For lifelong Catholic and San Fernando resident Magdalena Navarro, honoring the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe is an important spiritual tradition – and an expression of her own personal gratitude.
“More than 10 years ago one of my daughters was diagnosed with cancer and I promised the virgin [of Guadalupe] that I would honor her every year, by bringing her flowers on her feast day and always expressing my appreciation to God and to her. And thankfully my daughter is still with us and healthy,” Navarro told the San Fernando Valley Sun/el Sol, as she dropped off a bouquet of roses in front of a Guadalupan altar at St. Ferdinand Church in San Fernando.
“I’m also here to ask her to pray for other family members who are going through difficulties right now,” added Navarro, as fellow devotees at the church randomly broke out in song and prayer, a celebration that began during the pre-dawn hours of Dec. 12, the Guadalupan feast day.
Navarro was among the throngs of faithful who honored Our Lady of Guadalupe across the San Fernando Valley and around the world. The iconic Guadalupan depiction of the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus, is a dark-haired, dark-skinned image of Mary. She is portrayed as followers believe she miraculously appeared to St. Juan Diego, an indigenous man, in Mexico in 1531.
At Santa Rosa de Lima Church in San Fernando, local resident Monica Garcia and her children brought flowers for the virgin as fellow visitors recited rosary prayers and sang traditional songs, including the Mexican standard “Las Mañanitas” (“The Morning Song”) and “La Guadalupana.”
“I celebrate the Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe by dressing my son as Juan Diego, bringing flowers and praying as we honor the Virgin Mary, because this tradition is part of my culture and my faith,” said Garcia, who became emotional recounting the importance of the spiritual tradition. “It is something that was instilled in me, and that I want to lovingly pass on to my son.”
A standing-room-only crowd of worshippers filled the chapel of Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills during a noon service honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe. Renowned artist Lalo Garcia, widely known for his depictions of Our Lady of Guadalupe and other sacred-inspired art, was among the dozens who attended the mariachi mass celebration.
The hospital chapel features a painting of Our Lady of Guadalupe that Garcia created several years ago. Our Lady of Guadalupe is widely regarded as the “patroness of the Americas,” but Garcia said that he and many other Guadalupan devotees consider her to be the “patroness of the world.”