Mexico City, Dec 12 (EFE).- By Diego Estrada
Millions of pilgrims from Mexico and abroad gathered on Thursday at the Basilica of Guadalupe to celebrate the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, in what has become one of the world’s largest annual religious pilgrimages.
The event, held every Dec. 12, draws devotees who travel for days or weeks to honor the “Virgen Morena” with songs, dances, and prayer.
By early morning, the basilica and its surrounding avenues were packed.
Authorities estimated that around 13 million people had arrived by Friday, already surpassing last year’s 12.3 million, with more expected on Saturday.
For many, the journey is long and demanding. Félix José Joserra walked from the southern state of Oaxaca to fulfill a promise rooted in “faith and devotion.”
“I ask the Virgin for my family’s health and for my daughters. Being here fills the heart with joy,” he told EFE, standing beside traditional marmotas, symbols of light and faith.
Joserra is part of a group of marmoteros who have made the pilgrimage for 15 consecutive years. “It’s a beautiful experience of devotion that is hard to describe,” he said.
Dance, prayer, and living traditions
Devotees expressed their faith in different ways: some prayed on their knees, others danced in elaborate costumes celebrating the Virgin’s feast day.
Groups performed traditional dances, accompanied by drums and chants, after singing Las Mañanitas at dawn.
“This is about keeping a legacy alive,” said dancer Catherine Esquivel, who wore a costume representing the sun and moon, adorned with feathers.
Lizeth Acosta, from Mexico City, said the feeling she experiences every Dec. 12 is “inexplicable.”
Dressed in a pre-Hispanic outfit, she performs “to honor the matriarch,” referring to Our Lady of Guadalupe.
“These artistic expressions unite the country’s cultures and its many ethnic groups,” said dancer Luis Loza. “The Guadalupana is the most Mexican symbol we have… Everyone comes with different levels of devotion, but here we are.”
A global devotion phenomenon The celebration also attracts pilgrims from other countries.
Sister Lorena Herrera and her sibling, originally from Zacatecas and long-time residents of Colorado, traveled to Mexico City for the first time to witness the event.
“We felt a different energy and a lot of emotion,” Herrera said, grateful for the chance to reconnect with her heritage.
The devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe dates back to 1531, when, according to tradition, the Virgin appeared to Juan Diego on Tepeyac Hill, today the site of the basilica in northern Mexico City. EFE des/seo
