Parishioners from Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Charlotte process with a statue of our Blessed Mother in honor of the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe in 2022.CHARLOTTE — One of the biggest and most beloved feast days dedicated to Mary is coming Dec. 12.
The feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe recalls her appearance on Dec. 12, 1531, to St. Juan Diego on Mount Tepayac in Mexico.
Over the centuries, the feast has become one of the largest annual celebrations in Mexico, and Mexican Americans have brought the tradition here. The feast is observed with special Masses, songs, dancing, music, processions, and live representations of Mary’s appearance.
The story of her appearance nearly 500 years ago to St. Juan Diego is a testament to faith and devotion, according to Pope Francis. In a speech about evangelization on Aug. 23, the pope called Our Lady of Guadalupe a shining example of motherhood and a model of faith for all people. “Our Lady always chooses those who are simple, on the hill of Tepayac in Mexico as at Lourdes and Fatima,” he said.
“Speaking to them, she speaks to everyone, in a language suitable for all, comprehensible like that of Jesus.”
Here is a look at Our Lady of Guadalupe celebrations planned at parishes across the Diocese of Charlotte:
Christ the King Church, High Point
6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 12, Mass at 7 p.m. followed by a celebration in the parish hall with dancing, singing and food
Divine Redeemer Church, Boonville
9:45 p.m. Monday, Dec. 11, Our Lady of Guadalupe play followed by 10:30 p.m. Mass and Mañanitas at midnight.
8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 12, Mass followed by celebration featuring traditional dances, food and more.
Good Shepherd Mission, King
5 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 12, Mañanitas, then 6:30 p.m. Mass.
Holy Angels Church, Mount Airy
7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 12, Mañanitas by San Miguel and Holy Angels choirs, performance by Tonanzin dancers.
Holy Family Church, Clemmons
7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9, mariachi music and Mañanitas.
Holy Trinity Mission, Taylorsville
8:30 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 10, English Mass; 9:30 a.m. Mañanitas, rosary, Spanish Mass and cultural celebration.
Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, High Point
2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 12, Mass followed by cultural celebration with food, dancing and mariachi music.
10 p.m. Monday, Dec. 11, vigil for Mañanitas featuring representation of apparitions of the Virgin presented by members of St. Mary Church in Greensboro.
7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 12, Mass, then dinner and music.
Our Lady of Grace Church, Greensboro
6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 12, procession, Mass, followed by mariachi music, Mexican hot chocolate and pastries in the courtyard
Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Charlotte
5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 11, celebration with folk dancing, food, depiction of the apparition to Juan Diego, and rosary, followed by 8:30 p.m. Mass.
Midnight Tuesday, Dec. 12 Mañanitas and mariachi music; Masses at 6 a.m., noon, 5 and 7:30 p.m.
Our Lady of Lourdes, Monroe
8 p.m. Saturday-Monday, Dec. 9-11, Novena in the chapel.
5 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 12, Mañanitas, 8 p.m. Mass.
Our Lady of the Angels, Marion
10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 10, Marian procession downtown with Aztec and Old Men dancers.
7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 12, Mass with mariachi band followed by a dinner.
Our Lady of the Annunciation Church, Albemarle
7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 10, Mass with celebration afterwards in the parish hall.
Our Lady of the Highways Church Thomasville
11:30 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 10, procession, 1 p.m. Mass followed by celebration, food, live music, dances and dancing horses.
7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 11, rosary followed by 8-9:30 p.m. choir performance, 9:30 p.m. Mass, 10:30 p.m. mariachi music and Mañanitas.
6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 12 Mass followed by dancing.
Our Lady of Mercy Church, Winston-Salem
8:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 11, vigil, then celebration 9-11 p.m. with mariachi music, traditional dances and Mañanitas.
8:30 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 12, Mass in English; 7 p.m. Mass in Spanish.
Our Lady of the Rosary Church, Lexington
6:30 p.m. to midnight Monday, Dec. 11, celebration.
Sacred Heart Church, Brevard
6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 12 Mass.
Sacred Heart Mission Burnsville
7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 12 Mass.
St. Barnabas Church, Arden
8 p.m. Monday, Dec. 11, Our Lady of Guadalupe celebration.
St. Elizabeth of the Hill Country Church, Boone
4 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 12, mariachi music followed by 6 a.m. Mass.
St. Gabriel Church, Charlotte
8:15 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 12, Mass.
St. James Church in Hamlet
6:30 p.m. to midnight Tuesday, Dec. 11, fiesta starting with 6:40 p.m. procession from the church to the fiesta at Richmond Community College, 1042 Hamlet Ave. Bands and dancers will perform.
St. John Neumann Church, Charlotte
6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 12, rosary followed by 7 p.m. Mass in Spanish and reception in the parish hall.
St. Lawrence Basilica, Asheville
7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11, Vigil Mass in Spanish.
7 a.m. Monday, Dec. 12, Mass in English.
St. Luke Church, Mint Hill
6-8 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 12, Mañanitas, 7-8 p.m. Mass.
St. Mark Church, Huntersville
7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 12, Spanish Mass followed by celebration in the parish hall, including dinner, dance program and presentation of the story of appearance of Our Lady to St. Juan Diego.
St. Mary Church, Greensboro
9:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 11, procession followed by 10 p.m. rosary and 11 p.m. Mass.
Midnight Tuesday, Dec. 12, Mañanitas and mariachi music followed by 1 a.m.-11 a.m. rosary, noon Mass, 1-4 p.m. rosary, 5 p.m. music and dancing, 5:45 p.m. representation of the Guadalupe apparitions, and 7 p.m. Mass.
Special program in Asheville
All are invited to a public cultural celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe beginning at noon Sunday, Dec. 10, at the WNC Agricultural Center, 1301 Fanning Bridge Road in Fletcher. The event will begin with a procession, followed by Mass, Mañanitas, dancing, and representation of the Guadalupan apparitions. Food will be available. A $5 donation is requested.
— Christina Lee Knauss
History of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Tradition says that the Blessed Virgin Mary told Juan Diego to build a church upon the spot where she appeared. When he spoke to the local archbishop, his request was denied. Mary appeared to him two more times, but still the bishop asked for proof. Juan Diego then gathered roses, which should not have been growing at that time of year, from the hillside where Mary appeared and carried them to the prelate’s house wrapped in his cloak, also known as a tilma.
He opened the tilma in front of the bishop, and as the roses poured out, a miraculous image of Mary was revealed on the inside of the cloak. Juan Diego’s tilma is on display to this day in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, a destination for thousands of pilgrims each year. Juan Diego was canonized by then-Pope John Paul II in 2002.