December 12, 2008, La Virgen de Guadalupe rich in symbolism, By Krisna Villena, Guadalupe: patron and patronized, By Krishna Villena, The Virgin of San Juan de los Lagos, By Trish Snyder, Following the star, Volunteers and donors

La Virgen de Guadalupe rich in symbolism
By Krisna Villena December 12, 2008 San Miguel de Allende

“The Mexican people, after more than two centuries of experiments, have faith only in the Virgin of Guadalupe and the National Lottery.” — Octavio Paz

The Virgen de Guadalupe now appears in many shapes, forms and colors in popular culture in Mexico and around the world.

As her image is repainted, interpreted and transformed to fit new expressions of post-modernist identity the original symbolism of “La Virgincita” risks falling into forgetfulness by all except for the traditionally devout.

According to official site www.virgendeguadalupe.org.mx the rich symbolism in this Holy Image comes from indigenous mythology found in the ancient illustrated books, the codices. The Guadalupe also is considered by scholars “to posses the iconographical attributes of Mary in her Immaculate Conception.”

Her expression represents kindness and tenderness but also a great strength of spirit.

Her hands held together in profound prayer symbolize the unity of two different races. The right hand is whiter and more refined than the darker more solid left hand.

Her hair loose was an Aztecs sign of a pregnant woman.

Her belt is a symbol of pregnancy, as her swollen lower abdomen indicates the last months of her pregnancy. In Nahuatl pregnancy was considered the end of a cycle and the beginning of a new age, in this image a new age for both the old and the new world is suggested.

The four petaled flower or Nahui Ollin is the most important of symbols, representing the presence of God, the center of the universe and the center of time.

The golden rays form a luminous aura means she is the Mother of the Light, the Sun, the Sun’s child, the truth God and she makes descend him into the center of the moon (Mexico in nahuatl) to be born to light up and give life.

The Virgin of Guadalupe is standing on in the middle of the moon because the word Mexico in náhuatl (Metz-xic-co) means the center of the moon and it is also a symbol of fertility and life. It marks the fertility cycles of earth and the feminine.

Since her miraculous appearance to Juan Diego 450 years in Mexico, the Virgin of Guadalupe has been honored on December 12.

Also known as la Virgen Morena, Lupita, or Guadalupana, she goes by many names, but her image is always the same: held aloft on a crescent moon by a cherub, her brown face is framed by a blue cloak shining with stars. Her image has transcended the tabernacle and become an icon emblazoned on almost every type of merchandise imaginable.

It is impossible to walk through the streets and markets of San Miguel without seeing the image of la Guadalupana on shopping bags, keychains, bracelets, earrings, license plate and picture frames, t-shirts, boxes, and talavera ceramics: the list is endless. María Guadalupe, the owner of a handicrafts shop on calle Zacateros, will celebrate her saint’s day December 12. Although she sells shopping bags and brass statuettes of her namesake in her shop, she said that interest in these items is not high. She commented that she does not like to see images of the Virgin of Guadalupe in bars or discos, and tattoos of Mexico’s patron are likewise disrespectful because the bearer of the ink could engage in unseemly or illegal behavior, which would dishonor the Virgin.

José Luis Peña, proprietor of a shop down the street from María’s, does a brisker business in Mary memorabilia.

He sells furniture, ironwork and pottery and said the most popular ceramic items are mosaics of the Virgin of Guadalupe, who is more popular than Frida Kahlo or the catrinas. Peña said that “it is more common to find the virgin on murals or on ceramic plates used only for decorative purposes, not for serving food.” Even though the current economic situation is bad, he still has customers for products bearing the Virgin’s image. A realist, he remarked that he doesn’t mind seeing the Virgin on t-shirts, caps or jackets because the image is a commodity. “There’s a Virgin of Guadalupe for everybody, and everything is okay,” he opined.

At Peña’s store, an unusual painting of the American flag sports three Virgins of Guadalupe in the field where stars would normally be located. Each is dressed in a cloak of one of the colors of the Mexican flag.

As Peña explains the symbolism, “it is the concept of the feverish new culture one encounters as a Latino living in the United States. The Virgin of Guadalupe represents the Latino living in a country where everybody is a stranger. The colors of the Mexican flag represent the union of two nations in one flag. I worked on that flag with other artisans, and of course it’s not for sale, and I don’t allow anybody to take pictures of it.” Peña also said he once took the painting to his house and his Mexican and American guests stared at it, speechless.

In another store selling artisans’ wares, a saleswoman named Ana said the pieces she sells with the image of Virgin of Guadalupe are always popular and “the Mexican tourists from Monterey, Guadalajara and San Luis Potosí buy these products more often than foreigners. Mexicans seem to prefer small boxes and picture frames depicting la Guadalupana; these account for 60% of sales of Morenita mementos. Foreigners prefer jewelry with the Virgin’s image.

Maria Cristina Gómez Villasana, a retired teacher, said that she believes the image of the Virgin should not be commercialized.

“Thirty years ago, it was unthinkable to see a holy image painted on a car’s hood, but today people don’t seem to care because the Virgin has become a fashion icon rather than a figure of devotion. This phenomenon is the result of the commercialization of human values–nothing is more important than making money, even if we have to sell an image that represents the faith of many Mexicans and other people around the world.” Gómez Villasana thinks the only acceptable way to sell the image of the Virgin is as a statue or on small prayer cards.

At the Mercado Ingacio Ramirez, produce, flower, food and handicraft vendors work together to organize the festivities for the Virgin of Guadalupe. Lucía González, a vendor of handicrafts, said that they all contribute money for the celebration on December 12. “It is a very important day for us; that’s why we start nine days beforehand offering prayers at church. We say the rosary to pray for a family or a deceased family member.” González sells bracelets, pins and rosaries bearing the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe “because we all want to feel protected by her. Even young people come here and ask for the rosaries, and for me that’s the way she helps me in bad times–by sending me more clients. The way I thank her for her blessings is through my help with the celebration and taking my little boy, dressed as Juan Diego, to see her at the church.”

Products and prices

In San Miguel one can find almost every possible type of products for sale with the image of Virgen de Guadalupe.

Although most are made in Mexico, especially the well-designed and artisan, China imports of wooden and plastic bracelets, little boxes, stickers and frames dominate the cheap end of the market.

Bracelets (wood, plastic) 5-100 pesos

Earrings 60-200 pesos

Shopping bag 25-80 pesos

Apron 300 pesos

Buckles 120-250 pesos

Sport caps (printed) 60-80 pesos

Little boxes 200-250 pesos

Glossy attachments 60-80 pesos

Stickers 5-30 pesos

Book marks 5-45 pesos

Greeting cards 25-60 pesos

Resin figures 50-400 pesos

Casa Hogar Mexiquito hosts a celebration for the Lady of Guadalupe on Friday, December 12, at Santuario Hogar Guadalupano church off Carretera a Dolores Hidalgo.

The party starts early (4am) with birthday songs (Mañanita) for the Lady. Eucharist celebrations are set for 9am and noon. The March of the Indians is at 5:30pm, when adults and children parade dressed in indigenous clothing. The annual celebration includes traditional Mexican food, native dances, a raffle and bingo in the afternoon. The Mexiquito boys are working on warm scarves to sell at reasonable prices. Madre Theofila Jaimes Aviles, the new Casa Hogar director, welcomes you to a day filled with ongoing activities. Proceeds fund maintenance, clothing and food for the children of Casa Hogar.

The Virgin of San Juan de los Lagos
By Trish Snyder

The San Miguel Walk Against Domestic Violence
Caminata de San Juan de los Lagos
Info: (415) 111-7396 or tsmar30@aol.com

Our Lady of San Juan de los Lagos motivates a million people each year to visit her shrine, the second-most popular pilgrimage in Mexico. The sanctuary’s history began in the 1500s when Franciscans brought the original image from Spain to Mexico to promote the dogma of the Immaculate Conception. Over the years, the humble statue became blackened and disfigured and was finally put in a closet in the sacristy by the parish priest.

In 1623, the statue achieved new prominence, thanks to a miracle. A family of trapeze artists was passing through the village in the state of Jalisco, when their six year old daughter—an aerial acrobat—fell while practicing the trapeze act. The girl was mortally wounded. The parents wrapped the body in burial cloths and took her to the chapel of Our Lady of San Juan. The wife of the caretaker was so moved by the grieving parents that she took the statue from the closet and laid it on the child’s body. She exhorted the parents to have confidence; the “Lady” would bring the child back to life. The body started to move; the girl sat up, alive and unharmed. From that time on, the miracles and favors obtained through the “Virgencita” were numerous. The father of the girl offered to have the statue repaired. It was beautifully restored by an unknown artist.

The statue is 20 inches tall. Her face is dark in color with widely spaced eyes and long brown hair. Her hands are joined in prayer. In the early seventeenth century the statue was modernized and draped with clothing. She now wears a white gown, blue robe and a golden crown.

At the end of January and beginning of February each year, a great pilgrimage to the shrine occurs. This festival is attended by people from all over Mexico, many of them walking on their knees for the last part of their journey.

San Miguel Walkers and the Peregrinos alike take their petitions to San Juanita de los Lagos. We will walk together for the first seven kilometers of the journey. For more information, contact Trish Snyder at tsmar30@aol.com.

Following the star

Three Kings Day party
Sat, Jan 10, noon–3pm
Santuario Hogar Guadalupano Mexiquito
Carretera a Dolores Hidalgo

Three Kings Day is traditionally celebrated to mark the end of the 12 days of Christmas. Also known as Epiphany, it is a commemoration of the Biblical story of the three kings (magis/magos) who followed the star of Bethlehem to bring gifts to the Christ child. That it is a time of gift-giving is symbolic of those first gifts.

The day celebrates that Jesus came for all people of all nations and all races, and that the work of God in the world is not limited to only a few. Therefore, it is a time of focusing on brotherhood and fellowship and of healing divisions of prejudice and bigotry.

Historic traditions

It is traditional for the one officiating at this celebration to offer this sort of philosophical framework for the day:

· Help us to accept those whom we find it hard to love.

· Forgive us for any attitude that we harbor that on any level sees ourselves as better or more righteous than others.

· Help us to remove the barriers of prejudice and to tear down the walls of religious and social bigotry.

· Fill us so full of love that there is no room for intolerance.

· Enable us with your strength to forgive ourselves and others.

· Help us find avenues to hold the light of love for all.

Afterwards, the children receive gifts and sing carols.

San Miguel traditions

Fourteen years ago, the owner of Border Crossings began what has become a popular local tradition, a Three Kings Day celebration benefiting the local casas hogares, group homes for children from dire family circumstances. The children are cared for by local Dominican nuns who must rely on the community to support the 100 children who range in age from one month to 18 years.

All the children write letters to the “three kings,” asking for three gifts. Photos of each of the children are posted at Border Crossings (corner of Relox and Mesones). Interested people identify the child they would like to provide with gifts and get that child’s letter from Border Crossings. They fulfill the child’s gift list and then return the wrapped gifts to Border Crossings. They also make donations there for the Three Kings Day party.

Volunteers take the gifts to the boys’ home, Santuario Hogar Guadalupano, also known as Mexiquito because it is in Colonia Mexiquito, just past where Calzada de la Aurora turns into the road to Dolores Hidalgo. On January 10, the children and donors gather there for the distribution of gifts by the Three Kings, who call out each child’s name and ask the donors to present their gifts to the children.

Children’s entertainment is provided, as are refreshments.

Volunteers and donors

Volunteers are needed to translate scripts, transport gifts to Mexiquito, set up gift tables and entertainment; emcee, play the three kings, lead carols, serve food and clean up.

Donors are needed to provide 10,000 pesos in expenses (including IVA). US tax-deductible receipts are available for donations. Make out your check to the San Miguel Community Foundation, noting “Three Kings Day” on the memo line. Drop it by Border Crossings or mail it to Three Kings Day, 9902 Crystal Court, Suite 107, Laredo, Texas 78045. If donations exceed expenses, the extra will be divided equally between the three casas hogares.

To volunteer, to make a donation, or for more information, contact Robin Loving Rowland at (925) 418-8003 in the US, 152-3709 in San Miguel, or robin@robinloving.com.

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