This page includes a segment about "Our Lady's Mantle of protection", with photos.
PrayFlorida.com
"...for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed." Luke 1:48
Our Lady of Guadalupe...and Our Lady of Ocotlan
Our Lady of Guadalupe...and Our Lady of Ocotlan
The Great Miracle of Guadalupe - December 12, 1531
The following is the true story of one of the greatest miracles in our hemisphere, and it took place on Tepeyac Hill, Mexico, in a place that marks the geographical center of the whole western hemisphere. Even though this miracle took place almost 500 years ago, it is still a very great and significant miracle for all of us today who live in the Americas. To know her is to love her. To love her, is to love her Son.
Hernando Cortes won the victory over Montezuma and his Aztec warriors and took possession of Tenochtitlan (present-day Mexico City) on August 13, 1521. The priests who accompanied him and those who were sent within the next several years, worked hard to teach the native Aztecs about the Christian Faith. However, in 1531 the Aztecs were on the verge of a revolt against the Spanish Christians and their missionary priests, but God miraculously intervened by sending the Blessed Virgin Mary to solidify the Faith. Just as she was the instrument that brought Jesus to the world initially, she was the same instrument that God chose to bring Christianity to a pagan hemisphere.
A certified copy of the original Image - 4' 8" tall.
The historical documentation of the Miracle of Guadalupe which took place on 12/12/1531 is recorded in the Nican Mopohua, written by Antonio Valeriano in 1545 in the native Nahuatl language of the Aztecs. (Jamestown wasn't settled until 1607, and the Mayflower didn't arrive until 1620.) So at the very birth of the evangelization of the Americas, Our Blessed Mother, the Mother of Jesus, came to give birth to Christianity in the New World. In fact, she appeared as a pregnant woman, with a ribbon of cloth high up on her abdomen which indicated to the Mexican people that she was with Child. 8 million native Indians, were baptized and converted to the Holy Christian (Catholic) Faith within the first 7 years following the miracle. Pope John-Paul II referred to her as the "Star of Evangelization," and not just for Mexico, but for all of the Americas. The following is a summary of the miraculous event as documented in the Nican Mopohua:
†
"And there were given to the woman two wings of a great eagle,
that she might fly into the desert unto her place..." Rev. 12:14
Background: When the Aztecs migrated to the area of present-day Mexico City (Tenochtitlan) they were guided by an ancient prophecy that prompted them to travel until they saw an eagle sitting on top of a cactus, with a snake in its mouth. They found the eagle, as prophesied, in a place surrounded by water, where Mexico City stands today. The lake was later drained to accomadate the growing population. This place of ancient prophecy happens to be the geographical center of all the Americas....and Tepeyac Hill was the place of Tonantzin, the pagan "mother goddess," who would, in time, have to yield to the Mother of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
An early convert to the Christian Faith was a humble Aztec named Juan Diego. On the morning of December 9, 1531, he was on his way to attend Mass. As he neared the foot of Tepeyac Hill he heard what sounded like many birds singing. He stopped to wonder at what he was hearing, when it suddenly became silent, and a voice called to him from the top of the hill, "Juan, dearest Juan Diego."
When he climbed to the top of the hill, he was met there by a beautiful lady. "Her clothing was radiant like the sun; the crag on which her foot was resting was giving off rays of light, and looked like a bracelet of precious stones; even the earth glistened like the mist of a rainbow...." She asked where he was going, then she told him:
"Know, know for sure, my dearest, littlest, and youngest son, that I am the perfect and ever Virgin Holy Mary, Mother of the God of Truth through Whom everything lives, the Lord of all things near us, the Lord of heaven and earth."
"I want very much to have a little house built here for me, in which I will show Him, I will exalt Him and make Him manifest. I will give Him to the people in all my personal love, in my compassion, in my help, in my protection: because I am truly your merciful Mother, yours
and all the people who live united in this land and of all the other people of different ancestries, my lovers, who love me, those who seek me, those who trust in me. Here I will hear their weeping, their complaints and heal all their sorrows, hardships and sufferings. And to bring about what my compassionate and merciful concern is trying to achieve, you must go to the residence of the Bishop of Mexico and tell him that I sent you to show him how strongly I wish him to build me a temple here on the plain; you will report to him exactly all you have seen, admired and what you have heard. Know for sure I will appreciate it very much, be grateful and reward you. And You? You will deserve very much the reward I will give you for your fatigue, the work and trouble that my mission will cause you. Now, my dearest son, you have heard my breath, my word; go now and put forth your best effort."
When Juan confided the details of the event to the Bishop, he was dismissed, and the Bishop told him he would listen to him about it at another time. Juan went back to Tepeyac Hill and explained his defeat to the Lady and asked her to send someone more noble But she insisted that he return to the Bishop the next day and make known her request. Juan agreed to do as she told him. The following day when he approached the Bishop, the Bishop believed Juan, but said he could not proceed with her request to build a chapel without a sign. When Juan was dismissed the Bishop sent his servants to follow him, but they lost track of him and the servants returned to the Bishop to cast doubt about Juan Diego's word. They agreed to punish him if he should return.
When Juan told the Blessed Virgin that the Bishop asked for a sign, she told him to return to the hill the next day and she would provide the requested sign. But when Juan returned home, he found his uncle very ill and in danger of death, so he did not return to the hill that day. However, that night his uncle begged Juan to bring a priest to hear his confession so he could prepare for death. The next morning Juan set out to bring the priest. As he approached Tepeyac Hill, he didn't want to be slowed down by the Blessed Virgin because his uncle was near death, so he took another path around the hill on the other side. However, she came down to meet him. He explained to her the reason for his haste. She replied:
"Listen, put it into your heart, my youngest and dearest son, that the thing that disturbs you, the thing that afflicts you is nothing. Do not let your countenance, your heart be disturbed. Do not fear this sickness of your uncle or any other sickness, nor anything that is sharp or hurtful. Am I not here, I, who am your Mother? Are you not under my shadow and protection? Am I not the source of your joy? Are you not in the hollow of my mantle, in the crossing of my arms? Do you need anything more? Let nothing else worry you, disturb you. Do not let your uncle's illness worry you, because he will not die now. You may be certain that he is already well." (At that same hour she was speaking to Juan Diego, the Blessed Virgin appeared also to his uncle, and he was completely healed.)
Our Lady instructed Juan Diego to go to the top of Tepeyac Hill and there he would find many flowers. (Tepeyac was a barren hill and it was frost-time, not the season for flowers.) She told him to cut the flowers and bring them to her. He cut many beautiful and fragrant flowers, gently folded them in his tilma and brought them to the Blessed Virgin. She personally rearranged them in his tilma and told him:
"My youngest and dearest son, these different kinds of flowers are the proof, the sign that you will take to the Bishop. You will tell him from me that he is to see in them my desire, and therefore he is to carry out my wish, my will. And you, who are my messenger, in you I place my absolute trust. I strictly order you not to unfold your tilma or reveal its contents until you are in his presence. You will relate to him everything very carefully: how I sent you to the top of the hill to cut and gather flowers, all you saw and marveled at in order to convince the Governing Priest so that he will then do what lies within his responsibility so that my house of God which I requested will be made, will be built."
When Juan approached the Bishop's residence, some of the servants tried to see what he was hiding in his tilma. He revealed to them a small portion of the flowers which impressed them so much that they tried to take a few of them on 3 different occasions, but each time they did, they were prevented because the flowers seemed to be painted,or stitched, onto the tilma. They ran to tell the Bishop, who welcomed Juan in. He related everything in detail to the Bishop as Our Lady had requested. Then, he asked the Bishop to receive her sign. As Juan opened his tilma, the beautiful flowers cascaded to the floor. The Bishop and those in the room were stunned to see the miraculous Image of the Queen of Heaven ingrained into the tilma itself.
This miraculous Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe has remained beautiful and intact on the frail tilma made out of cactus fiber for almost 5 centuries, and can still be seen today in the large Basilica (church) at the base of Tepeyac Hill. Scientists who have examined the tilma say that it should have disintegrated by now. Today it's under protective glass, but for many years it was exposed to the natural elements which should have weakened its strength and pigmentation.
The original tilma & image of
Our Lady of Guadalupe
The fruit of Our Lady's request can be seen by the various churches that have been erected on the property during the past 500 years. Work began on the first chapel on 12/26/1531, just 2 weeks after the miracle. Chapels have given way to churches, and churches---to the large Basilica that currently stands at the base of the hill. It's design, flowing out like Our Lady's mantle, with its 7 large front doors, allows pilgrims to view the Miraculous Image from various positions and distances throughout the surrounding plaza.
The old church on top of Tepeyac Hill
The new Basilica holds up to 50,000 pilgrims.
Amazing Facts about the Tilma
When the Blessed Virgin healed Juan Diego's uncle, Juan Bernadino, she told the uncle that he must tell the Bishop that the proper name for the miraculous image was "The Perfect Virgin Holy Mary of Guadalupe." You
will remember reading (at the History tab on this web-site) about the statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Spain, and that Columbus, DeSoto, Queen Isabella and Cortes, along with so many others who were instrumental in bringing the Faith to the Americas, all had a devotion to the Blessed Mother under that title of Guadalupe in Spain.
Further, it was of no coincidence, but by the Divine Will of God and by His Holy Spirit, that Christopher Columbus renamed his ships before his maiden voyage to the Americas.
The Nina...Pinta... & Santa Maria
Columbus set sail in 1492, and the Blessed Virgin Mary didn't appear to Juan Diego until 39 years later, in 1531. Yet, Nina means "little girl", Pinta means "paint" and Santa Maria means "Holy Mary." That's exactly what happened on Juan Diego's tilma. Juan Diego addressed Mary as "My Lady, Queen, and my little Girl," and on another occasion, "My little Maiden, my youngest Daughter, my Girl."
Little girl...paints...Holy Mary.
Her Eyes
Scientists have discovered the image of a bearded man in computer close-ups of her eyes, who they say resembles an old image of Juan Diego. Opthalmologists who've examined the eyes note the "triple reflection" of the Juan Diego image, and that careful examination indicates that both eyes show depth, and become filled with light upon ophthalmological examination. A Japanese optician who was closely examining the eyes on the tilma in the 1970's fainted. He later described her eyes as being alive and looking at him.
The Stars on Her Mantle
There is much documented symbolism about the stars in the image. Even though the stars on her mantle appear to be in a uniform pattern, they are in fact, the pattern of stars marking the constellations that would have been seen in the sky over Tepeyac Hill on the morning of Dec. 12, 1531. In order to see that, scientists placed a "mirrored" transparency of the pattern of stars in the sky at the time of the apparition, over the Guadalupe image. (Leo is over her abdomen, and Corona--or Crown--is upon her head.)
Picture credit:
Our Lady of Guadalupe, The Last Gospel, by James David Holloway, Jr.
Holy Cross Press - (Nihil Obstat & Imprimatur)
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†
"When Jesus therefore had seen his mother and the disciple standing whom he loved, he saith to his mother: Woman, behold thy son. After that, he saith to the disciple: Behold thy mother. And from that hour, the disciple took her to his own."
(John 19:26-27)
"Am I not here, I who am
your Mother?"
Her Mantle....His Blood
"Are you not in the hollow of my mantle, in the crossing of my arms?"
Note from author: The first time what looks like "Our Lady's Mantle" showed up on one of my pictures was on the 1st day after returning from a trip to Tepeyac Hill, Mexico, and I went to pray at a local cemetery. I take a lot of pictures---of family, scenery, etc.,---but the blue mantle has only shown up on a few photos, and aside from this one at the cemetary, the others were at apparition sites. Our Lady's children know that typically the color "blue" is associated with Mary, and "red" with Jesus.
(The Holy Love Scapular
of the United Hearts)
^
Cemetery - Jan. 1999
The Holy Love property, December, 1999.
« Conyers - I would often take a picture of the apparition house when the visionary said Mary was leaving. In this photo, it looks like her mantle is over the house.
^
Painting by Alejo Fernandez
1531-1536, The Virgin of the
Navigators-over an altar in
Seville, Spain.
^
This photo was also taken at Conyers. There is a large crucifix on the right side of the photo, and directly across from Jesus Crucified, above the crowd, is a streak of red, which reminds us of His Blood, His Divine Mercy.
« This photo was take outside of Terri Schiavo's room shortly before her death.
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The powerful intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe
It was on the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Dec. 12, 2000, that the controversy over "hanging chads" suddenly ended, and America announced its next (pro-life) president.
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The Altars of Human Sacrifice
Holy Love apparition-
12/12/94 The Sun danced in the sky for one and half hours.
Our Lady is here as Our Lady of Guadalupe. She has two angels with Her and says: "All praise be to Jesus, My children. Pray with Me now for the unbelievers." We prayed. "Dear children, tonight I come to you with great love in My Heart for each of you. I ask that you turn away from evil and choose good. Do not allow the sacrilege to continue in the womb. This is more erroneous now than in the days of Juan Diego, for today, it is not ignorance and paganism, but Christians who perform such acts.
<3
P L E A S E N O T E : For
those who have participated in, or encouraged others, to have
abortions, we must remember the promises Jesus gives to those who regret
their errors. There is no sin He cannot forgive if we approach His
most merciful and loving Heart with sincere repentance. We must place
no limits on His Divine Mercy. Approach Him. Peace will come through
the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy....and for Catholics, a sincere
confession. **There is also a very helpful organization for post-abortion healing at www.rachelsvineyard.org.
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3/5/94 (Holy Love) Our Lady is here as Our Lady of Guadalupe and says: "My child, the reason I come under this title of Our Lady of Guadalupe is this: When I appeared to Juan Diego hundreds of years ago on Tepeyac, it was a decisive point in the history of Mexico and an hour of conversion for millions. My messages to you on Holy Love can affect millions of lives if they are taken to heart and lived. So it is appropriate that I come under this title to effect a conversion of hearts through Holy Love.
12/7/02 "I am your Jesus, born Incarnate. Thank you for loving Me enough to come here today (adoration)."
"My needs are simple. I need the love of each soul. Through this Holy and Divine Love will come the victory; but before the victory must come the surrender. I speak of the surrender of the human will to the Divine. Lack of peace--even war--is the consequence of lack of this surrender."
"Centuries ago and days before My Mother appeared to Juan Diego as Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Bishop was praying and agonizing over the bitterness between the Aztecs and the Christians. He prayed many hours for the miracle of the conversion of the pagan Aztecs. The miracle came in the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe."
"Today Heaven awaits the humble prayers of the Remnant. Many signs and miracles have been sent to earth--this time in an effort to convert those within the Church who are lukewarm, even apostates--this time to reconcile Christian and Muslim."
"I am asking My Remnant to pray long and hard that the signs Heaven sends evoke recognition and faith upon the Church hierarchy. Pray that Heavenly signs and communications fall upon accepting hearts. Pray for the conversion of the proud and cynical. If My own do not believe, how can those outside of My flock?"
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Mary appeared to Juan Diego in a rainbow of light. The Clearwater image resembled the silhouette of Our Lady of Guadalupe. (One of the windows has since been broken.)
(This web-site does not promote Shepherds of Christ , who bought the Clearwater building.)
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The Miracle of Our Lady of Ocotlan
Another significant miracle of the Blessed Mother took place in Tlaxcala, Mexico, in the year 1541---just 10 years after the Miracle of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Another native, named Juan Diego Bernardino (not the same Juan Diego who saw Our Lady of Guadalupe), went into the forest to draw water from a river near a Franciscan Monastery. There was a terrible small pox epidemic that was claiming many lives in the region, and some thought the waters from the river in the oak forest helped their illnesses.
A beautiful lady suddenly appeared to Juan and asked him where he was going. He replied: "To carry water from the river to my sick ones, who are dying without remedy." She instructed Him, "Come, follow me. I will give you another water with which contagion will be extinguished, and not only will your relatives be healed, but whoever drinks of it; because my heart, always favorably disposed to the destitute, can no longer endure seeing so much misery without helping them." He followed her to the bottom slope of a hill where she revealed her Fountain of Holy Water. She explained: "Drink of this water, as much as you desire, assured that through even the smallest drop, the sick will receive not only relief, but perfect health."
She also gave him a message to deliver to the Franciscans at the monastery where he worked, "Advise the religious, on my behalf, that on this site they will find an image of me, representing my perfections. Through it I will distribute my mercies and clemencies. Once found, I desire that it be placed in the chapel of San Lorenzo."
When Juan returned home, he distributed the Holy Water to his family, and all were healed instantly. News quickly spread throughout his village, and he distributed the water to all who were sick. All who drank of it were immediately restored to perfect health.
The next day he explained everything to the Friars at the Monastery. After much questioning, and seeing the consistancy of his story, they asked him to show them where they saw the Lady. They waited until it was dark, so as not to draw attention to themselves, but the villagers saw them go into the oak forest anyway, and followed after them. When they reached the Oak tree grove, it was on fire, and the fire seemed to come from one very large oak tree that was burning from top to bottom along its length. As it was late, the Franciscans marked the tree and would return the following day.
The next morning after Mass, many villagers accompanied the Franciscans to the tree that burned. They were astonished to see the the side branches suffered most of the damage, but not so much the main trunk, which defied logic, as they had witnessed the way it was burning the night before. As they began to chop open the oak tree, they found inside, the beautiful image of Our Lady. Today, she is referred to as Our Lady of Ocotlan (the oak tree that burned.)
This miraculous image was placed in their church, where the Statue of St. Lawrence had been. In order to accomadate the statue of the Blessed Virgin, St. Lawrence's statue was relocated to a side area. The sacristan in charge of the church's upkeep didn't like the displacement of St. Lawrence's statue, so on 3 occasions he switched the statues, always placing St. Lawrence's back to its prominent position. On his last attempt he put the Blessed Virgin's statue in an ornament case, covered it with his cape, and went to sleep on it. In all 3 of his efforts, the Blessed Virgin's statue was back in its place of honor in the morning. Needless to say, after the 3rd time (when he slept over it) the whole event frightened him and he confessed everything to the Franciscans.
The people of Tlaxcala were instrumental in joining forces with Cortes as their leader in fighting against Montezuma. They assisted the Christians in making the conquest possible, and Our Lady showed her gratitude toward them by choosing Tlaxcala as the home of her Miraculous Image
and Fountain.
Our Lady's Fountain of Holy Water is still available today and is enclosed in this beautiful shrine.
Atop the tall hill behind the Fountain is the beautiful Basilica where the image of Our Lady of Ocotlan is honored.
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Next: Please visit the "Holy Love Apparitions" tab at the top of this page.
(This is page 5 of 10 Pages.)
**Because of PHOTOS, the next page, Holy Love Apparitions, takes a little longer to load.
The following is the true story of one of the greatest miracles in our hemisphere, and it took place on Tepeyac Hill, Mexico, in a place that marks the geographical center of the whole western hemisphere. Even though this miracle took place almost 500 years ago, it is still a very great and significant miracle for all of us today who live in the Americas. To know her is to love her. To love her, is to love her Son.Hernando Cortes won the victory over Montezuma and his Aztec warriors and took possession of Tenochtitlan (present-day Mexico City) on August 13, 1521. The priests who accompanied him and those who were sent within the next several years, worked hard to teach the native Aztecs about the Christian Faith. However, in 1531 the Aztecs were on the verge of a revolt against the Spanish Christians and their missionary priests, but God miraculously intervened by sending the Blessed Virgin Mary to solidify the Faith. Just as she was the instrument that brought Jesus to the world initially, she was the same instrument that God chose to bring Christianity to a pagan hemisphere.
A certified copy of the original Image - 4' 8" tall.
The historical documentation of the Miracle of Guadalupe which took place on 12/12/1531 is recorded in the Nican Mopohua, written by Antonio Valeriano in 1545 in the native Nahuatl language of the Aztecs. (Jamestown wasn't settled until 1607, and the Mayflower didn't arrive until 1620.) So at the very birth of the evangelization of the Americas, Our Blessed Mother, the Mother of Jesus, came to give birth to Christianity in the New World. In fact, she appeared as a pregnant woman, with a ribbon of cloth high up on her abdomen which indicated to the Mexican people that she was with Child. 8 million native Indians, were baptized and converted to the Holy Christian (Catholic) Faith within the first 7 years following the miracle. Pope John-Paul II referred to her as the "Star of Evangelization," and not just for Mexico, but for all of the Americas. The following is a summary of the miraculous event as documented in the Nican Mopohua:
†
"And there were given to the woman two wings of a great eagle,
that she might fly into the desert unto her place..." Rev. 12:14
Background: When the Aztecs migrated to the area of present-day Mexico City (Tenochtitlan) they were guided by an ancient prophecy that prompted them to travel until they saw an eagle sitting on top of a cactus, with a snake in its mouth. They found the eagle, as prophesied, in a place surrounded by water, where Mexico City stands today. The lake was later drained to accomadate the growing population. This place of ancient prophecy happens to be the geographical center of all the Americas....and Tepeyac Hill was the place of Tonantzin, the pagan "mother goddess," who would, in time, have to yield to the Mother of our Savior, Jesus Christ.An early convert to the Christian Faith was a humble Aztec named Juan Diego. On the morning of December 9, 1531, he was on his way to attend Mass. As he neared the foot of Tepeyac Hill he heard what sounded like many birds singing. He stopped to wonder at what he was hearing, when it suddenly became silent, and a voice called to him from the top of the hill, "Juan, dearest Juan Diego."
When he climbed to the top of the hill, he was met there by a beautiful lady. "Her clothing was radiant like the sun; the crag on which her foot was resting was giving off rays of light, and looked like a bracelet of precious stones; even the earth glistened like the mist of a rainbow...." She asked where he was going, then she told him:
"Know, know for sure, my dearest, littlest, and youngest son, that I am the perfect and ever Virgin Holy Mary, Mother of the God of Truth through Whom everything lives, the Lord of all things near us, the Lord of heaven and earth."
"I want very much to have a little house built here for me, in which I will show Him, I will exalt Him and make Him manifest. I will give Him to the people in all my personal love, in my compassion, in my help, in my protection: because I am truly your merciful Mother, yours
and all the people who live united in this land and of all the other people of different ancestries, my lovers, who love me, those who seek me, those who trust in me. Here I will hear their weeping, their complaints and heal all their sorrows, hardships and sufferings. And to bring about what my compassionate and merciful concern is trying to achieve, you must go to the residence of the Bishop of Mexico and tell him that I sent you to show him how strongly I wish him to build me a temple here on the plain; you will report to him exactly all you have seen, admired and what you have heard. Know for sure I will appreciate it very much, be grateful and reward you. And You? You will deserve very much the reward I will give you for your fatigue, the work and trouble that my mission will cause you. Now, my dearest son, you have heard my breath, my word; go now and put forth your best effort."
When Juan confided the details of the event to the Bishop, he was dismissed, and the Bishop told him he would listen to him about it at another time. Juan went back to Tepeyac Hill and explained his defeat to the Lady and asked her to send someone more noble But she insisted that he return to the Bishop the next day and make known her request. Juan agreed to do as she told him. The following day when he approached the Bishop, the Bishop believed Juan, but said he could not proceed with her request to build a chapel without a sign. When Juan was dismissed the Bishop sent his servants to follow him, but they lost track of him and the servants returned to the Bishop to cast doubt about Juan Diego's word. They agreed to punish him if he should return.When Juan told the Blessed Virgin that the Bishop asked for a sign, she told him to return to the hill the next day and she would provide the requested sign. But when Juan returned home, he found his uncle very ill and in danger of death, so he did not return to the hill that day. However, that night his uncle begged Juan to bring a priest to hear his confession so he could prepare for death. The next morning Juan set out to bring the priest. As he approached Tepeyac Hill, he didn't want to be slowed down by the Blessed Virgin because his uncle was near death, so he took another path around the hill on the other side. However, she came down to meet him. He explained to her the reason for his haste. She replied:
"Listen, put it into your heart, my youngest and dearest son, that the thing that disturbs you, the thing that afflicts you is nothing. Do not let your countenance, your heart be disturbed. Do not fear this sickness of your uncle or any other sickness, nor anything that is sharp or hurtful. Am I not here, I, who am your Mother? Are you not under my shadow and protection? Am I not the source of your joy? Are you not in the hollow of my mantle, in the crossing of my arms? Do you need anything more? Let nothing else worry you, disturb you. Do not let your uncle's illness worry you, because he will not die now. You may be certain that he is already well." (At that same hour she was speaking to Juan Diego, the Blessed Virgin appeared also to his uncle, and he was completely healed.)
Our Lady instructed Juan Diego to go to the top of Tepeyac Hill and there he would find many flowers. (Tepeyac was a barren hill and it was frost-time, not the season for flowers.) She told him to cut the flowers and bring them to her. He cut many beautiful and fragrant flowers, gently folded them in his tilma and brought them to the Blessed Virgin. She personally rearranged them in his tilma and told him: "My youngest and dearest son, these different kinds of flowers are the proof, the sign that you will take to the Bishop. You will tell him from me that he is to see in them my desire, and therefore he is to carry out my wish, my will. And you, who are my messenger, in you I place my absolute trust. I strictly order you not to unfold your tilma or reveal its contents until you are in his presence. You will relate to him everything very carefully: how I sent you to the top of the hill to cut and gather flowers, all you saw and marveled at in order to convince the Governing Priest so that he will then do what lies within his responsibility so that my house of God which I requested will be made, will be built."
When Juan approached the Bishop's residence, some of the servants tried to see what he was hiding in his tilma. He revealed to them a small portion of the flowers which impressed them so much that they tried to take a few of them on 3 different occasions, but each time they did, they were prevented because the flowers seemed to be painted,or stitched, onto the tilma. They ran to tell the Bishop, who welcomed Juan in. He related everything in detail to the Bishop as Our Lady had requested. Then, he asked the Bishop to receive her sign. As Juan opened his tilma, the beautiful flowers cascaded to the floor. The Bishop and those in the room were stunned to see the miraculous Image of the Queen of Heaven ingrained into the tilma itself.This miraculous Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe has remained beautiful and intact on the frail tilma made out of cactus fiber for almost 5 centuries, and can still be seen today in the large Basilica (church) at the base of Tepeyac Hill. Scientists who have examined the tilma say that it should have disintegrated by now. Today it's under protective glass, but for many years it was exposed to the natural elements which should have weakened its strength and pigmentation.The original tilma & image of
Our Lady of Guadalupe
The fruit of Our Lady's request can be seen by the various churches that have been erected on the property during the past 500 years. Work began on the first chapel on 12/26/1531, just 2 weeks after the miracle. Chapels have given way to churches, and churches---to the large Basilica that currently stands at the base of the hill. It's design, flowing out like Our Lady's mantle, with its 7 large front doors, allows pilgrims to view the Miraculous Image from various positions and distances throughout the surrounding plaza.
The old church on top of Tepeyac Hill
The new Basilica holds up to 50,000 pilgrims.
Amazing Facts about the Tilma
When the Blessed Virgin healed Juan Diego's uncle, Juan Bernadino, she told the uncle that he must tell the Bishop that the proper name for the miraculous image was "The Perfect Virgin Holy Mary of Guadalupe." You
will remember reading (at the History tab on this web-site) about the statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Spain, and that Columbus, DeSoto, Queen Isabella and Cortes, along with so many others who were instrumental in bringing the Faith to the Americas, all had a devotion to the Blessed Mother under that title of Guadalupe in Spain.Further, it was of no coincidence, but by the Divine Will of God and by His Holy Spirit, that Christopher Columbus renamed his ships before his maiden voyage to the Americas.
The Nina...Pinta... & Santa Maria
Columbus set sail in 1492, and the Blessed Virgin Mary didn't appear to Juan Diego until 39 years later, in 1531. Yet, Nina means "little girl", Pinta means "paint" and Santa Maria means "Holy Mary." That's exactly what happened on Juan Diego's tilma. Juan Diego addressed Mary as "My Lady, Queen, and my little Girl," and on another occasion, "My little Maiden, my youngest Daughter, my Girl."
Little girl...paints...Holy Mary.
Her Eyes
Scientists have discovered the image of a bearded man in computer close-ups of her eyes, who they say resembles an old image of Juan Diego. Opthalmologists who've examined the eyes note the "triple reflection" of the Juan Diego image, and that careful examination indicates that both eyes show depth, and become filled with light upon ophthalmological examination. A Japanese optician who was closely examining the eyes on the tilma in the 1970's fainted. He later described her eyes as being alive and looking at him.
The Stars on Her Mantle
There is much documented symbolism about the stars in the image. Even though the stars on her mantle appear to be in a uniform pattern, they are in fact, the pattern of stars marking the constellations that would have been seen in the sky over Tepeyac Hill on the morning of Dec. 12, 1531. In order to see that, scientists placed a "mirrored" transparency of the pattern of stars in the sky at the time of the apparition, over the Guadalupe image. (Leo is over her abdomen, and Corona--or Crown--is upon her head.)
Picture credit:
Our Lady of Guadalupe, The Last Gospel, by James David Holloway, Jr.
Holy Cross Press - (Nihil Obstat & Imprimatur)
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"When Jesus therefore had seen his mother and the disciple standing whom he loved, he saith to his mother: Woman, behold thy son. After that, he saith to the disciple: Behold thy mother. And from that hour, the disciple took her to his own."
(John 19:26-27)
"Am I not here, I who am
your Mother?"
Her Mantle....His Blood
"Are you not in the hollow of my mantle, in the crossing of my arms?"
Note from author: The first time what looks like "Our Lady's Mantle" showed up on one of my pictures was on the 1st day after returning from a trip to Tepeyac Hill, Mexico, and I went to pray at a local cemetery. I take a lot of pictures---of family, scenery, etc.,---but the blue mantle has only shown up on a few photos, and aside from this one at the cemetary, the others were at apparition sites. Our Lady's children know that typically the color "blue" is associated with Mary, and "red" with Jesus.(The Holy Love Scapular
of the United Hearts)
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Cemetery - Jan. 1999The Holy Love property, December, 1999.
« Conyers - I would often take a picture of the apparition house when the visionary said Mary was leaving. In this photo, it looks like her mantle is over the house.
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Painting by Alejo Fernandez
1531-1536, The Virgin of the
Navigators-over an altar in
Seville, Spain.
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This photo was also taken at Conyers. There is a large crucifix on the right side of the photo, and directly across from Jesus Crucified, above the crowd, is a streak of red, which reminds us of His Blood, His Divine Mercy.
« This photo was take outside of Terri Schiavo's room shortly before her death.
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The powerful intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe
It was on the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Dec. 12, 2000, that the controversy over "hanging chads" suddenly ended, and America announced its next (pro-life) president.
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The Altars of Human Sacrifice
Holy Love apparition-12/12/94 The Sun danced in the sky for one and half hours.
Our Lady is here as Our Lady of Guadalupe. She has two angels with Her and says: "All praise be to Jesus, My children. Pray with Me now for the unbelievers." We prayed. "Dear children, tonight I come to you with great love in My Heart for each of you. I ask that you turn away from evil and choose good. Do not allow the sacrilege to continue in the womb. This is more erroneous now than in the days of Juan Diego, for today, it is not ignorance and paganism, but Christians who perform such acts.
<3
P L E A S E N O T E : For
those who have participated in, or encouraged others, to have
abortions, we must remember the promises Jesus gives to those who regret
their errors. There is no sin He cannot forgive if we approach His
most merciful and loving Heart with sincere repentance. We must place
no limits on His Divine Mercy. Approach Him. Peace will come through
the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy....and for Catholics, a sincere
confession. **There is also a very helpful organization for post-abortion healing at www.rachelsvineyard.org.__________________________________________________________________________
3/5/94 (Holy Love) Our Lady is here as Our Lady of Guadalupe and says: "My child, the reason I come under this title of Our Lady of Guadalupe is this: When I appeared to Juan Diego hundreds of years ago on Tepeyac, it was a decisive point in the history of Mexico and an hour of conversion for millions. My messages to you on Holy Love can affect millions of lives if they are taken to heart and lived. So it is appropriate that I come under this title to effect a conversion of hearts through Holy Love.
12/7/02 "I am your Jesus, born Incarnate. Thank you for loving Me enough to come here today (adoration)."
"My needs are simple. I need the love of each soul. Through this Holy and Divine Love will come the victory; but before the victory must come the surrender. I speak of the surrender of the human will to the Divine. Lack of peace--even war--is the consequence of lack of this surrender."
"Centuries ago and days before My Mother appeared to Juan Diego as Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Bishop was praying and agonizing over the bitterness between the Aztecs and the Christians. He prayed many hours for the miracle of the conversion of the pagan Aztecs. The miracle came in the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe."
"Today Heaven awaits the humble prayers of the Remnant. Many signs and miracles have been sent to earth--this time in an effort to convert those within the Church who are lukewarm, even apostates--this time to reconcile Christian and Muslim."
"I am asking My Remnant to pray long and hard that the signs Heaven sends evoke recognition and faith upon the Church hierarchy. Pray that Heavenly signs and communications fall upon accepting hearts. Pray for the conversion of the proud and cynical. If My own do not believe, how can those outside of My flock?"
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Mary appeared to Juan Diego in a rainbow of light. The Clearwater image resembled the silhouette of Our Lady of Guadalupe. (One of the windows has since been broken.)
(This web-site does not promote Shepherds of Christ , who bought the Clearwater building.)
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The Miracle of Our Lady of Ocotlan
Another significant miracle of the Blessed Mother took place in Tlaxcala, Mexico, in the year 1541---just 10 years after the Miracle of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Another native, named Juan Diego Bernardino (not the same Juan Diego who saw Our Lady of Guadalupe), went into the forest to draw water from a river near a Franciscan Monastery. There was a terrible small pox epidemic that was claiming many lives in the region, and some thought the waters from the river in the oak forest helped their illnesses.
A beautiful lady suddenly appeared to Juan and asked him where he was going. He replied: "To carry water from the river to my sick ones, who are dying without remedy." She instructed Him, "Come, follow me. I will give you another water with which contagion will be extinguished, and not only will your relatives be healed, but whoever drinks of it; because my heart, always favorably disposed to the destitute, can no longer endure seeing so much misery without helping them." He followed her to the bottom slope of a hill where she revealed her Fountain of Holy Water. She explained: "Drink of this water, as much as you desire, assured that through even the smallest drop, the sick will receive not only relief, but perfect health."She also gave him a message to deliver to the Franciscans at the monastery where he worked, "Advise the religious, on my behalf, that on this site they will find an image of me, representing my perfections. Through it I will distribute my mercies and clemencies. Once found, I desire that it be placed in the chapel of San Lorenzo."
When Juan returned home, he distributed the Holy Water to his family, and all were healed instantly. News quickly spread throughout his village, and he distributed the water to all who were sick. All who drank of it were immediately restored to perfect health.
The next day he explained everything to the Friars at the Monastery. After much questioning, and seeing the consistancy of his story, they asked him to show them where they saw the Lady. They waited until it was dark, so as not to draw attention to themselves, but the villagers saw them go into the oak forest anyway, and followed after them. When they reached the Oak tree grove, it was on fire, and the fire seemed to come from one very large oak tree that was burning from top to bottom along its length. As it was late, the Franciscans marked the tree and would return the following day.The next morning after Mass, many villagers accompanied the Franciscans to the tree that burned. They were astonished to see the the side branches suffered most of the damage, but not so much the main trunk, which defied logic, as they had witnessed the way it was burning the night before. As they began to chop open the oak tree, they found inside, the beautiful image of Our Lady. Today, she is referred to as Our Lady of Ocotlan (the oak tree that burned.) This miraculous image was placed in their church, where the Statue of St. Lawrence had been. In order to accomadate the statue of the Blessed Virgin, St. Lawrence's statue was relocated to a side area. The sacristan in charge of the church's upkeep didn't like the displacement of St. Lawrence's statue, so on 3 occasions he switched the statues, always placing St. Lawrence's back to its prominent position. On his last attempt he put the Blessed Virgin's statue in an ornament case, covered it with his cape, and went to sleep on it. In all 3 of his efforts, the Blessed Virgin's statue was back in its place of honor in the morning. Needless to say, after the 3rd time (when he slept over it) the whole event frightened him and he confessed everything to the Franciscans.
The people of Tlaxcala were instrumental in joining forces with Cortes as their leader in fighting against Montezuma. They assisted the Christians in making the conquest possible, and Our Lady showed her gratitude toward them by choosing Tlaxcala as the home of her Miraculous Image
and Fountain. Our Lady's Fountain of Holy Water is still available today and is enclosed in this beautiful shrine.
Atop the tall hill behind the Fountain is the beautiful Basilica where the image of Our Lady of Ocotlan is honored.
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