This afternoon, at 3.30 p.m., Latin American songs resounded in the convent church of St. Saviour in Jerusalem in honour of the Virgin Mary of Guadalupe. One day late with respect to the liturgical calendar, the church of Jerusalem celebrated the memory of Our Lady with a Holy Mass presided by the Latin Patriarch His Beatitude Mons. Fouad Twal. On 12th December 1531, the Virgin Mary appeared for the last time to the native saint Juan Diego (whose day is 9th December, the first day of the apparitions) and miraculously impressed her image on his “tilma”, the poor cloak he was wearing. The sanctuary of Our Lady in Mexico City still keeps this very precious image, the only authentic “self-portrait” of Mary that we have.
His Beatitude the Patriarch Twal recalled in his sermon how the American continent is a Marian continent. He defined the miraculous image impressed on Juan Diego’s cloak as the “Holy Shroud” of America and underlined the message that comes from the apparition: it is an invitation never to be afraid, despite every difficult situation, because Our Lady is with us, the Lord is with us and this joy cannot be taken away from us.
As well as the faithful from the American continent and from the Philippines, who honour the Virgin Mary of Guadalupe as their special celestial Patron Saint, many faithful from the local Jerusalem church and many members of religious communities, devoted to Our Lady, attended the celebration. To honour the Virgin Mary worthily, the religious ceremony was naturally followed by a celebration with dishes typical of the Latin American tradition.
AC
His Beatitude the Patriarch Twal recalled in his sermon how the American continent is a Marian continent. He defined the miraculous image impressed on Juan Diego’s cloak as the “Holy Shroud” of America and underlined the message that comes from the apparition: it is an invitation never to be afraid, despite every difficult situation, because Our Lady is with us, the Lord is with us and this joy cannot be taken away from us.
As well as the faithful from the American continent and from the Philippines, who honour the Virgin Mary of Guadalupe as their special celestial Patron Saint, many faithful from the local Jerusalem church and many members of religious communities, devoted to Our Lady, attended the celebration. To honour the Virgin Mary worthily, the religious ceremony was naturally followed by a celebration with dishes typical of the Latin American tradition.
AC