Virgin of Guadalupe, first Indigenous apparition of Mary, remains sacred and towering figure among Latinos

Latinos across Nevada, especially those with Mexican ancestry, gathered at churches this weekend for prayer of the rosary and novena, a nine-day prayer and meditation; multiple mass services; traditional Aztec dance performances; and to sing las mañanitas, a birthday song, at midnight. 

It’s all part of the feast day of the Virgin of Guadalupe, a significant spiritual event celebrating the manifestation of the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus Christ, in what is now modern-day Mexico. Her history is rooted in the nation's history of colonization.

Aside from local celebrations, she inspires millions of people each year to make a pilgrimage to Mexico City’s Basílica de Guadalupe, one of the most-visited Catholic sites in the world. 

Source: Virgin of Guadalupe, first Indigenous apparition of Mary, remains sacred and towering figure among Latinos