Guadalupe

Today is the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. I've always had a particular devotion to that particular aparition of Our Lady--maybe it's because I was raised in Southern CA? :) So many awe-some stories surround the tilma of Juan Diego, on which the image of Our Lady is forever imprinted. I get goosebumps every time I think of them! On November 14, 1921, someone placed a bomb a few feet away from the tilma. The explosion demolished the marble steps of the main altar, blew out the windows of nearby homes, and bent a brass crucifix, but the fabric suffered no damage. And I'm sure most of you remember the story of the photographers who, when examining the image of the Lady's eyes on the tilma, found a reflection of the room as Juan Diego opened his arms to show the roses he collected. There was a man who remarkably resembled Bishop Zumárraga, and various other individuals who were said to have witnessed the miracle. My favorite story, though, is about another photographer, later on, who wanted to photograph the image in Our Lady's eyes. At the church where the tilma is kept, he set up lights, brought all his big photographing equipment, and carefully placed a ladder in front of Our Lady. He climbed the ladder to take his picture, but he paused. And didn't take the picture. When he came down the ladder, the others present asked him what's wrong. He said, "She's there." "Of course she's there--it's the tilma, it's been there for over 500 years."

"No," he said, "you don't understand. She's there. I saw my reflection in her eyes, not that room 500 years ago."

The image of Our Lady behind the altar, underneath and just to the right of the cross.