~ SAINT JUAN DIEGO ~
ATTRIBUTES:
A model of
Humility
BORN IN 1474
It is believed that Juan Diego was born in 1474 in the
calpulli (ward) of Tlayacac in Cuauhtitlan which is about 20 kilometers north
of Tenochtitlan (Mexico City). His name was Cuauhtlatoatzin or 'One
Who Talks Like an Eagle', 'Eagle That Talks' or 'Singing Eagle'. In the Nican
Mopohua, the earliest writings of the Guadalupan event, he was identified
as a 'Macehualli' (Poor Indian). He did not belong to any of the social
catagories of the Aztec Empire such as warriers, merchants or priests yet
he was not a slave. It is recorded that he was a hard worker and was
the maker of mats.
+
HE AND HIS WIFE
BECOME CHRISTIANS
Juan Diego was happliy married but he and his wife had
no children. He owned a piece of land and had a house. He was a very
devoted man and soon he and his wife converted to the faith of the Christians
who had overtaken Montezuma under the command of Cortez in 1521.
+
They were baptized into the Catholic Church in or around
1524 - 1525 - probably by the well known Franciscan Fray Toribio de
Benavente, called “Motolinia” (Poor One) - deeply loved by the Indians for
his kindness and love for them. This, according to the Informaciones
Guadalupanas of 1666, which was the first formal investigation of the church
re the events of the Virgen (1531). He took on the name of Juan Diego and
his wife became, Maria Lucia. He owned a small piece of land with a house.
+
DEVOTED TO THE
EUCHARIST
He was deeply devoted to the Eucharist and was a mystical
and silent man. He received Eucharist 3 times a week by special permission
of the Bishop,highly unusual at that time. He
walked 20 kilometers (14 miles) from his village to Tenochtitlan
to receive his instructions to become a Christian and later to Mass. He would
leave before dawn as the walk through the mountains took about 3.5 hours,
barefoot since he was not of the social class allowed shoes or sandals.
+
WHEN HIS WIFE DIED
When his wife died in 1529, he moved in with his uncle
Juan Bernardino in Tolpetlac. He was then only 9 miles from church in
Tlatelolco -Tenochtitlan. In the colder months he wore a mantle or 'tilma'.
This tilma was a very coarse fabric, woven of Maguey cactus cloth, as cotton
was used by the upper classes of the Aztec. .
+
MARY'S VISIT TO JUAN DIEGUITO
When he was about 57, Mary visited Juan Diego, old by
the standards of his countrymen whose average age was about 40. He was on
his way to Tenochtitlán when she spoke to him in his native lauguage of Nahuatl,
“Juanito, Juan Dieguito “, “the most humble of my sons”,
“my son the least”, “my little dear”.
It was December 9th, only 10 years after Cortez conquered
the Aztec Nation. He was on his way to attend catechism classes and he heard
the beautiful singing of birds when she spoke to him on the hill called Tepeyac.
She asked him to tell the Bishop she wanted a temple to be built on this spot.
He was obedient but the bishop did not belive him. Juan decided to give up
on this but she repeated her request. Again he spoke to the bishop but was
not believed. Finally, the bishop, sensitive to his sincere request and obedience,
asked for a sign of this visitation. He also had his servants follow
Juan home but they lost him on the way. The Virgin again spoke to Juan
telling him that she would give him proof the following day.
+
It was early morning on the 12th of December. His
uncle, Juan Bernadino was ill and needed a priest so he tried to avoid the
visitation of the Lady by going around the hill another way. She found him
and gave him a message of hope. She affirmed her origin and assured
him the temple would be a message of great peace to all the world. Then she
instructed him to go to the top of the hill where he found beautiful roses
blooming in the frosty December morning. He picked them and put them in his
cloak and carried them to her. She rearranged them and sent him to the
bishop. On arrival, he opened his cloak and the flowers fell onto the floor
in front of the bishop. But the bishop was intent on anther miracle
as there on his cloak made of coarse cactus cloth, an image of the Blessed
Virgin began to appear.
+
At the same time, she appeared and healed Juan Bernadino,
telling him she was Guadalupe, the Perfect One and the forever Virgin Mother
of the True God.
+
PILGRIMAGES
After Our Lady's visit, he moved into a small
room attached to the chapel where the holy image of Our Lady was hung.
He had given his business and land to his uncle so he was free to share the
story of the Mary's visitation to the Americas until his death on May 30,
1548. He was 74. Today, the shrine is visited by millions every year
and her original image, intact and complete brings a powerful message of life
to the unborn.
+
"Let not your heart be disturbed. Do not fear that
sickness, nor any other sickness or anguish. Am I not here, who is your Mother?
Are you not under my protection? Am I not your health? Are you not happily
within my fold? What else do you wish? Do not grieve nor be disturbed by anything."
(Words of Our Lady to Juan Diego)
BEAUTIFICATION AND CANONIZATION
In April of 1990 Juan Diego was declared Blessed by
Pope John Paul II at the Vatican. The following month, in the Basilica of
Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, during his 2nd visit to the shrine,
John Paul II performed the beatification ceremony.
+
On July 31 st 2002, Juan Diego was canonized a Saint.
The Holy Father is planning to fly into Mexico City after World Youth
Day 2002 in Toronto this July. This will be his 5th visit to the Basilica
of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
.
