Evening journal., 1902-08-02
BELOVED SPOT
IN OLD MEXICO
Make Yearly Pill
grimageS to Little TeNn
Of Guadalupe

but many more thousands visit the |
place on certain days In the year when
pllgrlmages are made to the holy
shrine Of Guadalupe,
The 1st of January and the 18th of /
each month the faithful visit this place
and toll up the hill on which it is said |
that the virgin Guadalupe appeared to
Juan Diego, an Indian boy.
According to tradition, Juan was |
trudging over the hill of Tepeyac on |
his way to the city on the morning Of |
Dec. o, 1881, and as he reached the |
eastern slope of the hill he heard |
sounds like music. lie stopped to lis |
ten. and at that moment cloud APP |
peared and in the midst Of 1t a beauti- !
full lady. She told him TO 90 to the /
bishop IN her name and to tell him that !
it was her wish that a church should |
be built on that spot, where she would
always be found TO give aid to all In
trouble. Juan Diego hurried 10 the
bishop with the story Of the virgin. but
no attention was paid to 1t. Upon his
return home the lady appeared again
in the same spot and urged Juan TO go
again to the bishop.
The following day was the Sabbath,
and after mass Juan found the bishop
and repeated the message once more.
The bishop told him TO bring a sign
from the virgin. Juan saw the virgin
again upon his return home, and she
promised to give him sign, which she
4 . q.
fession. He passed this time near the
foot Of the hill. where she appeared
once more and while In conversation
with Juan she stamped her foot by
way Of emphasis, and water flowed at
once from the dry, barren hillside and
two holy wells mark that spot today.
The virgin then told Juan TO climb to
the summit of that barren rocky hill
and he would find roses growing there,
which he was to gather and carry in
his 'tilma" to the bishop. Juan did as
he was told and found the loveliest
roses growing just where she had told
him to search for them. He gathered
them all and placed them In his 'til-
ma, a sort of blanket.
When he arrived at the house Of the
bishop and opened the blanket, the
roses fell TO the floor, and a picture in
colors appeared on the blanket repre-
senting the virgin as she had appeared
to Juan. The bishop fell on his knees
In prayer and arose with a promise to
build a chapel on the spot the virgin
had designated.
Bishop Zumaaraga set about to build
the church, and when it was completed
the "tilma" was placed above the altar
in frame of gold and silver.
That little chapel has since been re-
placed by the magnificent church to be
seen today. There are also two other
churches to mark the spot on which
the roses We're gathered on the summit
and at the holy well where the virgin
last appeared to Juan. This miracle was
recognized i'm 1868, and In 1854 1t was
fully sanctioned and confirmed by a
1 papal bull. Later. in 1924, congBess de-
creed Dec. - to be a national holiday.
Hidalgo took picture Of Guadalupe
for his standard. around which rallied
the first army of the revolutionists,
and the happy issue that her assistance
gave to that war endeared her still
more to the people. This picture on
the "tilma, is a wonderful piece Of
work. Artists from all over the world
\ have examined it and have testified
that il is of no known style of painting.
! The Indian garment of ixtli fiber is Of
a coarse weave. The picture appears
on both sides of the cloth and is as
/ bright as new, although said TO be over
300 years old. The Church Of Nuestra
Sonora de Guadalupe in which this
marvellous picture hangs, is said by ex-
perts to be one of the richest and hand
soonest on earth today. Its treasures
can be counted by millions. 1t was
dedicated May /, 1908, and is 1s4 feet
long by 10 feet wide. 1t has a yaulted
roof, supported by Corinthian columns.
The whole Is surmounted by q dome,
the lantern of which is 125 feet above
the floor. The building cost S1,1S1, 900,
The jewels, gold and silver plate and
other rich belongings nearly all belong
to the government and are estimated
at S2,OOO,O0O more.
The church possesses a very costly
tlDMu loI lut NlISAu. IL - VI noAu
gold and weighs many pounds. There
are six shields on the crown for the
six archblshops Of Mexico, and they
are all surrounded by diamonds. There
are number of angels, each having al
immense ruby on the breast, while the
rest Of the surface Of the crown is GOV
cred with sapphires and emerlds. This
crown is surmounted by the Mexican
eagle, holding aloft a large diamond
, cross.
The poor pilgrims are not able, man!
: of them, to form an idea Of the rich
ness Of this church, with its commun
] Jon rail and balustrades from tn
sanctuary to the choir of solid silver
. They are three feet high, with a tol
, molding foot wide and still NOR
. massive base. The sacred vessels ar
s all of pure gold embedded with pre-
: cious stones. The choir has somelfn
y carvings done in ebony and mahogany
5 The finest is a basso relieve. above, tn
! stalls, illustrating the htany of tn
]