During the pre-dawn hours of Dec. 12, people around the world began celebrating the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Devotees flocked to church services, placing flowers beneath her image and singing the beloved Mexican standard “Las Mañanitas” (“The Morning Song”).
Our Lady of Guadalupe – also known as the Virgin of Guadalupe (La Virgen de Guadalupe) – refers to the iconic depiction of the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus, as she is believed to have miraculously appeared to St. Juan Diego, an indigenous man, in Mexico in 1531.
Our Lady of Guadalupe is also described as la virgen morena (the brown-skinned virgin), because according to Catholic tradition she resembled a dark-haired woman with brown skin. A centuries-old tilma (cactus fiber cloak) with her celebrated image is housed at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City.
People across LA celebrated this year’s Guadalupan feast day at their neighborhood parishes, at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Downtown LA and locally at Santa Rosa de Lima Church in San Fernando and in the chapel of Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills. Renowned artist Lalo Garcia, widely known for his depictions of Our Lady of Guadalupe and other sacred-inspired art, was among dozens who attended a mariachi mass celebration in the Holy Cross chapel.
The chapel features a painting of Our Lady of Guadalupe created by Garcia several years ago. Our Lady of Guadalupe is known as the “patroness of the Americas,” but Garcia said he and many others consider her the “patroness of the world” – and a personal inspiration for him.
“Our Lady of Guadalupe to me as an artist has been a source of inspiration,” said Garcia. “As a devout Catholic, celebrating her feast day reminds me of the love and pride I feel for my faith and culture. Today is the day when we all come together as a community to sing, dance, play and pray – all in our own special ways – to thank her for the blessings [we have] received.”
Garcia is one of four artists currently featured in a new art exhibit at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Downtown Los Angeles. “Expressions of Faith: Expresiones de Fe” – which includes art work by Garcia, Rick Ortega, Laura Vasquez Rodriguez and J. Michael Walker – was unveiled at the cathedral on Dec. 5 and includes depictions of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
The exhibit is on display in an alcove off one of the corridors at the downtown cathedral.
“One’s faith is expressed in different ways. … Artistically, faith can be expressed through dance, music or poetry, and visually, through sculpture, architecture, drawing or painting,” reads a collective statement by the artists. “With imagination, joy and spirit, [we] share [these] meditations on these most important spiritual beings, offering profound new perspectives that bring us even closer in our adoration of the Virgin of Guadalupe.”
“Expressions of Faith: Expresiones de Fe” will remain on public display through Jan. 5, 2025. The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels is located at 555 W. Temple St. in Downtown Los Angeles. To learn more about the artwork of Lalo Garcia go to: www.lalogarcia.com.
To view the recorded video broadcast of the mass celebration at the downtown cathedral, go to: www.olacathedral.org/guadalupe.
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