Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe

The Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe celebrates the Virgin Mary, who is the patron saint of Mexico. It focusses on the belief that Mary came to a man named Juan Diego on December 9 1531 to tell him where to build a new church. She asked that a church be built in her honor at Tepeyac Hill. The bishop did not believe Diego, and wanted to see a miracle, so Mary returned to Diego on December 12, leaving roses on the hill where a cactus had previously stood. When he presented the roses to the bishop, he saw that the Virgin of Guadalupe had imprinted her image onto the inside of his cloak. The cloak is still displayed in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe today. On this day people often visit the basilica to honor the Virgin Mary who has become synonymous with Mexican identity.