Throughout December, Catholics across the Archdiocese of Los Angeles celebrate and honor the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas. Cultural and prayerful events begin this weekend, culminating with a tribute to Our Lady of Guadalupe on the eve of her Dec. 12 Feast Day.
Images of Our Lady of Guadalupe and St. Juan Diego visited nearly 30 L.A. area parishes and cemeteries over the last few weeks, starting with St. Catherine of Alexandria parish on Catalina Island in October, officials from the Archdiocese said.
For nearly 500 years, Catholics consider the Virgin of Guadalupe’s image a symbol of faith, compassion and hope. Icons of “La Virgen de Guadalupe” are common throughout Mexico — where she appeared to St. Juan Diego in Tepeyac in December 1531 — and across the Americas.
Aztec dancer, Mayra Peck of La Puente performs with a group of indigenous dancers from multiple parishes during an early start to the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Dec. 12, in the plaza outside of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles on Saturday, December 11, 2021. (Photo by Libby Cline-Birmingham, Contributing Photographer)
Aztec dancer, Mayra Peck of La Puente performs with a group of indigenous dancers from multiple parishes during an early start to the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Dec. 12, in the plaza outside of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles on Saturday, December 11, 2021. (Photo by Libby Cline-Birmingham, Contributing Photographer)
Artist Lalo Garcia installs his paintings honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe at the The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels Wednesday, November 23, 2022. The paintings are part of an exhibit that will be adjacent to the chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe at the Cathedral. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles celebrated Día de los Muertos on Saturday, Oct. 28 at the Calvary Cemetery. The celebration included a sawdust carpet with the image of late Auxiliary Bishop David O’Connell being embraced by Our Lady of Guadalupe, made by an artist from Guanajuato, Mexico. (Courtesy of John Rueda / Archdiocese of Los Angeles)
Artist Lalo Garcia, of Mission Hills, stands before a digital version of his painting Cihualpilli-Tonahtzín (Noble little Indian, Our mother in the Aztec language Nahuatl) projected on the exterior of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles for the celebrations of Our Lady of Guadalupe on Friday, December 11, 2020. The midnight mass celebrations, usually packed with people, were done remotely during the COVID-19 surge. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
The pews were filled at 8 a.m. Mass on Sunday, Feb. 19 at St. John Vianney Church in Hacienda Heights. Above: A shrine to Our Lady of Guadalupe outside the chuich. Photo: Georgia Valdes, SCNG
One of Lalo Garcias works honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe at the The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels Wednesday, November 23, 2022. The paintings are part of an exhibit that will be adjacent to the chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe at the Cathedral. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Community members look on as dancers from Ballet Folkloric Resurreccion perform during an early start to the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Dec. 12, in the plaza outside of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles on Saturday, December 11, 2021. (Photo by Libby Cline-Birmingham, Contributing Photographer)
Artist Lalo Garcia installs his paintings honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe at the The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels Wednesday, November 23, 2022. The paintings are part of an exhibit that will be adjacent to the chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe at the Cathedral. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Artist Lalo Garcia’s digital version of his painting Cihualpilli-Tonahtzín (Noble little Indian, Our mother in the Aztec language Nahuatl) drops roses during projection on the exterior of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles for the celebrations of Our Lady of Guadalupe on Friday, December 11, 2020. The midnight mass celebrations, usually packed with people, were done remotely during the COVID-19 surge. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
“This year is the 492nd anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe! This is the true founding of America,” said L.A. Archbishop José H. Gomez in a news release. “The Virgin came to bring Jesus — not only to Mexico, but to all the Americas. This country, every country in North and South America, is under her mantle, under her loving protection and care. We dedicate ourselves again to Mary’s mission of bringing Jesus to our country and all people.”
The celebrations start Friday, Dec. 1 with a 7:30 p.m. showing of the annual pageant play “La Virgen de Guadalupe, Dios Inantzin,” from The Latino Theater Company, at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. The production was adapted by Evelina Fernández from the mid-16th century text “The Nican Mopohua,” and features over 100 actors, singers and community members of all ages, as well as indigenous Aztec dancers.
Organizers said it is L.A.’s largest theatrical holiday production. General admission for the play is free, with reserved premium seating available for $45. Another show at the L.A. Cathedral is planned for the next evening, Dec. 2.
On Sunday, Dec. 3, the Archdiocese hosts the 92nd annual procession and Mass to honor the Virgin Mary in East L.A. The event begins at 10:30 a.m. at Our Lady of Solitude Church, 4561 E. Cesar Chavez Ave. The procession will include Aztec dancers, Mexican equestrian groups and Guadalupano groups from L.A. region parishes. Participants will walk about a one-mile route to the stadium at East Los Angeles College, 1301 Cesar Chavez Ave., for a 1:00 p.m. Holy Mass, presided by Archbishop Gomez.
This year’s theme in the Archdiocese is “Holy Mary of Guadalupe, path of the light and hope.” The procession first started was in 1931 by L.A. Mexican Catholics who fled persecution by the Mexican government during the Cristero War, the release said.
Art featured in the new “Guadalupe Tonantzin: Guide and path towards the child Jesus” exhibit, by sacred artist Lalo Garcia. The installation features 10 original pieces, and is open from November 30 through January 5, 2024, at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in downtown L.A., adjacent to the chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe. (Courtesy of Yannina Diaz / Archdiocese of Los Angeles)
Art featured in the new “Guadalupe Tonantzin: Guide and path towards the child Jesus” exhibit, by sacred artist Lalo Garcia. The installation features 10 original pieces, and is open from November 30 through January 5, 2024, at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in downtown L.A., adjacent to the chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe. (Courtesy of Yannina Diaz / Archdiocese of Los Angeles)
Art featured in the new “Guadalupe Tonantzin: Guide and path towards the child Jesus” exhibit, by sacred artist Lalo Garcia. The installation features 10 original pieces, and is open from November 30 through January 5, 2024, at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in downtown L.A., adjacent to the chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe. (Courtesy of Yannina Diaz / Archdiocese of Los Angeles)
Art featured in the new “Guadalupe Tonantzin: Guide and path towards the child Jesus” exhibit, by sacred artist Lalo Garcia. The installation features 10 original pieces, and is open from November 30 through January 5, 2024, at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in downtown L.A., adjacent to the chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe. (Courtesy of Yannina Diaz / Archdiocese of Los Angeles)
A special art exhibit, “Guadalupe Tonantzin: Guide and path towards the child Jesus,” by sacred artist Lalo Garcia, will open to the public at the L.A. Cathedral starting Nov. 30 through Jan. 5, 2024. The exhibit features 10 art pieces and is adjacent to the chapel of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which houses the only known relic of the tilma, or cloak, of St. Juan Diego in the U.S.
The annual “Las Mañanitas” musical birthday tribute and Mass at the L.A. Cathedral is set for Monday, Dec. 11 beginning at 6:00 p.m. with indigenous and folkloric dancers, festivities and seasonal treats on the Cathedral Plaza, and a veneration of the tilma relic in the chapel. At 10 p.m., the celebration continues inside the Cathedral with a special rosary prayer. A musical serenade to honor the Virgin Mary begins at 11 p.m. Festivities will culminate with a midnight Mass in Spanish, celebrated by Archbishop Gomez.
Other parishes throughout the L.A. Archdiocese will honor Our Lady of Guadalupe with special festive Masses, cultural processions and prayers.