(RNS) — Thousands gathered in New York City over the past two days to honor Our Lady of Guadalupe, the beloved patron saint of Mexico and a powerful symbol of unity and Catholic faith across Mexico and Central America.
The festivities began Wednesday evening (Dec. 11) with mariachi music and traditional Mexican folk dance, followed the next morning by a miles-long procession, or “carrera,” and a Spanish-language Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
The events highlighted the cultural, as well as the religious, importance of Our Lady of Guadalupe among the city’s diverse Latin American communities. People of Mexican descent make up one of the largest subgroups of Latino residents in New York City, according to 2022 data from the CUNY Center for Latin American Studies.
Our Lady of Guadeloupe “is a symbol of our faith,” said the Rev. Jesus Ledezma, pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe in San Bernardo Church in Lower Manhattan. “Even if you are not Catholic, you can still be considered ‘Guadalupano.’”
By Fiona Murphy · December 12, 2024
People process with a statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe from St. Bernard to St. Patrick’s Cathedral during the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe festivities in New York City, Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024. (RNS photo/Fiona Murphy)
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