On December 9, Roman Catholics honor Saint Juan Diego, the Indigenous Mexican convert whose encounter with the Virgin Mary led to the devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Born in 1474 in the Anahuac Valley of present-day Mexico, he was first known as Cuauhtlatoatzin, meaning “singing eagle.” He grew up within Aztec religious traditions, yet even from a young age he had a deep sense of spiritual mystery. Everything changed when Franciscan missionaries arrived, and in 1524 he and his wife were baptized. From then on, Juan Diego lived his faith with dedication, often walking long distances to learn more about God.
In December 1531, a remarkable event occurred. On December 9, while traveling to Mass for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Juan Diego encountered a radiant woman. Speaking to him in his native language, she revealed herself as the “ever-perfect holy Mary, Mother of the true God.” She told him that she was his mother and the mother of all who lived in that land and beyond. She asked him to request that a church be built on that very site to honor her Son and help make Him known to the people of Mexico.
Juan Diego brought this message to Bishop Juan de Zumárraga, who hesitated to believe it. The bishop asked for a sign, and Juan Diego promised to return with proof, though he was delayed while caring for his gravely ill uncle.
On December 12, as he searched for a priest, the Virgin appeared again. She reassured him that his uncle had already been healed and instructed him to gather flowers on the nearby hill—despite it being winter. To his astonishment, he found fresh, beautiful blooms. She arranged them in his tilma, a simple cactus-fiber garment, and told him not to reveal them until he stood before the bishop.
When Juan Diego opened the tilma in the bishop’s presence, the flowers fell to the floor and a miraculous image of the Virgin appeared on the fabric. This became known as the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Today, millions of pilgrims visit the basilica in Mexico City where the tilma is kept, making it one of the most visited Catholic shrines in the world.
The event changed countless lives, including Juan Diego’s. He spent the rest of his life in prayer and service, living in a small hermitage near the shrine and welcoming the growing flow of pilgrims. He died on December 9, 1548, exactly seventeen years after the first apparition.
Saint John Paul II beatified Juan Diego in 1990 and canonized him in 2002, recognizing him as a model of humility, faith, and trust in God’s plan.