Again, sorry for the lateness!
Hey all. Today’s post is going to focus on the Virgin Mary or more specifically Our Lady of Guadalupe! In the month of December Our Lady of Guadalupe is important in mexican Hispanic culture because she appeared to a native Juan Diego on two separate days (Dec 9 and 12). She left Her image on his tilma as proof to the Bishop to have a cathedral built in her honor on Tepeyac hill in Mexico. If you’re one of those people that needs proof of GOD’s power prepared to be floored. I did some research. And I’m going to present to you some facts that stood out to me the most.
Image of Our Lady was imprinted on a tilma made from cactus fibers. These fibers when woven into a tilma only survive for about 8 years before is starts to fall a part. To this day the tilma where our lady is displayed is still intact. We’re talking more than 500 years ago!
The image of Our Lady has been under intense scientific scrutiny. For example, the image constantly maintains a steady temperature of 98.6 degrees-the same temperature for a healthy human. Her eyes have been studied and also reflect light! A Japanese optician studied her eyes up close and ended up fainting because he noticed her eyes staring back into him. She has also survived a bomb attack and nitric acid spill as well.
An artist has tried to reproduce the image of the Lady on cactus fiber. It ended up getting distorted after 5 years because the cactus fibers did not hold up.
Her mantle that bears the stars are actually a constellation as seen from above the stars. More specifically if we were to expand the stars beyond what the mantle shows then she also has a constellation of a crown near her forehead (hail Queen Mary!). The Leo sign would also be where the womb of Our Lady. (Jesus, the king).
The last fact I will share with you is about Martin Luther’s division of the church in Europe. At the same time the church was splitting in Europe the Mayan people were being converted to Catholicism, because Her image blocking the sun and standing on the moon symbolized her superiority over the sun and moon gods. The number of Mayans converted to Catholicism was actually double the amount that broke away from the church.
Some pretty intense stuff huh? There’s still more surprising facts out there as well. Feel free to comment or add to these amazing facts of the Blessed Virgin that appeared to a people in December!
Till next time; Glory to God and his blessings to you all!