Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe

The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Spanish: Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe) is a Roman Catholic church, basilica, and National shrine of Mexico which houses the cloak containing the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The 1709 shrine was built in the North of Mexico City near the hill of Tepeyac, where the Virgin Mary is believed to have appeared to Saint Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin. The basilica structure which now contains Juan Diego's cloak was completed in 1974.

This site is also known as La Villa de Guadalupe or, in a more popular sense, La Villa, and has several churches and related buildings.

One of the most important pilgrimage sites of Catholicism, the basilica and tilma (cloak) are visited by several million people every year, especially around 12 December, Our Lady of Guadalupe's Feast day.

History

A nearby chapel was built on the sacred site devoted to a temple for Tonantzin Coatlaxopeuh, an important mother goddess, after the Spanish conquerors destroyed the temple.

Pilgrimages have been made to this shrine almost uninterrupted since 1531–1532. In the latter year, a shrine had been constructed at the foot of Tepeyac Hill, which served the people for ninety years. It was adapted as part of the parochial sacristy of the new basilica. In 1622 a rich shrine was erected; a newer one, much richer, in 1709. Other structures of the eighteenth century connected with it are a parish church, a convent and church for Capuchin nuns, a well chapel, and a hill chapel. About 1750 the shrine got the title of collegiate, and a canonry and choir service were established. In 1754 it was aggregated to the Basilica of St. John Lateran. In 1904 it was designated as a basilica.

Old basilica

Officially known as the "Templo Expiatorio a Cristo Rey," the first structure of the old basilica was begun in 1695 and it was not finished until 1709. The major architect was Pedro de Arrieta. It is characterized by its doric interior and marble statues of Fray Juan de Zumárraga, archbishop at the time it was started, and Juan Diego, the peasant who saw the vision of the Virgin Mary. These are featured in the altarpiece that originally held the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. (That altarpiece matches a similar one in the older chapel higher on the hill, which features the archangels Gabriel and Michael). The church was granted basilica status by Pope Pius X in 1904.

The icon of Juan Diego's cloak was housed in this church from 1709 to 1974. In 1921 a bomb planted in a flower vase near the altar by an anticlerical terrorist exploded, causing great damage to the interior of the building. (In memory of this incident, the New Basilica displays an iron crucifix called "the attempt on Christ".) The cloak survived undamaged.

As much of Mexico City is built upon the dried lakebed of Lake Texcoco, the land was unstable and the old basilica was sinking. A new, more spacious basilica was built. The old one was closed for many years and repairs have recently finished. It is open to the public and perpetual adoration is held there.

Modern basilica

The present church was constructed on the site of an earlier 16th-century church that was finished in 1709, the Old Basilica. When this basilica became dangerous due to the sinking of its foundations, a modern structure called the New Basilica was built next to it; the original image of the Virgin of Guadalupe is now housed in this New Basilica. Built between 1974 and 1976, the new Basilica has a circular floorplan so that the image of the Virgin can be seen from any point within the building. The circular structure is 100 meters (330 ft) in diameter and can accommodate up to 10,000 people. The choir is located between the altar and the churchgoers to indicate that it, too, is part of the group of the faithful. To the sides are the chapels of the Santisimo and of Saint Joseph. It has 9 chapels on the upper floor. Under the main floor are the Basilica's crypts, with 15,000 niches and 10 chapels. Its seven front doors are an allusion to the seven gates of Celestial Jerusalem referred to by Christ. In the Sanctuary grounds where the new Basilica is located there are also many other buildings, including the original chapel on the exact site of the apparitions to Juan Diego (Capilla del Cerrito) and the Old Basilica consecrated in 1709, as well as other chapels where Masses and other sacraments of the Church are celebrated daily.

See also

  • List of colonial churches in Mexico City
  • Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral
  • The Basilica of Guadalupe in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico
  • Monastery of Santa María de Guadalupe, in Spain
  • Rocío Dúrcal, whose final resting place is in this church

References

Lee, George (1913). "Shrine of Guadalupe" . In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.

External links

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Travel + Leisure
14 November 2014
The Old Basilica, begun in the 16th century and completed in 1709, stands in stark contrast to the massive new basilica, designed by the Mexican architect Pedro Ramírez Vázquez.
Luci
3 December 2014
Must! The museum is so so so beautiful. Guadalupe is the most beautiful virgin. Don't miss going up to the hill to see the view.
Johnny Northam
22 April 2014
New basilica is a gorgeous and spacious church. I didn't want to leave it. Inside is much nicer than outside. In the store you will find "almost" every possible image of Santa María de Guadalupe.
Margarita Krup
11 September 2014
Explore the new and old church. Notice the outside of the old church, the splitting of the church in half and the uneven floors.
Richard Sprague
2 January 2016
Don't rely on cellphone reception if you're meeting someone, especially if using the underground parking garage. Make backup plans to meet. It can be very crowded, and service may not be reliable.
Jesus Reyes
31 March 2019
Beautiful place to visit and take some amazing pictures, the old basilica has some of the most beautiful prehispanic art decor.
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2nda seccion, Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Calz de Guadalupe s/n-Locales 1 Y 2, Villa Gustavo A. Madero, Gustavo A. Madero, 07050 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico Get directions
Mon-Sun 6:00 AM–9:00 PM

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