Mexico. It narrates how her four appearances to the peasant Juan Diego happened, the obstacles the peasant had for the bishop to believe him, and to make the virgin’s will possible, building a shrine for her in the Tepeyac hill.
What’s the myth of the Virgin of Guadalupe about?
According to this myth, on December 9th, 1531, the Virgin of Guadalupe appeared to a peasant, an Aztec converted to Christianity, as a result of the Spanish conquest. This was the first of four appearances.
Juan Diego, his wife, and uncle didn’t live close to any church. To attend mass they had to go to Santa Cruz de Tlatelolco. One day, while passing through the Tepeyac hill, Juan Diego heard a song. While enjoying it, he saw a lady praying, covered by a shiny light. He got closer and the lady talked to him in Nahuátl. She said she wanted a shrine to be built exactly there, on the Tepeyac hill. And she asked him to communicate this to the bishop.
Juan Diego was not taken seriously by the bishop, who asked him to return to the hill for confirming if what he saw was real. Sad due to his unsuccessful meeting, he got back to the hill and the virgin appeared to him for the second time. She asked him the same. To deliver her message to the bishop. Juan Diego met the bishop but he asked for proof, evidence to support his words. The peasant communicated this to the virgin, during a third appearance. And she asked him to get back the next day.
This time, Juan Diego didn’t get back. His uncle got very sick so he stayed home to take care of him. The uncle didn’t get better so, on December 12th, Juan Diego looked for a priest to perform the last rites to his uncle. Passing through the Tepeyac hill, the virgin appeared to him. Then she knew about his uncle’s illness. She told him not to worry, ensuring he was already healthy because she healed him. She asked him to pick some roses from the top of the hill. He obeyed, and when he reached the top he found a beautiful type of roses not common there, and in a season when usually there were no flowers. He picked the roses in his ayate (outer garment worn by men in the countryside, similar to a blanket used as a cape, knotted over one shoulder. It was made of maguey fibers, henequen, or cotton). The virgin asked him to take them to the bishop. She ordered him not to unfold the ayate to anyone else.
Once in front of the bishop, Juan Diego unfolded his ayate and besides the roses, the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe appeared in the fabric. This was the proof to the bishop of the virgin’s appearances and will.
This myth is close to five hundred years. The temple was built in the current location of the Basilica of Guadalupe, in Mexico City.
How is the Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe celebrated in Mexico?
The biggest and most popular celebration occurs in the Basilica of Guadalupe located in Mexico City. But Catholic churches all across the country also celebrate. There are special masses dedicated to honor and to thank the virgin. Churches are more decorated than usual. The aromas of the vast amount of flowers they buy and the incense are intense. Church choirs include in their repertoire songs about the virgin or specially dedicated to her. Outside the churches, you can see fireworks, firecrackers, food stands, all kinds of products on sale with the image of the virgin (clothes, candles, figures, stickers, postcards, rosaries, etc.).
Some people dedicate their dances as an offering. You can see dancers of pre-Hispanic music, ranchero, and more traditional music.
Musicians directly or believers in general also organize serenatas for the Virgin of Guadalupe. Mariachi, banda, norteño, to trios, duets, or soloists play and sing for her making the environment happier with their music.
Some mothers dress their kids in traditional peasant clothes, referring to the myth of Juan Diego.
The belief is the virgin protects people, helps with difficult causes humans can not handle. She can even intercede with God, for him to help them when situations are too hard and they seem only fixable through a miracle. Based on how big the problem is, people offer something in exchange for this help.
So many believers choose December 12th to pay for such help or favors like to recover the health, the life of a son that is fine after an illness or a difficult labor process, to obtain a job, etc. The way of paying involves offerings or sacrifices. They pray, make donations to a specific church, afford the renovation of the virgin’s altar, buy big amounts of flowers to decorate the church, they also comply with promises like to move long distances not by walking but on their knees. Many get severe pain and injures due to this practice.
Millions of Mexicans choose to pay pilgrimage for honoring the Virgin of Guadalupe. They move from their cities or towns to the Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City. Walkers carry images of the virgin. Bicycles and other vehicles get decorated with flowers and religious images. The main highways connecting the capital with the rest of Mexican states get crowded with pilgrims. Men, women of all ages, children included, pray, sing, or remain in a silent vote during this long journey to the capital.
In Mexico City, some believers celebrate by helping pilgrims in their arrival to the capital. They prepare food, water, or warm clothes to give away to the pilgrims. They move to the main highways or entrances to the capital and remain there basically from December 11th to December 12th to welcome and help the pilgrims. Police and ambulances also follow pilgrims to support them when needed. Dehydration, injuries to feet, knees, legs, cramps, muscle aches, hypothermia are common.
The esplanade and surrounding streets of the Basilica of Guadalupe get crowded. Some pilgrims sleep there on public benches or tents when they arrive.
And exactly the first minute of December 12th, a serenata takes place in the Basilica. Popular Mexican singers offer their songs to the virgin, including the traditional “Mañanitas”. That is the first song that is performed.
Another big celebration in Mexico is the Mexican Mother's day. Do you want to know how they celebrate it? Read this article: "The controversial Mexican Mother’s Day".
Conclusion.
December 12th is an important date for many Mexican Catholics. The biggest religious celebration takes place on that date in the complete country. If you want to be part of this celebration, it’s better to know what exactly it is about to behave properly. After that, you only need to pack and go to Mexico in December not to miss it.
If you enjoy reading about Mexican culture, check out this article too: "Everything you need to know about the Mexican mariachi!".
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