SALT LAKE CITY — The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which is celebrated Dec. 12, commemorates the Virgin Mary appearing several times in 1531 to Juan Diego, an Aztec Indian, in Mexico. Several parishes in the Diocese of Salt Lake City celebrate the feast day.
Our Lady of Guadalupe was named Mother of the Americas by Pope John XXIII in 1961. She also is the secondary patroness of the Diocese of Salt Lake City.
At her namesake parish in Salt Lake City, local Catholics honor Our Lady of Guadalupe with a novena that began this year on Dec. 3. For eight nights, immigrants from different countries and different states or cities in Mexico are sponsoring the events, which will culminate with a two-day celebration on Wednesday, Dec. 11 and Thursday, Dec. 12. Beginning at 7 p.m. Wednesday evening there will be a rosary followed by a bilingual Mass. Later, there will be a procession of the Blessed Sacrament, followed by Mañanitas with a band. Mass will be celebrated at midnight. At 5 a.m. there will be Mañanitas with a mariachi band. Mass will be celebrated in Spanish at 7 a.m. and in English at noon.
That evening there will be musical presentations, along with the rosary at 5 p.m., followed by a procession from Rose Park Elementary to the church. A closing Mass will take place at 7 p.m.
Sofia Palestino, an Our Lady of Guadalupe parishioner and one of the event organizers, said thousands of people attend the celebration every year. More than 100 volunteers prepare and participate in the festivities each year.
“We do this to show her our love because she responds when we ask her for favors,” she said. “We love her because she protects us; she’s our blessed mother.”
Palestino said the festivities each year are a way local Catholics can teach their children to show love to Our Lady.
“It’s a joy to participate; to celebrate Our Lady,” she said. “We are blessed to be able to provide our input.”
Many other parishes, including the Cathedral of the Madeleine, also will celebrate the feast day; for schedules, check with the parish.
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