OKC, Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine host procession starting Our Lady of Guadalupe celebration

Carla Hinton, The Oklahoman
·3 min read
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A procession featuring horses, musicians and matachines dancers wound its way through the streets of south Oklahoma City on Saturday as the faithful began an annual celebration.

The 2.4-mile calbagata or calvacade honoring the feast day of St. Juan Diego began from Crossroads Sports Complex Park, 9200 S Santa Fe, and ended at the Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine, 700 SE 89. The event kicked off a series of activities related to St. Juan Diego, whose feast day was Saturday, and the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which is on Tuesday, Dec. 12.

The overarching theme of Saturday's activities was tied to paying homage to Our Lady of Guadalupe, but the procession, in particular, paid tribute to St. Juan Diego, an Aztec peasant who saw an apparition of the Virgin Mary in 1531, according to traditional church accounts. The apparition was brown skinned and pregnant and became known as Our Lady of Guadalupe. Juan Diego was declared a saint by Pope John Paul II in 2002.

Horses and riders participate in a processional for the feast day of St. Juan Diego on Saturday as it ends at Tepeyac Hill at the Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine on in Oklahoma City. Mandatory Credit: Steve Sisney-The Oklahoman (Credit: Steve Sisney for The Oklahoman)
Horses and riders participate in a processional for the feast day of St. Juan Diego on Saturday as it ends at Tepeyac Hill at the Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine on in Oklahoma City. Mandatory Credit: Steve Sisney-The Oklahoman (Credit: Steve Sisney for The Oklahoman)

Fittingly, many of the planned events are taking place at the shrine which includes Oklahoma's version of Tepeyac Hill, a famous sacred site in Mexico City. Tepeyac Hill is the site in Mexico where, according to tradition, Juan Diego is said to have seen the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

According to accounts, the apparition told Diego to tell Roman Catholic Church leaders to build a cathedral for her in the mountains. When a clergyman demanded proof of the encounter, the apparition told Diego to gather roses on the side of a mountain — in the middle of December. When Diego appeared at the church with the miraculous roses, the shocked bishop believed him. An imprint of the apparition appeared on Diego's tilma, or cape, in which he'd carried the roses.

The procession on Saturday included dozens of horses whose riders were men, women and children. Aztec-influenced matachine dancers also took part in the event as part of the traditional Our Lady of Guadalupe celebration. Musicians also performed, adding their songs of tribute to Our Lady to the colorful procession.

Katia Martinez and her mother traveled from Austin, Texas, to participate in Saturday's festivities. She said they didn't hesitate to make the trip to the shrine because they love Our Lady of Guadalupe.

"We don't have a big church where we live, so we come to see her here," Martinez said.

Matachines dancers kneel as the participate in a processional for the feast day of St. Juan Diego as it ends at Tepeyac Hill at the Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine on Saturday in Oklahoma City. Mandatory Credit: Steve Sisney-The Oklahoman (Credit: Steve Sisney for The Oklahoman)
Matachines dancers kneel as the participate in a processional for the feast day of St. Juan Diego as it ends at Tepeyac Hill at the Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine on Saturday in Oklahoma City. Mandatory Credit: Steve Sisney-The Oklahoman (Credit: Steve Sisney for The Oklahoman)

Pat Stanolis, a member of St. Teresa Catholic Church in Harrah, said she didn't know about the planned festivities so she was surprised when she arrived at the shrine.

"I was just coming to see the shrine and climb the sacred hill," she said. "I came and stumbled into this and it's wonderful. It shows you how rich this city is in culture and diversity."

More activities are planned

Other activities at the shrine included a Sacred Heart Guadalupe Festival that was planned for Sunday, Dec. 10. Evening prayer will be at 7 p.m. Monday at the shine. Activities on Tuesday will begin at 5 a.m. with Las Mananitas, the traditional gathering held in the early morning because that is when the apparition, referred to as Our Lady, first showed itself, according to church history. An outdoor Mass with Archbishop Paul S. Coakley will be at 4 p.m. Tuesday at the base of Tepeyac Hill. The Mass will be preceded by the Apparition Play at 3 p.m. The Apparition Play is a performance chronicling the meeting between Juan Diego and Our Lady.

Horses and riders participate in a processional for the feast day of St. Juan Diego as it ends at Tepeyac Hill at the Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine, 700 SE 89 in Oklahoma City. Mandatory Credit: Steve Sisney-The Oklahoman (Credit: Steve Sisney for The Oklahoman)
Horses and riders participate in a processional for the feast day of St. Juan Diego as it ends at Tepeyac Hill at the Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine, 700 SE 89 in Oklahoma City. Mandatory Credit: Steve Sisney-The Oklahoman (Credit: Steve Sisney for The Oklahoman)

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The series of observances typically include dancing, singing and prayers as parishioners pay tribute to Our Lady of Guadalupe. Our Lady of Guadalupe is considered the patroness of the Americas. Activities for the feast day, which is Dec. 12, are particularly popular in Roman Catholic parishes that include a large number of Hispanic parishioners, particularly those of Mexican descent.

Horses and riders participate in a processional for the feast day of St. Juan Diego as it ends at Tepeyac Hill at the Blessed Stanley Rother Rother Shrine on Saturday in Oklahoma City. Mandatory Credit: Steve Sisney-The Oklahoman (Credit: Steve Sisney for The Oklahoman)
Horses and riders participate in a processional for the feast day of St. Juan Diego as it ends at Tepeyac Hill at the Blessed Stanley Rother Rother Shrine on Saturday in Oklahoma City. Mandatory Credit: Steve Sisney-The Oklahoman (Credit: Steve Sisney for The Oklahoman)

The faithful often pay homage to Our Lady with fresh roses and other colorful flowers.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Procession of horses begins 2023 Our Lady of Guadalupe celebration