Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-06-13


How the Virgin came TO be named
Z" Guadalupe" history does not say.
Whether she took that name from the vii
lage at the foot of Tepeyacac, or whether
the hamle1 was so called in honor OF her,
the reader is left to infer but certain 1t is
that under the name of Our Lady of Quad
alupe she is worshiped throughout Span
ish America, and yearly hundreds OF CIR
babies are christened by that somewhat
poNderous cognomen.
Immediately after the miracle q hermit
age was built upon the mountain, at Bishop
Zumarraga's expense, and the supernatural
painting deposited therein. Juan Diego
was made its custodian, and dwelt in g
tiny house adjoining until he died, in 1913
Juan Bernardino-the miraculously-re
stored Undecided of yellow fever, at tho
age of Sc, and to-day his grave may be seen
beside that OF his now famous relative anC
Marie Lucia, in the chapel of Guadalupe
For nearly a hundred years the apron re
NAMED in the hermitage, though it was
small and poor of architecture; but mean
time devotion to the adorable Santa Quad
alupe had SO increased among the Catholics
OF Mexico that enormous contributions
flowed in from all quarters. The corner.
stone of
THE MAGNIFICENT CATHEDRAL
Which now adorns Guadalupe village, was
laid in 1922 by the illustrious Archbishop
Lord Juan de la Serna. The building alone
is said to have cost eight millions of dol
lars, not including the famous tabernacle
of silver "a gift from the Viceroy, Count dc
SalYatierra) nor the sixty golden lamps
that hung in the vaults of the temple. AL
the articles used in the church service were
of solid gold or silver; and indeed, SC
munificent became the devotees with theil
gifts that soon this suburban edifice be-
came a hundred times richer than the
great cathedral at the capital.
In 1871. at the demand of Doctor Fran
cisco de Soils, judicial proceedings were in
stituted to inquire into the validity of the
Virgins appaiion. The truth Of the story
having been legally proved to everybody s
satisfaction, the SpaniardS rechristened the
place Tepeatilla; and later all the rich
treasures were deposited here which Con
zalo de Sandoval and others of the con-
querors had stolen from the defenseless
nation during the storming of Mexico
If any doubling Thomas demands further
proof, he has but to enter the sacred edi-
flee, walk down the aisle and stand before
the great high altar There, covered with
crystal and ornamented by golden frame
in the form of radiating halo, he may
there see the original TINA once worn by
Juan Diego with the famous portrait upon
it, exactly as painted by supernatural
agency three hundred and fifty-five years
ago; and any number of Bishops and other
clergy stand ready to swear on stacks OF
Bibles to its identity. The coarse apron is
the same as that manufactured to-day from
the maquey Century plant fibre and worn
by native hyoS del pjdS-sons of the soil.
The Virgins complexion, assportrayed by
her own miracle, is mahagOny- brown, black
hair long and flowing, dark eyes downcast,
and her costume like that of the Aztec
InaidenS before the conquest wooden
gown of pale red, falling loosely from neck
to naked feet, and a blue mantle covering
the head-the only variation from mortal
attire at the time of her appearance being
the golden crown upon her head and stars
upon her gold bordered mantle. She is
called the Creole Virgin, and upon all her
pictures appear the triumphant words
non fecn tdtiter oBl-u nation
Originally the gold-rayed picture was
surrounded by diamond stars and clusters
OF jewels worth Untold sums, while sus-
pended above it was a dove of solid silver,
measuring five feet from wing to wing. The
railing which runs GU both sides of the
JeSSdSt IlOI4l dlltll ~ O4lOli-lOOlil- us
lance of several yards-was also of solid
silver, and many of the golden crucifxes,
chandelabras, chalices, etc, were studded
with gems. But when the Liberal party
oyerhauled the churches for revenue few
years ago, though Guadalupe Jared better
than most of them. many of these treas
ures were replaced by limitations in baser
metals.
THE CHAPEL DEL CERRITo
Was built on the mountain top in place OF
the shabby Hermitage, a hundred years
after the Virgins appearance, by Don Girls
tobal de Aguerro and his pious spouse, the
Donna Peligrina. 1t is reached by a long
and winding causeway cut out Of the solid
rock that composes the hill, which, as well
as the aqueduct and fountain of Guada-
lupe village, was paid for by Archbishop
Rivera, the first vice-king of Mexico. For
many generations Del Cerrito was under
the care Of several priests, ana in 1850
Archbishop Rubio transformed it into an
abbey. About this time Pope Benedict ".
conceded to Guadalupe church a special
mass and prayers, TO be used by no other
sanctuary in the world. During Mexicos
struggle to throw off the yoke of Spain, her
revolutionary George Washington = the
poor curatc, Miguel Hidalgo-tOok for his
DdlIlGI Il PiGtGit VI - utElld CCIlOIG tt
Guadalupe, which cause the movement 10
assume the character Of crusade, and in
sured its first successes. After independ-
ence became an accomplished fact, and its
early leader had been long dead, the village
of his patroness was raised to the rank of
city, and his battle-fiag deposited in its
cathedral, where it may yet be seen. In
1921 Iturbide. first Emperor Of the new
regime, instituted the Order of Guadalupe,
which is still occasionally conferred IS re-
ward for military merit. In this Cuidad de
Guadalupe, on February 2, 1913, was
signed the treaty of peace, which put an
end TO the war between Mexico and the
United States, Nicholas 2. Trst being
Plenipotentiary on the part OF Uncle
Samuel
OF late the city has greatly improved. The
chief income of the cathedral, which
is still one of the finest on the continent, is
now derived from lottery which is drawn
monthly in the City OF Mexico; yet vOlun-
tary contributions from all classes annually
amount to large sums. On the 18th day of
each month crowds of citizens come out
from the capital to celebrate the special
high mass of Guadalupe, but
THE GREATEST RELIGIOUS FESTIVAL
OF all the year is held on the 18th of De
eember-in remembrance of the Virgin S
first appearance to Juan Diego. Upon that
sacred anniversary thousands of Indians
swarm to this Mecca from all parts Of the
country Many of them have jouneyed
many miles on foot to honor their patroncss,
the majority bringing all their household
goods upon their backs and encamping for
days about the premises. Many improve
the opportunity to do penance for past sins,
or to win heavens Indulgence for those
they propose to commit during the coming
year, by climbing Tepeyacac slowly and
painfully upon their knees, marking with
their blood or bits of flesh the stony stair
way to Del Cerrito.
The spring of chalybeate water, which
gushed from the rocks when the Virgin
foot touched the mountain, is believed to
be chock full of virtues, and is the resort OF
thousands. From the remotest corners OF
the Republic pilgrims come to obtain a
little oft with which to baptizc their new
born infants or to use in services for the
dying. In front of the mosque like build
ing that now incloses the spring, vast
array of pottery is spread upon the ground