Our Lady of Guadalupe

Our Lady of Guadalupe

Patroness of the Americas

The Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to St. Juan Diego on Saturday, December 9th, 1531, on a hill near Mexico City, and asked Juan Diego in his native Aztec language to tell the local bishop to build a shrine where Our Lady appeared. The next day, Juan Diego convinced the bishop to wait for a sign, which Our Lady promised to reveal on Monday. But Juan Diego was forced to spend the entire day caring for his sickly uncle, and on Tuesday, December 12th, he attempted to avoid both the apparition site and the bishop, embarrassed for missing the sign. But Our Lady appeared anyway, announced that Juan Diego’s uncle was cured, and told the humble farm worker to gather roses from the nearby rocks, despite it being the middle of December. When the miraculous roses tumbled out of Juan Diego’s tilma, or cloak, in front of the astonished bishop, an even greater miracle was revealed: a life-size image of Our Lady, rich with subtle symbols to help convert the American natives, was imprinted on the tilma in a way that has quite confused modern analysis. Millions of conversions of the natives resulted, and Our Lady of Guadalupe is now venerated as patroness of the Americas.

Traditional Roman Martyrology for December 12th

AT Rome, the holy martyr Synesius, who was ordained lector in the time of the blessed pope Xystus. Having converted many to Christ, he was accused before the emperor Aurelian, and being put to the sword, received the crown of martyrdom.

At Alexandria, in the time of Decius, the holy martyrs Epimachus and Alexander, who were kept in chains a long time, and subjected to various torments; but as they persevered in the faith, they were finally consumed by fire.

In the same place, the holy women Ammonaria, virgin, Mercuria, Dionysia, and another Ammonaria. The first named, after having triumphed over unheard-of torments, in the same persecution of Decius, ended her blessed life by the sword. As to the three others, the judge being ashamed to be overcome by women, and fearing that by resorting to tortures, he would be vanquished by their constancy, he ordered them to be beheaded immediately.

The same day, the holy martyrs Hermogenes, Donatus, and twenty-two others.

At Treves, the holy martyrs Maxentius, Constantius, Crescentius, Justinus, and their companions, who suffered in the persecution of Diocletian, under the governor Rictiovarus.

℣. And elsewhere many other holy martyrs, confessors, and holy virgins.

℟. Thanks be to God.