La virgen de Tepeyác

As a personal promise every year I attend the mañanitas for la Virgen de Guadalupe. Nearly every Catholic Church with a sizeable Mexican population has them. When I was in New York, there was a tiny church on in lower Manhattan that was attended by Poblanos and on December 12^th, it was packed.

For the last couple years, I have been attending the mañanitas at the Basilica of Mission Dolores. The Mass is a 5:00 am and people are already gathered in front of the church at 4:30 am. The image of la Virgen processes in the church, which quickly fills until there is standing room only. Rousing mariachi music accompanies the liturgy and there are solos of “Ave Maria.” There is a symbolic reenactment of Juan Diego showing his miraculous tilma to the bishop and a rain of rose petals falls from the copula of the basilica. The faithful stretch out their hands to gather the petals. Someone shouts: “VIVA la Virgen de Guadalupe!” and the congregation responds “¡Qué Viva!” It is very moving. At the end of the Mass, the people come up the center aisle to have their images, candles and flowers blessed by the priest. Then the people follow out to the auditorium for tamales, pan dulce and chocolate caliente. Unlike the Day of the Dead celebration in San Francisco, it feels authentic, as it is mostly Mexicans who get up at this early hour to celebrate the feast day of la Virgen del Tepeyác.