MARIA TERESA HERNANDEZ
MEXICO CITY (AP) — There's a saying in Mexico that says, “Maybe not all Mexicans are Catholics, but yes. Guadalupanos “
This phrase expresses how deep the connection is between Virgin of Guadalupe And national identity. In a country of more than 130 million people, most of them Catholic, this apparition of the Virgin Mary carries a symbolic power that goes beyond devotion.
“With the advent of independent Mexico, she established herself as a symbol not only of religion but also of identity,” said Nydia Rodriguez, director of the Basilica of Guadalupe Museum in Mexico City, where more than 12 million pilgrims gather every Dec. 12 to celebrate the Virgin.
He country's coat of arms This is an eagle standing on a cactus and devouring a snake. However, this symbol can often be seen next to images of Guadeloupe on banners and portraits of political leaders.
“Mexico is a secular state, but we must understand that its history has always been religious,” Rodriguez added. “Our pre-Hispanic ancestors and Spanish society were deeply religious, and they have common ground.”
Among the artifacts on display at the museum is a 19th-century painting known as the Maid of Congress. It is located in the center of the main corridor, flanked by two eagles.
“It was a gift to the first Constituent Congress,” Rodriguez said. “In a sense, this legitimizes the rulers through divine decision.”
Origin of faith
“Maiden of Congress” is not just a painting. It belongs to a category of works known as “plucked from the original,” a term used by experts in Mexico to describe a religious copy of the first image.
According to the Catholic Church, this icon was a miracle. His story describes the appearance of the Virgin Mary on a cold night in December 1531.
According to legend, an indigenous man named Juan Diego saw Our Lady of Guadalupe on Tepeyac Hill, where his basilica stands today. They say that she asked to build a temple in honor of her son Jesus Christ, but the local bishop did not believe in her appearance.
At the direction of the Virgin, Juan Diego held flowers in his tunic, and later, when he dropped them, an image of Guadalupan appeared.
This cloth hangs from the center of the basilica. Millions of pilgrims come from different parts of the world to give thanks for the miracles he brought into their lives.
Teresa Morales is one of them. An 85-year-old woman recently came to visit with her daughter on the occasion of the December 12 holiday and to thank her for her good health.
He said that his knees hurt, because of which he could hardly walk, but he decided to pray to the image of the Virgin Mary, which he has at home, and the suffering disappeared.
“I went to confession the other day and my father told me I had to tell this,” Morales said. “So that they can see that his miracles really exist.”
Civil power of the Virgin Mary
The convening power of Our Lady of Guadalupe played a key role when the Mexican independence movement began in 1810.
The fight against the Spaniards was led by a priest named Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla. Today he is considered the father of the country. One early September morning he took up arms while carrying an image of Guadalupan.
It was originally an oil painting that hung in a temple in central Mexico, but Hidalgo took it down and tied it to a spear, which he used as a banner.
“The priest is leading us against the bad government,” said Salvador Rueda, a historian and director of the National Museum of Mexican History. “And why are they following him? Because the Virgin of Guadalupe represents us all.”
Several rooms of the museum demonstrate the dual function that the Virgin Mary performed over the centuries.
Its presence in jewelry, a mural by modernist architect Juan O'Gorman, and medals awarded by Mexico's first emperor in recognition of those who had rendered service to the country reveal both its religious and civic role.
Some visitors cross themselves when they see one of the first images of the Virgin, but their reaction changes when they reach Hidalgo's banner, Rueda said.
“One of them is loyalty,” he said. “The other is the flag.”
In addition to the rebels who fought for independence, other groups such as the Cristeros and the Zapatistas carried the Virgin under their banners. Although the details of these images vary, Guadalupan only strengthened their position.
“What starts out as loyalty ends up becoming a public image,” Rueda said. “It’s a reference to your identity not as a Catholic, but as a Mexican.”
Various experts have questioned whether Juan Diego's tunic is actually a miracle item or a painting, but Rueda believes this question should not matter to a historian.
“What difference does it make whether the Mother of God appeared or not?” – he said. “It’s part of reality and history because the whole world is made of them.”
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Associated Press religion coverage is a partnership with The Conversation US with funding from the Lilly Endowment Inc. AP is solely responsible for all content.
