Today, el 12 de diciembre, is one of the most important days in the Mexican cultural and religious calendar, El Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe. This day celebrates la virgen morena , or dark skinned virgin Mary, who is said to have appeared to a humble indigenous Mexican man named Juan Diego outside Mexico City in 1531. She told him that she was the blessed mother of the indios, indigenous Mexicans, and she would comfort and protect them forever. There are many theories (academic, religious, and otherwise) about her appearance and true nature but whatever the belief she is still a unifying cultural icon. I had the great opportunity to learn more about her integration into the Mexican Catholic faith and Mexican culture first when I was a sophomore at Dickinson College studying Mexican migration from Michoacán, Mexico to Adams County, PA (are with many apple orchards and factories) and second when I was living and studying in Querétaro, Mexico my junior year of college. While doing some field work involving a bilingual Catholic Church in Gettysburg, PA, I attended the festive mass on the Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe. I will try to post a video from the service.
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