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Sacred Heart opens grotto, celebrates Our Lady of Guadalupe
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December 14, 2021Photos by Mary Cottingham | STC
See more photos below
The matachines, a mariachi band, Guadalupanas and parishioners celebrated their devotion and love for Our Lady of Guadalupe with Mass, dance, music and food on Dec. 12 at Sacred Heart Parish in Corpus Christi.
Father Julian Cabrera officiated Mass with Deacon Bernardo Vargas assisting. They each placed a single rose in a vase in front of an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, positioned to the right of the altar as Mañitas were sung.
After Mass the matachines led the procession to the newly opened grotto as parishioners one by one placed roses in a vase outside the church.
As they gathered in the grotto, the faithful were treated to the dance of the matachines, yummy tamales, empanadas and Mexican pan dulce (sweet bread).
About the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
By Catholic News Agency
Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas and the unborn, appeared to St. Juan Diego on the Hill of Tepeyac in Mexico City in 1531, during a time of conflict between the Spanish and the indigenous peoples.
Mary took the appearance of a pregnant native woman, wore clothing in the style of the indigenous community, and spoke to Juan Diego in a native language, Nahuatl.
She asked Juan Diego to appeal to the bishop to build a church on the site of the apparition, stating she wanted a place where she could reveal to the people the compassion of her son. Initially turned away by the bishop, Diego returned to the site asking Our Lady for a sign to prove the authenticity of her message.
She instructed him to gather the Castilian roses that he found blooming on the hillside, despite the fact that it was winter, and present them to the Spanish bishop. Juan Diego filled his cloak – known as a tilma – with the flowers. When he presented them to the bishop, he found that an image of Our Lady was miraculously imprinted upon his tilma.
Nearly 500 years later, Diego’s tilma with the miraculous image is preserved in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe and visited by millions of pilgrims each year.
