The Virgen of Guadalupe and the Saints

The Virgin of Guadalupe and the Saints

“The virgin Mary is adored by many around the world as a symbol of Gods motherly love for all of humanity no matter how untouchable.” Dr. Alex Nava

I decided to attend a lecture held in the University of Arizona, at the Arizona state museum mostly because I needed the credit but also because it was the only extra credit assignment that really interested me. As a practicing Roman Catholic I assumed the lecture would look to present a semi-biased, secular view on the subject matter, but to my surprise the lecturer was refreshingly knowledgeable on the subject matter and quite respectful to the religious beliefs of others.

Dr. Nava began by presenting himself and emphasizing that he will look to present the subject as unbiased as possible. He continued by telling the story of la virgin de tepeyac for those who might not be familiar with it. The is the story of la virgin de Guadalupe, an Indian by the name of Juan Diego was walking near the hill of tepeyac, to get to church when suddenly he heard a beautiful song coming from birds just over the ridge, he walked toward them and to his surprise a beautiful Indian woman called to him she was described as motherly and companionate, dr. Nava emphasized latter on that her words to Juan Diego are familiar and as if she knows him, he also expanded on the re accruing arc types in visitations around the world, the fact that she and the saints seem to appear to the scum of society; Juan Diego was a newly conquered Indian, Bernadette Soubirous was a peasant woman in 19th century France when our lady of Lourdes appeared and other examples were given. Continuing with the story the virgin gave Juan Diego the order to proclaim to the bishop of Mexico City to erect a chapel on the hill in which she had appear to him, he did as he was told but was rejected by the bishop. He explained later on that the bishop was Juan de Zumárraga and was a great protector of the native’s rights in Mexico but was overshadowed in his works by the radical contemporaries but was still hailed as the protector of the Indians. Dr. Nava expanded on how Zumarraga never once in his own writings acknowledge la virgin de Guadalupe by name and how several others did not either, but as a counter point he explained that the story could have continued in the spoken tradition for many years after the event took place quoting the fact that the first mention of the Buddha in literature came up 400 years