To the Basilica de Guadalupe

We went to Mexico City today. We were supposed to leave at 7 am. We actually left at 7:45 a.m. so, not too bad for us. We put a deposit down for our hotel. We will be staying the night. Then we went to the Basilica de Guadalupe. There is a whole story behind it. It is very beautiful. It was very dramatic to see people walking on their knees all the way across the plaza to the church. It is a deep sign of respect. I guess it used to be done more often than it is now. I do have one picture of a couple on their knees going to the church. In the plaza there was an older church and a newer one that is still used for services. I don’t know the story about Don Juan Diego, who saw some amazing things and told the local church leaders about it. I need to look into it more and I will explain it better. I do have some of it on video where Estela was explaining it to us. We walked around to the right to go up the hill. Gardens and water and arches with ivy surrounded us. As we walked up there was even more beautiful flowers and intricately designed landscapes. At the top there were four angels: Gabriel, Uriel and two others that I do have on video. As you go up to where D. Juan Diego saw the vision there is water falling through spouts in the walls down into pools. It was very beautiful.

Throughout this whole experience I just kept thinking it is really amazing and also unfortunate all the things that were done to the indigenous people. Certain names (native names) were changed to something that the Spaniards could understand and pronounce like “Cuernavaca.” The same thing happened here with Guadalupe. Juan Diego had told the church leaders about a very powerful vision and the name that he used was similar to Guadalupe that was already known to the Catholic Church in Spain, so they used that. Because of this, this area and the story are believed and very important to all of the people in the area, indigenous and foreign. Quite unique at that time.

At the top of the hill is a church with beautiful murals on the walls and ceilings. There was a service going on when we were there. There were lots of people there. It was a beautiful location on the hill and you could see way off into the distance. One could understand why it was chosen. Walking down from the church, it was even more beautiful. Walking under the ivy covered metal arches with greenery everywhere. It was most beautiful to the left where the water was falling through spouts down to the pools below and further up there was the most beautiful story of Guadalupe depicted by metal sculptures of people all in a line facing Guadalupe who was at the top. Each person (piece) symbolized a story in and of itself. It basically showed that all the different people of different cultures, Indigenous, Spaniards, rich, poor all came to that hill to pay tribute to Guadalupe. It was meaningful to all of them. One connection that they all had-Pretty amazing.

I’ll have to look up the information and the artist who made them. I have many pictures; I don’t know if I have a video though. I do have a video of the church for Guadalupe with all the murals.

Walking up to the Basilica, before going through the gates you are bombarded with vendors selling rosaries and souvenirs and food. It became pretty crowded with people visitors and vendors. I bought a few rosaries and I even ate a small piece of mango con chile (I’m actually allergic to mangos, but love them). My mouth tingled a little, but it was fine later.