How Did The Virgin Mary Influence Mexican Culture

Stacy Panfilo

Professor Melissa Moran

CHLS 104

April 26, 2015

Our Lady of Guadalupe’s influence on Mexican Culture

The Virgin Mary plays a crucial role in the devolvement of Latin culture. Looking at Mexico in particular, many of the country’s traditions and beliefs are founded on the basis of religion. The Virgin Mary’s significance in influencing Latin culture is evident in history as well as present traditions such as the day of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

According to a comprehensive demographic study by the PewResearch Center the number of people who identified themselves as Christians has nearly quadrupled since 1910. In particular, Mexico was ranked third with 95% of the population identifying as Christian. Another similar study by PewResearch

Center looking at Catholicism ranked Mexico as second highest with 90.2% of the population identifying as Catholic. With such a large part of the Mexican population identifying as Christian and more specifically Catholic, a lot of the country’s culture and beliefs are richly intertwined with religion therefore symbols and people such as the Virgin Mary are significant in the lives of Mexican culture.
With the majority of the Mexican population identifying as Catholics the Virgin Mary is a significant figure in the lives of most Mexicans. A common saying amongst Mexican people is that you are not really considered Mexican unless you believe in the Virgin of Guadalupe. In Latin culture the Virgin Mary is referred to as the “Virgen de Guadalupe” or “La Morenita” however, despite many names the Virgin Mary is celebrated and praised as Mexico’s official patron saint and most importantly as the mother of Jesus. The spreading of Christianity first began with missionaries converting indigenous people long before Mexico and America where considered nations. The first time Christianity fully began to influence indigenous people is told through the story in which the Virgin Mary appeared to an indigenous man named Juan Diego. She appeared the first time on December 9, 1531 asking for a church to be built in her honor. Juan Diego informed the bishop of the request but didn’t believe him and instead demanded a sign. She appeared again on Tepeyac Hill for the last time on December 12,1531 and sent Juan Diego with roses collected in his tilmátli. Juan Diego took the roses to show the bishop however when he released the cloak dozens of roses poured out and the image of the Virgin Mary was imprinted on it. Today the original tilmátli with the image of the virgin is on display. The virgin is described with a dark skin tone and is said to have spoken to Juan Diego in the native language of Nahuatl. The significance of the native characteristics of the Virgin Mary portrays a mixing of both native and Spanish culture. Today both “Juan Diego and the Virgin of Guadalupe are passionately revered as holy incarnations of Mexican identity.” (Martin) This event can thus be recognized as being a driving force in combining Native and Spanish ideals.
The Virgin Mary’s influence in Mexican attitudes, customs, and beliefs can also be understood through the celebrations that take place on the holiday specifically dedicated to the Virgin Mary’s appearances on Tepeyac hill. December 12th became a national holiday in Mexico in 1859 and since then, every year afterwards has been celebrated with masses, parades, and fiestas. Although a religious event, the mass is culminated with celebrations that include traditional food, music, and dancing. Thousands march up to the Basilica de Guadalupe with offerings and images of the virgin. Children attend the mass dressed in traditional clothing including versions of Juan Diego’s tilmátli and attend the mass to be blessed by the priest. The mass commemorating the virgin is usually held at dawn however a large televised event is filmed at midnight. The popular song Las Mañanitas is a traditional song sung on special including birthdays and is sung to the virgin. The event is so large that it is televised and shown to many parts of the world including the United States. Many famous Latin stars get to sing their version of the song to the Virgin Mary as well as other songs commemorating their devotion to her. The most recent celebrities to sing Las Mañanitas include singers Lucero and Aracely Arámbula. These famous stars openly express their beliefs and praise the virgin essentially influencing an ideal of worship that is often accepted by a whole nation thus creating a powerful figure.
Today many Historians try to analyze and understand how the Virgin Mary became such a prominent figure in Mexican culture.

Although there are many scholars that speculate the time and accuracy of the Virgin Mary’s rise in popularity due to the apparitions on Tepeyac Hill, none seem to disagree on her heavy influence and importance to Mexican People.

“It allowed that religion to bridge divides of belief, language, and practice to become a meaningful, unifying moral force across differences of race, class, and gender as well as politics and place, centering on a Guadalupe who still remains a powerful and compassionate figure.” (Kellogg 409)

Similarly to Kellogg, Conover argues against the apparition of the Virgin Mary as being the driving force that gave way to the Virgin’s rise to popularity and instead argues that it was a combination of many factors including practicality rather than “unique and mystical” appeal. (255). This debate has sparked a lot of controversy amongst historians and there has been a split between apparitionists and anti-apparitionists over The Virgin Mary’s rise to popularity. Historians seek to understand how the Virgin Mary became so prominent in the lives of so many people to a country once foreign to the idea of Christianity however; despite much speculation her influence in Mexico’s culture is irrefutable. In 2002 Pope John Paul II declared our lady of Guadalupe the patroness of the Americas and made Juan Diego the first official indigenous

saint.
The Virgin Mary’s importance in shaping Mexican culture is seen throughout history. Beginning with the story of Juan Diego and continuing with famous leaders, such as Miguel Hidalgo who used her image during his revolt against the Spanish in 1810. His famous battle cry “Long Live Our Lady of Guadalupe” has made the virgin a sign of patriotism to many. Emiliano Zapata also carried a banner of the “Virgen de Guadalupe” in 1914.The Virgin Mary is embedded in Mexican history essentially influencing ideals, attitudes, and beliefs of a whole nation. Holidays such as December 12 further validate the influence the Virgin Mary has had on a nation. With the religious event on Tepeyac Hill being celebrated so largely by Mexican people other religious holidays and traditions such as Posadas and the Day of the dead make Mexico a very rich culture largely influenced by religion. As Mexico’s official patron saint, Mexican culture would not be as rich without religion and famous figures such as the “Virgen de Guadalupe”.