From The Back Pew: A woman of many names

On Saturday, the faithful in Latin America and throughout the United States will celebrate the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas. Our Lady of Guadalupe is known by many names, among them La Morenita, La Virgen, La Virgensita, Guadalupe Madre de Dios, Santa Maria, La Virgen Morena, La Virgen Maria and Nuestra Señora Reina de Los Angeles.

Let me translate: the Little Olive-Skinned Virgin, the Virgin, the Little Virgin, Guadalupe Mother of God, Saint Mary, the Olive-Skinned Virgin, the Virgin Mary and Our Lady Queen of the Angels.

Los Angeles itself was founded under the name El Pueblo de la Reina de los Angeles Sobre el Rio de Porciuncu, although some historians still debate the true name of the city when it was founded in 1781.

The feast day celebrations of Our Lady of Guadalupe are among the largest in the world. Celebrations can start as early as midnight in places such as Mexico City, the epicenter of the world’s celebrations, where two basilicas, the Templo Expiatorio a Cristo Rey, built between 1531 and 1709, and the Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, built in 1974, are dedicated to her.

Part of Dec. 12 is a feast day meant only for hard-core early risers. Celebrations in this part of the world can start as early as 3 a.m., with the traditional mañanitas, where mariachis play and Aztec dancers perform elaborate traditional dance routines meant to honor the Virgin. And celebrations can last all day, even as late as 10 p.m. My parish begins their celebrations at 5:30 a.m., and will have festivities from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. And celebrations at the cathedral downtown will begin at 4:40 a.m.

The Dec. 12 feast day commemorates the appearances in 1531 of Guadalupe to St. Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin on Tepeyac Hill, north of Mexico City. Juan Diego was canonized in 2002.

As the story goes, while Juan Diego was on his way to church, Mary appeared, instructing him to ask the bishop of Mexico, Juan de Zumárraga, to build a shrine on the very spot where she stood. Already in shock at what he was seeing, Juan Diego rushed to tell the bishop. But the bishop was doubtful, and said he would believe Juan Diego only if he brought back proof — that he indeed saw the Virgin. He asked for it on her second appearance.

On the third appearance, Guadalupe promised Juan Diego that she would give him proof.

On the morning of Dec. 12 — the fourth appearance — Mary instructed Juan Diego to climb Tepeyac Hill, where a pile of flowers lay. The existence of the flowers seemed impossible to Juan Diego. Mary placed the flowers into Juan Diego’s tilma, or the cloak he wore on those cold mornings, and instructed him to open the cloak for no one but the bishop.

This was the proof.

When he arrived at the bishop’s residence, he opened his cloak, letting the flowers spill out, revealing an imprint of the famous portrait of the Virgin Mary. Upon seeing this, the bishop sank to his knees and ordered that a basilica be built, and it is where the modern basilica exists today.

The flowers spilling out of Juan Diego’s cloak and the imprint are considered one of the most famous miracles of the Virgin Mary, second only, perhaps, to giving birth to Jesus Christ himself.

Lutheran Church in the Foothills will present a one-day winter Vacation Bible School from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Dec. 19 in the church.

Get in touch MICHAEL J. ARVIZU MICHAEL J. ARVIZU is a reporter for the Burbank Leader, Glendale News-Press and La Cañada Valley Sun newspapers. He may be reached at (818) 637-3263 or by e-mail at michael.arvizu@latimes.com. Get in touch MICHAEL J. ARVIZU is a reporter for the Burbank Leader, Glendale News-Press and La Cañada Valley Sun newspapers. He may be reached at (818) 637-3263 or by e-mail at michael.arvizu@latimes.com.