'A mother to all': Procession in honor of Virgin of Guadalupe draws thousands in Phoenix
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Portraits of the Virgin of Guadalupe — the patron saint of Mexico and symbol of hope of Latin America — on canvases, paintings, clothing and serapes flooded Monroe Street in downtown Phoenix on Saturday, as thousands gathered in her honor days ahead of her official feast day.
For the past 19 years, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix has invited the Arizona community every first Saturday in December to a mass and procession in honor of the Virgin of Guadalupe — a maternal figure that strengthens people's faith and culture despite adversity, borders and the passing of time.
"(Our Lady of Guadalupe) is embedded in the culture of the Latino community, specifically, the Mexican community and both immigrants and those who have been here for so long," said Bishop John P. Dolan of the Diocese of Phoenix. "There are certain celebrations — Valentine's Day, Saint Nicholas and Christmas — (when) there is a wonderful mix of what happens in ordinary community life and the life of faith, which is a great way to remind people that there is something greater and better out there, beyond what they can see."
The Virgin of Guadalupe, with her characteristic dark hair and brown skin, is a version of the Virgin Mary — the mother of Jesus, per the Catholic faith — who appeared in 1531 before an Indigenous man named Juan Diego at the top of Cerro del Tepeyac located in Mexico.
Since then, the Virgin of Guadalupe has become a symbol of Mexican culture across the globe.
“Bringing this diocese-level event to the streets of Phoenix highlights the importance of (the Virgin Mary's) role in our Catholic faith,” said Ignacio Rodríguez, director of the Hispanic Ministry for the Diocese of Phoenix. “As the patron saint of our diocese, she belongs to everyone. So, it is not only important for Hispanics and Latinos to be celebrating and honoring the Virgin, but it is an invitation to all of the diocese to be part of this celebration to honor our mother."
The celebration began early, with many groups participating in the procession arriving at St. Mary's Basilica before 8 a.m. to start setting up. Monroe Street was filled when bishop Dolan and auxiliary bishop Eduardo Nevares were set to start the massive outdoor mass at 10 a.m. in front of the Phoenix Convention Center.
The procession — a type of ceremonial walk — was a representation of the trip that thousands of people in Latin America make each year towards the Basilica of Guadalupe located in Mexico City to celebrate the Virgin on her day, December 12.
'A mother to all'
During the event — which in recent years has been attended by up to 4,000 people, according to the diocese — more than 80 organizations from different parishes in Arizona gathered to participate in the procession.
People decorated their cars with flowers of different colors, images of the Virgin of Guadalupe, Mexican flags, papel picado and a canvas or cardboard with the name of their parish.
Adults and children — some of them dressed as the Virgin of Guadalupe and the saint Juan Diego — greeted the audience while a representative of the diocese explained the organization's mission.
The Virgin of Guadalupe is the Church's representation of motherhood and is also “a mother to all,” according to attendees of the procession in Phoenix.
“She is miraculous,” said Adelaida Durante, one of the street vendors who were at the event offering serapes with the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe embroidered on them. Durante describes herself as a devout Catholic and a parishioner of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Parish, just a few blocks east of St. Mary's.
According to Durante, the symbolism of motherhood that the Virgin provides has helped her be a better mother to her children. “(She has taught me) that I have to be understanding with my children. Sometimes they make me angry but I have to be very patient, which is what she does (with us)," Durante said.
Eight matachines dance troupes also participated in the procession. Matachines are a type of carnivalesque religious dance that originated in Spain and was introduced to Mexico in th 17th Century. It was adopted largely by Indigenous peoples in northern Mexico but has since become a symbolic part of Catholic saints' feast day celebrations.
Those who livened up Saturday's procession wore ensembles made up of masks, hats with feathers, nagüilla skirts and t-shirts decorated with art inspired by their Aztec culture. Some held maracas as they danced to the beat of live drumming as they danced across town.
“The Virgin is the mother of all of us. Most of us feel proud. When we ask for miracles, we ask God, we ask the Virgin," said Edwin García, originally from Morelos, Mexico, who now lives in Phoenix and is a member of one of the troupes. “I feel that coming to dance is a form of thanking her that we are still alive, that we are OK."
Their dancing, and everything that comes with it, is some elements that represent Mexican culture and that people feel proud to share when they bring them to the other side of the border, García said.
“Consecrated to Jesus by the Hands of Mary” from Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, located in Queen Creek, was one of the groups that took part in the procession.
The group promotes praying the rosary as a family, consecrations for people of all ages and helping others through acts of service, according to Rocio Delgado, a resident of Mesa and an active member of the group.
“The consecrations (consist of) detaching yourself from all the things of the world and dedicating yourself to our Lady Mother so that she may be the ladder that takes you to Jesus," said Delgado.
Her faith has helped her prevail in the face of adversity, which was the case when she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2010, which spread throughout her vocal cords and nearly left her unable to speak.
“Even the doctor himself told me not to thank him, to deal with God because God only knew what he had done for me,” Delgado said. “Everyone who participated in my surgery swore that I would never speak again because my glands were destroyed. They couldn't explain how, but I did… God gave me that cancer and he took it away from me and helped me move forward and here I continue speaking and serving him and our Mother."
She also said that thanks to her faith she has been able to help her mother, who just finished her chemotherapy treatment, and her daughter who was recently diagnosed with the same cancer as her.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Procession in honor of Virgin of Guadalupe draws thousands in Phoenix
