Local tradition spans more than 20 years
By Ted Apodaca
In December of 1531 a Mexican farmer named Juan Diego spoke with an apparition of the Virgin Mary, who appeared to him to encourage him to petition the Bishop to build a church, according to information on the Catholic Relief Services website. The story says the Virgin Mary, known as Our Lady of Guadalupe, spoke to Diego in his native Aztec language.
Since then, the celebration of the event and Our Lady of Guadalupe have continued, including here on Catalina, where members of Saint Catherine Church have organized a celebration parade on Dec. 12 for more than 20 years. On Monday, the event returned with members dressed in celebratory and traditional outfits sharing the celebration with the community on Front Street.
