History of Our Lady of Guadalupe touches various cultures and traditions

(En Espanol)
 

Special to The Criterion

(Editor’s note: This article is partly based on a document written by Msgr. Eduardo Chávez, a priest of the Archdiocese of Mexico. Since his appointment as postulator of the cause of canonization of St. Juan Diego, who was canonized by then-Pope John Paul II in 2002, Msgr. Chávez has dedicated his life to the research of the historical sources of the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe in 1531.)
 

Also referred to as St. Mary of Guadalupe and the Virgin of Guadalupe, the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe manifests the perfect inculturation of the Gospel. It is embodied in the humble tilma (cloak) of St. Juan Diego made of vegetable fibers of izótl, which is an agavaceae palm.

Appearing to St. Juan Diego on Tepeyac Hill on the outskirts of what is now Mexico City in 1531, Our Lady of Guadalupe takes the good and true, the seeds of the word, and takes them to fullness in Jesus Christ Our Lord. It is a true inculturation of the Gospel, that is, she knows how to distinguish these seeds in the heart of every human being, within every culture, beyond traditions and customs, and that is where she places her beloved son Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer.

Her image offers a true message of God’s love both for the indigenous people and for any culture, whose iconographic and theological source is what the Book of Revelation proclaims to us:

“A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman—clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth” (Rv 12:1-2).

The mestizo face of Our Lady of Guadalupe is of a young girl of great beauty. In it, tenderness, compassion, mercy, consolation and love are manifested. It is bent in a sign of humility, as expressed by the indigenous people: This woman is important, because she stands in front of the sun, steps on the moon and dresses herself with the stars, but her face tells us that there is someone greater than her, for she is bowed as a sign of respect.

She is the mother of all human beings; as she said to Juan Diego: “For, verily, I am honored to be your compassionate mother, yours and of all the men who live together on this Earth, and also of all the other varied races of men, those who love me” (“Nican Mopohua,” #29-31).

In her, all races are identified and, at the same time, she has taken their identity from us, as the indigenous tradition of Zozocolco. Her face is neither of the Spaniards nor of the indigenous, but both. For this reason, she is affectionately called the “morenita” (the dark-skinned one).

The Indians used the name “Tonanztin,” which means “our little mother” to address her, and they joined it to her name “Tonanztin Guadalupe,” which we could translate as: “Our venerable Mother Guadalupe.”

The Virgin wanted to be called “Santa María de Guadalupe:” “María” of Jewish origin and “Guadalupe” of Arab origin. “Mary” means: “the one chosen by God,” “the favorite of God,” “the most beautiful” or the “illuminator.”

“Guadalupe” can be translated as: “River of black gravel” or “the bed of the river” or “the riverbed.” The Arabic roots of this name can be traced to the Muslim influence on the Spanish language and culture because of the Muslim rule of what became Spain from 711-1492, just 29 years before Mary appeared to St. Juan Diego.

The Mother of God introduced herself as: “Santa María de Guadalupe,” which we could translate as “the holy riverbed that carries the living Water and the true Light.” She is not the Light, but the one who illuminates through the Light. She is not the Water, but the one who leads the Water. The Light and the Living Water are Jesus.

The name Santa María de Guadalupe is taken from two of the most important cultural roots of the world: the Jews and the Arabs, who are in constant conflict. But in Santa María de Guadalupe, they are in harmony, in unity. They are her identity.

As we mark her feast day on Dec. 12, may the Blessed Mother intercede for humanity to bring peace to our world.

Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us! †