Mary, Mother of Jesus · Updated August 15, 2026
Our Lady of Guadalupe refers to apparitions of the Virgin Mary reported by Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin, a 57-year-old indigenous Nahua convert, on Tepeyac Hill in Mexico City from December 9 to 12, 1531. Juan Diego reported four appearances of a young woman surrounded by light, later identified as the Virgin Mary. These events have become a central part of Mexican religious and cultural identity and are recognized by the Catholic Church.
On December 9, 1531, Juan Diego reported that he saw a vision of the Virgin Mary on Tepeyac Hill. He described her as a young woman surrounded by light, who spoke to him in his native Nahuatl language. She asked him to request that a shrine be built in her honor at the location. Juan Diego conveyed this message to Bishop Juan de Zumárraga, who was skeptical and requested a sign to prove the authenticity of the vision. On December 12, Mary reportedly appeared again to Juan Diego, instructing him to gather roses that were miraculously blooming despite the winter season. When Juan Diego presented these roses to the bishop, her image appeared imprinted on his tilma, a traditional cloak.
Mary's message to Juan Diego included a request for a shrine on Tepeyac Hill, where she promised to listen to the petitions of the faithful. She expressed a deep concern for the well-being of the people and assured Juan Diego of her protection. The miraculous image on the tilma, which bore her likeness, served as the sign Bishop Zumárraga had requested, confirming her identity and the truth of her message.
Bishop Juan de Zumárraga conducted the initial investigation into Juan Diego's claims. He examined the tilma and the circumstances surrounding the apparitions. The bishop accepted the image's miraculous nature and authorized the construction of a chapel at the site of the apparitions. The Church's veneration of the image has persisted over the centuries, culminating in Juan Diego's canonization by Pope John Paul II in 2002, which further solidified the Church's recognition of the apparitions.
The tilma's preservation over nearly 500 years is considered miraculous, as it has shown no signs of fading or deterioration. Various scientific studies have been conducted on the image, revealing no brushwork or underpainting, suggesting that it was not created by human hands. Despite these examinations, no natural explanation has been found for its creation or condition. Today, approximately 20 million pilgrims visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe annually, making it the most visited Catholic shrine in the world and the second-most-visited religious site after Mecca.
The image of Our Lady of Guadalupe on Juan Diego's tilma has no detectable brush strokes, suggesting it was not painted by human hands, and has remained intact for nearly 500 years without preservation techniques.
Our Lady of Guadalupe presents a theological tension concerning the integration of indigenous cultural elements into Catholicism. Reported by Juan Diego in 1531, this apparition has become a cornerstone of Latin American Catholic identity, raising questions about the Church's approach to evangelization and the incorporation of local traditions into its practices. Theologically, it challenges the Church to reconcile how private revelations, which are not part of the core doctrine, can exert influence on public faith and identity. Blending indigenous and Catholic symbols, the narrative of Guadalupe prompts a reevaluation of how the Church engages with diverse cultural contexts.
In Catholic theology, private revelations like Our Lady of Guadalupe are distinct from the deposit of faith, which comprises the essential beliefs required of all Catholics. When the Church approves an apparition, it certifies that the revelation is consistent with Catholic doctrine and can be venerated, but it does not mandate belief among the faithful. This means that while Catholics can view the apparition as a spiritual event, belief in it is not obligatory. In the case of Guadalupe, the Church’s approval acknowledges its alignment with Catholic teachings, allowing it to influence religious and cultural life without being a compulsory element of faith.
The debate surrounding Our Lady of Guadalupe involves both historical and theological questions. Some historians question the historical accuracy of the apparition narrative due to the absence of contemporary documentation, while defenders rely on oral histories and the tilma's properties, which some consider miraculous. Theologically, discussions focus on how the integration of indigenous symbols into the apparition narrative affects Marian devotion and Catholic practice. The tilma, with its image of the Virgin Mary, remains an object of fascination and faith, housed in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, which continues to be a major pilgrimage site.
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