Saint Juan Diego was born Cuauhtlatoatzin, a Mexican native, in 1474. He became the first native American Roman Catholic saint.

After his father passed away early on, Juan Diego was sent to live with his uncle. He was brought up in accordance with the pagan religion of the Aztecs from the age of three, although he consistently shown indications of having a mystical outlook on life.

He received recognition for his ardent religious beliefs, his unwavering affection for his sick uncle, and his polite and respectful demeanor toward the Virgin Mary and beloved Bishop Juan de Zumarraga.

Along with his wife, Maria Lucia, he became a Catholic and was one of the first people in Mexico to be baptized when a party of twelve Franciscan missionaries arrived there in 1524. At the Franciscan mission station at Tlatelolco, Juan Diego would walk great distances to receive religious education because he was so dedicated to his new life.

Juan Diego was eager to attend Mass and commemorate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 9, 1531. However, he was stopped by the sight of a radiant woman introducing herself in his native tongue as the "ever-perfect holy Mary, who has the honor to be the mother of the true God." Juan Diego was instructed by Mary that she was the mother of everyone who lived on his land and that he should seek the local bishop for help. On Tepeyac Hill, the location of a previous pagan temple, she requested that a chapel be constructed in her honor.

When Juan Diego told Bishop Juan de Zumarraga what had happened, he was met with skepticism and instructed to give the bishop some time to process the information.

Juan Diego saw the Virgin Mary again later that day and informed her that he had not been able to fulfill her request. He attempted to convince her that he wasn't a significant individual and, thus, wasn't the right person for the job, but she insisted that he was the man she needed.

The following day, Juan Diego went back to the Bishop and made the same request, but this time, the Bishop requested evidence or a sign that the apparition was genuinely from heaven. Juan Diego immediately traveled to Tepeyac, where he once more saw the Virgin Mary. She consented after being informed of the Bishop's request and promised to give him evidence the next day, December 11.

But Juan Diego's uncle got really sick the following day, so he had to stay and take care of him. The following day, Juan Diego set out to find his uncle a priest. He didn't want to appear ashamed to the Virgin Mary for missing the meeting the day before, therefore he was resolved to arrive as soon as possible.

However, the Virgin Mary stopped him and inquired about his condition. He described his predicament and said he would come back once he had located a priest for his uncle.

She said, "No estoy yo aqui que soy tu madre?" after glancing at him (Am I not here, I who am your mother?). She instructed him to go up to the hill and gather the flowers that were blossoming there and assured him that his uncle would be healed. When he did what he was told, he discovered that the rough terrain was covered in flowers in December. He went back to Mary after stuffing his tilma (coat) with flowers.

He was instructed to offer the sign to the bishop by the Virgin Mary, who put the flowers within his cloak. When Juan Diego finally located the bishop, he opened his cloak to reveal a miraculously imprinted image of the Virgin Mary on the cloak covered in flowers.

Juan Diego discovered his uncle completely recovered from his illness the following day. According to his uncle, he also saw the Virgin Mary. She reportedly informed him of her want to have a church constructed on Tepeyac Hill, but she also stated that she preferred to be referred to as Guadalupe.

As soon as word of Juan Diego's miracle got out, he rose to fame. But Juan Diego never wavered in his humility.

The imprinted cloak of Juan Diego was initially preserved in the bishop's private chapel, but the next year it was put on public display in the church constructed on Tepeyac Hill.

During the parade to Tepeyac Hill, an arrow shot in celebration, struck a participant in the throat, causing the first miracle involving the cloak. The man was healed after being placed before Mary's miraculous image.

Juan Diego lived a life of prayer and labour in unity after relocating to a small hermitage on Tepeyac Hill. Seventeen years after the initial apparition, on December 9, 1548, he passed away.

The apparitions of Our Lady led to a daily conversion of around 3,000 Indians to Christianity. They were profoundly affected by Mary's words and the specifics of Juan Diego's experience.

Nonbelievers tried to blow up the Image with an explosion during the Mexican upheavals at the start of the 20th century. The marble steps of the altar, the flower-holders, and the windows of the basilica were all severely damaged, but the pane of glass that protected the image remained intact.

From 1531 till now, Juan Diego's imprinted cloak has been immaculately maintained. One of the most popular Catholic sanctuaries in the world is the "Basilica of Guadalupe" atop Tepeyac Hill.

Pope John Paul II beatified St. Juan Diego on May 6, 1990, and on July 31, 2002, he was canonized. He is the patron saint of Indigenous people, and December 9 is his feast day.

Other Saints of the Day
St. Balda
St. Cyprian
St. Leocadia
St. Proculus of Verona
St. Valeria of Limoges