Durango semi-weekly herald., 1906-04-02

peared on 1t a beautiful painted i'm
age of the Virgin. What further sign |
could the bishop ask? Verify this
she 1t was VINO wished to have a
chapel bnilt at the hill where the |
Mother OF the Gods had been worship |
ed. II the bishop was convinced,
what of the Indian? The singing OF
the angels, the vision and the voice
of the Lady, the flowers blooming on
a rock and the image on his tilma'
and his uncle restored to health.
Could an Indian resist such over
whelmipg evidences? Verify this is
a true divinity and henceforth she
shll be worshiped at Tepecyacac.
The bishop kept the tilma OF Juan
Diego. on which was the marvellous
painting. In his oratory till he had
Juili a chapel for the Lady. and then
placed the holy image there Febru-
lry Z, 1898"
A remarkable story, but why the
lame Of Guadalupe? The bishop saw
that the painting was copy OF the
sncred image of Sonora de Guadal-
tpe. the Virgin of village in Spain,
amous in church annals. This pic
ure is in a frame of gold and silver
inside glass case which Is placed
n the tabernacle OF the big church
i tine foot of the hill. called the
hurch of Nuestra Sonora de Quad
iupe. This church took tne place OF
he little chapel the bishop built. II
is magnificent building. If anything
liner than the cathedral in tne city.
one can see the TINA. picture no
more notable in the church than 1t
5 in the history of Mexico The sto-
Y of the appearance being believed.
his Virgin soon became an object OF
interest and the greatest veneration,
most all of the Indians who, on the
9th of December for over 300 years.
have come By the thousands to this
shrine to worship. A hundred years
tfter its establishment the pope
;ranted that that day should be for
yer. in the church calendar, the fes-
ival of the Virgin of Mexico. A hun
red years later still the clergy and
he people solemnly chose her as the
iatroness and protector of the coun-
ry. In 1854 the pope confirmed the
leople's choice and this gave the Vir-
lin of Guadalupe the highest place in
he church calendar in Spain. When
Hidalgo started on his campaign
lgainst the roYalists in 1910 he took
or his banner a picture of this Vir-
lin. The patriots rallied under that
lanner and so the Virgin became the
latroness of independence. she was
not regarded as peculiarly the cham
pion of Mexico against Spain and
when independence was gained she
vas accorded all possible devotion for
Ter divine assistance. She became
low to the new Mexico nation the
savior the Mexico, and the Mexican
congress has made the 18th of De
'ember national holiday Emperor
tnrbide created, as highest decora
ion of the court, the order of the vir
gin of Guadalupe Victoria. The EN-
Ieror Macmillan and several of the
Presidents have made official pill
grimages to this shrine. There are
numerous other paintings in this
hurch that interest everyone. There
IS silver railing around the altar
weighing 26 tons, all solid silver, and
grotto with mosaic stone sails set
up as an eX-voto by rich family in
gratitude for the safe return OF yes
sci to the port of Vera Cruz.
Passing out of the church we pass
ID through the little market place to
the chapel of the little we'll" This
s small building but with some
handsome decorations. In the vesti
iule OF the chapel is spring greatly
lenerated by the Indians for they be
ieve that tnis spring was created by
he pressure of the Virgins foot as
,he emphasized her message to the
bishop. There Is an iron railing and
covering protecting the spring, but
he chained buckets are in constant
Use by residents and visitors drawing
water and we all enjoyed a drink
We then ascended the nill by wind
ing stairway to the chapel on the
summit and where the Indian gather
ID the flowers. In the rear is where
many of the distinguished dead are
luried, among them Santa Anna and
others noted in Mexican history.
While the guards were not looking
we plucked a few violets from the
grave of Santa Anna, honey suckles
overhanging another grave and a ger.
lnium from another. offenses punish
able by arrest if discovered. In this
letter we have furnished our readers
with historic church history and we
trust they nave followed us closely
and been as Interested as we. al
though not on the spot in person.
G. N. r.