www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Our Lady of Guadalupe

What I find interesting is that in the Aztec and Mayan way of looking at things, East, not North, is up.

Also, the world is going to end on 21 December 2012 according to the Mesoamerican calendar.

I await your analysis of the Tilma. I am amazed to see the images in Our Lady's eyes.

I look forward to Memo's info & opinion every year at this time...seems my data banks leak a bit

Hi again,

Let's get started with the tilma.

The tilma portrays a young woman clothed with the sun. In Aztec mythology, only two groups of people live close to the sun, in the 13th or highest heaven: The warriors who die in combat, who then lift up the sun from dawn until noon and the women who die at childbirth, who bring the sun down from noon until sunset.

But nobody lives inside the sun. Here we have a woman who doesn’t live near the sun, she is actually clothed by the sun, more glorious than the slain warriors and more honorable than the self-sacrificing mothers.

The woman is standing on the center of the moon. This is significant because of the etymology of the name of “Mexico”. The name comes from three Nahuatl roots: Metz-xic-co, literally, on the belly-button of the moon (meaning, on the center of the moon). By standing on the center of the moon, the woman expresses here presence here, on this very land, and she is bringing the sun down to the land: Sun and land together in harmony, speaking to the Aztec’s dualism.

The woman has her sight slightly lowered in the customary deferential way to look when you are not the principal person. By doing so, she is proclaiming herself not as a goddess, but rather as a servant of God. However, not just any servant, because of two elements: The turquoise mantle she wears is fitting only of the highest of the high royalty: she may not be a goddess, but she is certainly a queen or a royal princess. Also, just under her robe, you can see a shoe. Only two persons in the Aztec culture were allowed to wear shoes: the emperor and his chief of staff. It has been established she is not the sovereign, so these elements taking together mean: This woman is of royal birth and she is the chief of staff of someone greater than the sun.

The mantle allows a little bit of hair to show underneath, it is not braided, which means the woman is a virgin, however the black belt the woman is wearing is an indication of her pregnancy. As in many other cultures, a pregnant maiden faced severe punishment, but it had been established this woman is highly exalted with holiness. The only “holy” pregnant virgin in Aztec culture was “Tonanzin”, Our Mother Earth, who by the way, was worshipped precisely at the Tepeyac, where the apparitions took place.

This gives us two important clues: There is a connection between Earth and the woman. More on this later, but even more so, the woman who identified herself as the Mother of Teotl, is also Our Mother, thus making Teotl our sibling, fulfilling one of the ancient longings of Aztec spirituality: When, O Teotl, will you come and dwell with us; when will we be able to see your face? (sounds familiar? Yes, of course, the Aztecs thought the same when they heard about the Incarnation)

More to come.

Stay tuned!

Shalom,
Memo

Hi again,

Yes, I will mention the eyes towards the end of this series.

For the time being, let's continue...

The blue mantle is dotted with stars. This indicates, of course, that the mantle represents the heavens. It is important to note that the stars actually follow the visible constellations in the Mexican night sky on that time of the morning of December 12th, 1531. The star map is properly oriented with East being “up”, but it is reversed. The stars seen on the mantle appear as if seen from “above” the firmament.

This actually strengthens the connection between Earth and the woman, as explained before, however, there are a few more details accentuating this relationship even further. On the rose-color robe the woman is wearing, there are 9 symbols of “mountain”. The position of these symbols coincides with the positions of the 9 tallest peaks around the Anahuac valley. Furthermore, three of these are directly by the cuffs and the collar of the rose robe. The cuffs and the collar are, of course, a much lighter collar, almost white and the three peaks these mountain symbols coincide with have perpetual glaciers on their peaks.

An interesting feature about the mountain symbols is that all nine of them are seem to stem from the blue mantle. In Aztec spirituality, the mountain is the place to enter in contact with the divine. In this regard, the mountain symbols teach about the concept of revelation: The place to enter in contact with the divine is now provided or revealed by the heavens, by God.

The mountain symbols and, in fact the rest of the robe, is covered with flowers, symbols of heavenly blessings. The coming of the woman will fill the land with blessings.

Right on top of the woman’s womb there is a very unique symbol that could be mistakenly interpreted as yet another flower, but it looks more like a 4-leaf clover. This is a variation of the Nahui-Ollin, giving a new, greater meaning to the entire image.

More to come.

Stay tuned!

Shalom,
Memo

Hi again,

Moving along...

The presence of the Nahui-Ollin indicates the presence of God. The symbol is very appropriately shown over the woman’s womb. She is the Mother of Teotl. In Him, who is in her womb, all things and all ages have their fullness and their harmony. He is the Lord of Heaven and Earth and Owner of what is near and what is far.

In Aztec mythology, Mother Earth, perpetually a virgin, was cleaning a temple one day, when from heaven descended a ball of Quetzal feathers (one of the most precious objects for the Aztecs, these feathers symbolize the life and wisdom of God), she picked up the ball of feathers and put it inside her dress. Later, when she looked for it, the ball was gone and she was pregnant.

Her children, the moon and the stars decided to execute justice on their mother, who disgraced them by getting pregnant and began climbing the steps to the temple. The child in her womb was reassuring her, telling her he would take care of things and at the very last minute, when the moon and the stars were about to reach her, she gives birth to the sun and with light-darts he slew the stars and with his club, he dismembered the moon, all of this so that Mother Earth could live.

Later, the sun had to shed his blood so that the rest of Mother Earth’s children could live and then the stars and the moon came back and the cycle then repeats itself over and over.

This is the Aztec “theological” foundation for human sacrifice: the victim’s blood aids the sun in his eternal combat with the forces of darkness and helps maintain balance and harmony in the universe.

The tilma also speaks to this ancient myth: On the tilma, the sun, the moon and the stars are not fighting each other, but in harmony around the woman/Mother Earth and her unborn Child. The time of warfare is accomplished; it is now time for harmony and peace.

Fittingly, the woman has her hands in front of her chest, covering her heart. To the western mentality, this appears to the posture for prayer, but the Aztecs used this gesture to signify a gift, which is hidden behind the hands. The woman is offering her own heart as a gift, first to her unborn Child, but also to the rest of her children who come to her in their need.

Her hands double as a protective shield for the heart, the heart of the land, the heart of every inhabitant of the land. The “sacrificial economy” of the Aztec religion is no longer required, the blood sacrifices may stop because harmony has been restored by the blood of Teotl Himself, who incarnate, shed His blood so that all may have eternal life.


More to come.

Stay tuned!

Shalom,
Memo

Wow, this analysis makes clear the international importance of the Virgin of Guadalupe, and yet she seems so co-opted by nationalism in a way that Lourdes and Fatima are not.

Keep 'em comin' Memo. These little articles are great!!!

Hi,



Yes, the “international” element is built into the Guadalupe event from the very beginning. Not only the image speaks to different people "from the inside" of their own culture, but the message has an explicitly inclusive directive. When Our Lady asks for a shrine to come and live with us, she uses these words:


By the way, the request for a shrine in itself is a sign: When the Aztecs saw Huitzilopochtli’s promised sign to establish Tenochtitlan, the eagle standing on a cactus, growing on an islet and devouring a snake, they immediately offered a sacrifice and built a shrine for Huitzilopochtli, to indicate his established, permanent presence in their midst.

To this day, the eagle devouring the snake while standing on a cactus growing on an islet is our National Seal, however, our first attempt at a flag, the standard Miguel Hidalgo carried when he started the movement that would eventually become Mexico's Independence War, was an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Just like Tenochtitlan, and by extension all the Aztec empire was built around Huitzilopochtli’s shrine, Mexico City and the Mexican nation still has at its physical and spiritual core the shrine of Our Lady.

Shalom,
Memo

Hello again,

Some final considerations about the image's symbolism:

The figure under the moon, that our western mentality identifies as an angel is also very significant. The Aztecs would not see an angel there, at least not in the Judeo-Christian sense of the word. The winged figure is an Eagle Knight, one of the two highest ranks of warriors (remember Aztec dualism). Eagle Knights are associated with the morning; they are the ones who carry the sun up from dawn until noon. The presence of this knight is an indication of dawn, the dawn of a new era.

The feathers of his wings, which symbolize his prayers, show multiple colors, signifying this figure’s great holiness and piety. His face has disproportionately large ears and forehead. Large ears to signify his attentiveness, large forehead to signify wisdom.

With one hand he is holding the turquoise mantle, the heavens; with his other hand he is holding the rose robe, the earth.

This is a holy, pious, attentive and wise person, who brings a message from the heavens to the earth. This is, naturally, the iconic representation of our father in faith, St. Juan Diego Cuahutlatoatzin, who received the vision, the image and the message. The message is delivered at dawn, to signify the dawn of a new age, the age of the Gospel not as the conqueror of their old religion, but rather as the true fulfilling of the Aztec people’s hunger for God.

Finally, we have the rose robe's collar. All Aztec women wore a collar with a distinctive symbol identifying them as members of their family. The symbol on this collar is a cross, identifying the woman as a member of the Christian family. This, together with her declaration to be “Our Mother” is an invitation to join the family, to join the Church. It’s right in there, but it is subtle, mindful of the person’s freedom and each one’s timetable. This woman has an urgency to deliver her message, but unending patience to wait for our response.

Our last article in this series will talk about some amazing facts about the image.

Stay tuned!

Shalom,
Memo

Hi,

A few amazing facts about the tilma:

The tilma is made from a fabric of maguey (century plant, similar to the agave and aloe plants). These garments are not designed to outlive their owners. Under natural circumstances, normal wear and tear would render these garments unusable within 30 years.

However, this particular one has not been subject to normal wear and tear. For over a century, the image was kept inside a shine, but otherwise unprotected and within hand reach from the people, people who quickly developed a custom of touching it with their hands and/or various objects.

Furthermore, originally, the Tepeyac was right at the shore of the lake of Texcoco. Its waters were rich in minerals, which of course, is very corrosive on paint and other materials.

The fabric of maguey is very coarse; paintings on such a material usually end up being very dull, because the paint goes easily through the fabric. In order to prevent this, a technique commonly used by artists is to apply a coating of a whitewash material (could be even plaster) to the fabric. The colors on the image of Our Lady are very bright and vivid, but there is no such whitewash material underneath the colors (in fact, a few small areas are not even colored at all, the color of the image on those areas is the natural color of the fabric).

What’s more, infrared studies show that there are no other “coats” of painting at all. No corrections or do-over’s. The image was painted on the fabric using single strokes from beginning to end.

The image suffered a spill of a cleaning fluid that was being used to clean the frame. If I understand correctly, the liquid was nothing less than muriatic acid, but even if this was not the case, the liquid was a potent solvent that should have destroyed the fabric. The stains (along the right side of the image) are still visible, but faintly.

Some 80 years ago, during the “Cristiada” war, a bomb was planted and detonated inside the basilica. A wrought iron crucifix placed directly in front of the image is still preserved in the new basilica. It is torn and twisted. The image is still there.

The image is still there! More than 476 years after the events and surviving more than 15 times the expected lifetime of the fabric itself, let alone a painting on the fabric.

There are some other myths about the image, such as that it maintains normal body temperature or that it has a pulse. These are not true.

Kind of in a gray area (at least in my opinion) is the issue of the eyes.

Microscopic images of the eyes of Our Lady show shapes inside the eyes similar to the reflections we can see in the eyes of other people if we get very close.

Moreover, the reflections on one eye are always different from the reflections on the other eye because of the different position of the reflected object relative to each eye.

The shapes in the eyes of the image of Our Lady are consistent with these reflections, they are different from eye to eye and the differences are consistent with what modern optics would predict.

These are facts and are amazing enough.

Now, people look human figures into these shapes. Some of these interpretations are very compelling, but I would not say they are conclusive. There appears to be St. Juan Diego himself, Bishop Zumarraga, a translator (who must have been there, since the good bishop did not speak Nahuatl) and also a family group in the center formed by a male and a female adults and at least one child.

Some people might need this last piece of scientific evidence to find themselves in the apple of Our Lady’s eye. Personally, the rest of the image and the story do more than enough for me.

Mexicans are fully aware that in spite of the proliferation, even more so in recent times, of Marian apparitions, “God has not done this for other nations”, and that makes us responsible for bringing the words, the intention of Our Lady to all need her motherly love and protection.

May we all have a very blessed feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Most Holy Mother of God of Guadalupe, save us!

Shalom,
Memo

Dear Memo:

Again, thank you for bringing us to comprehend the "mysteries" surrounding the tilma and to properly understand the message of Our Lady of Guadalupe!

Amado

Fr. Mark @ Vultus Christi has good taste...


Again this year, I want to present this beautiful Akathist to the Blessed Virgin Mary of Guadalupe. It is the work of Dr. Alexander Roman.


Akathist to Our Lady of Guadalupe

1
Kontakion 1
To Thee, our great and constant Intercessor before the Throne of Almighty God, do we,
Thy children, offer this hymn of praise, glorifying Thy wondrous Image revealed to Thy
humble servant, Juan Diego on the hill of Tepeyac, as we sing of Thy enduring heavenly
Protection of all who keep festival, joyfully exclaiming with arms uplifted: Rejoice, O
Lady from Heaven, Virgin-Mother clothed with the Sun!

Ikos 1
The peoples of Mesoamerica saw a most Divine Light when they gazed upon Thy sacred
and miraculous image inscribed by the Finger of God upon the tilma of Juan Diego.
They recognized in it their salvation at last and liberation from the darkness of
enslavement to the cunning Serpent of old and they cried with grateful love amidst tears:

Rejoice, Most Immaculate Messenger from on High!
Rejoice, Great Sign that appeared in Heaven and in our midst!
Rejoice, Woman shining with the Brightness of Thy Son and our Lord!
Rejoice, Lady crushing the Serpent of old beneath thy feet!
Rejoice, Victor over evil!
Rejoice, Queen of Heaven and Earth!
Rejoice, unfailing Intercessor for those lost in darkness!
Rejoice, Star of the Sea bringing us to the harbor of safety!
Rejoice, Defender of children!
Rejoice, Protector of such as are of the Kingdom of Heaven!
Rejoice, Standing with the moon at Thy feet!
Rejoice, with hands enfolded in prayer to God on our behalf!
Rejoice, O Lady from Heaven, Virgin-Mother clothed with the Sun!

2
Kontakion 2
Thy servant, Juan Diego, first saw Thee in Thy appearance on a hill. Thou didst
command him to witness to Thy desire to have a temple raised there to bring salvation to his people. Overjoyed by this Thy maternal condescension on earth toward us all, Thy
servant ran into the city, crying: Alleluia!

Ikos 2
Thy servant has truly imitated the Beloved Disciple, John, for he likewise took Thee as
his Mother to the home of his heart at the command of our Crucified Lord. Asking Thee
for the grace to do likewise, we sing:

Rejoice, Temple of the Holy Spirit!
Rejoice, Rock Unhewn!
Rejoice, Densely wooded Mount Thaeman!
Rejoice, for Thou dost call everyone to the Mountain!
Rejoice, for like Elias of old, Thou comest to destroy idols!
Rejoice, for Thy Image is our bridge over dangerous waters to Heaven!
Rejoice, Mother of Christ!
Rejoice, Mother of His Church!
Rejoice, for we became Thy children underneath Thy Son's Cross!
Rejoice, Mother of the Foundation Stone!
Rejoice, Rock Unquarried!
Rejoice, Hilltop leading to the Heavenly Kingdom!
Rejoice, O Lady from Heaven, Virgin-Mother Clothed with the Sun!

3
Ikos 3

God has kept His secrets from the wise and powerful of the world, choosing, instead, to
reveal them to His humble servants and to children. Thou didst appear on earth to the
rejected as the Mother of the Sign that was rejected and accepted not by His own.

Marveling in wonder at God's Divine Providence, we sing:
Rejoice, Mother Who ponders God's secrets in Thy maternal heart!
Rejoice, Virgin Who received God's Word in Thy Womb without knowing man!
Rejoice, Ark of the New Covenant!
Rejoice, Helper of the afflicted!
Rejoice, Guardian of those without any to care for them!
Rejoice, Quick help of those who suffer!
Rejoice, Mother of Divine surprises!
Rejoice, Lady of Compassion!
Rejoice, our Joy above every joy!
Rejoice, pierced with a Sword of sorrow!
Rejoice, the cause of our freedom in Christ!
Rejoice, Lady whom all peoples call 'Blessed!'
Rejoice, O Lady from Heaven, Virgin-Mother clothed with the Sun!

Kontakion 4

Returning again and again to Thee, Thy servant, Juan, knew not what to say or do to
fulfill Thy request. Thou then didst command him to bring fresh, beautiful roses from the parched mountain to the bishop as a miraculous sign of Thy appearance on earth. Lifting the aromatic flowers into his tilma, Juan cried: Alleluia!

4
Ikos 4

Thou art truly all-wondrous in Thy miraculous power, O Lady-Theotokos, as through
Thee new life is born from dead earth. By Thy holy and constant intercessions, bring us
whose sins have deadened our souls to the fertile fields of faith and good works, making us live once more unto God, as we sing:

Rejoice, Rose of Sharon!
Rejoice, Lily of the Valley!
Rejoice, Flower of Carmel!
Rejoice, Aromatic Jonquil of Heavenly Delight!
Rejoice, new Staff of Aaron, budding with the Divine Flower!
Rejoice, Lady's Mantle bearing the droplets of Heavenly Grace!
Rejoice, Myrtle of constancy!
Rejoice, Fragrance of Incorruption!
Rejoice, new Moses that calls forth water from the desert rock!
Rejoice, Holy Cloud that nourishes the earth with the rain of Divine Grace!
Rejoice, Planter of the Seed of the Word Incarnate in our souls!
Rejoice, Gardener Who cultivates it to fruition in our lives!
Rejoice, O Lady from Heaven, Virgin-Mother clothed with the Sun!

Kontakion 5
Thy humble servant went with joy and great anticipation to the palace of the bishop with the roses Thou didst give him as evidence of Thy appearance. Believing the flowers to be the final signal to all affirming Thy coming on earth, Juan unfurled his tilma. Upon
seeing the greater miracle of Thy image not made by human hands, all cried: Alleluia!

Ikos 5
The bishop joined with everyone in kneeling prayerfully before Thy miraculous Icon,
bowing to God's revelation of His salvation of the Americas through His Most Holy
Mother. Spellbound in wonder and amazement at Thy great love for those for whom Thy
Son died for on the Precious and Life-giving Cross, they all sang:

Rejoice, Icon revealing Thy Son and Lord Jesus Christ!
Rejoice, Image reflecting His Heavenly Glory!
Rejoice, Sign from Heaven, bringing us the Abundant Life!
Rejoice, our Mantle of Protection!
Rejoice, covering us with an outpouring of Grace!
Rejoice, Who appears to us when we know neither the day nor the hour!
Rejoice, for Thou didst call us to the Kingdom of God suddenly!
Rejoice, Who imprints the image of Thy Son on those who honour Thee!
Rejoice, Robe of salvation!
Rejoice, Armour of Christ!
Rejoice, Witness to the Divine Incarnation!
Rejoice, Holy Garment without seam!
Rejoice, O Lady from Heaven, Virgin-Mother clothed with the Sun!

Kontakion 6
Acknowledging finally Thy appearance on earth through Thy holy image, those who
gazed in wonder at it saw it to signify the vision of the Beloved Disciple, John, in the
Apocalypse. They understood, at long last, that Thou came to call all to salvation and
free many from the darkness of pagan error. Praising God and Thee for these and many
other manifest mercies, they sang: Alleluia!

Ikos 6
God consecrated Thee to His service from Thy conception in the womb of Thy holy
mother, Anne. We honour Thee as the true Temple of the Holy Trinity and the Fount
through which Thy Son, our Lord Jesus, pours out His Mercy upon the world and
joyfully exclaim:

Rejoice, Holy Daughter of God the Father!
Rejoice, Precious Mother of God the Son!
Rejoice, Sanctified Temple of the Holy Spirit!
Rejoice, Cause of joy to Thy parents, Joachim and Anne!
Rejoice, conceived in holiness in the womb of Thy mother!
Rejoice, Vessel prepared by God to receive His Word!
Rejoice, Sacred Jar of the living Manna!
Rejoice, Most Holy and Immaculate Mother of God!
Rejoice, Candlestick bearing the Light that enlightens all!
Rejoice, She in Whom God was pleased to dwell!
Rejoice, for the Lord is truly with Thee!
Rejoice, for blessed art Thou amongst all women!
Rejoice, O Lady from Heaven, Virgin-Mother clothed with the Sun!

Kontakion 7
Constant preaching and missions could not sway the people from sacrificing their
children to demons and paying tribute to the cunning Serpent of old. In Thy image of
Guadalupe, Thou didst reveal Thyself as "She who crushes the serpent," removing from
the earth the curse received through the spilled blood of innocent children. As the former slaves of the Serpent now flock in large numbers to become the servants of Thy Son through Thee, inspired by Thy image, we sing: Alleluia!

Ikos 7
Thou art the great Sign that appeared in Heaven, O Mother of God of Guadalupe, that
crushes the Serpent beneath Thy feet, delivering us from his enmity. Deliver us now
from all evil by Thine intercession as we sing to Thee:

Rejoice, Terror of demons!
Rejoice, Vanquisher of the evil one!
Rejoice, Destroyer of all his wiles!
Rejoice, bringing to nought his pride!
Rejoice, turning us firmly toward the Light that comes from the East!
Rejoice, Enlightenment of our darkness!
Rejoice, enrobed with the brightness of Thy Son!
Rejoice, crowned with the stars of Thy virtues!
Rejoice, with the moon at Thy feet!
Rejoice, Holy of Holies!
Rejoice, Unfading Bloom!
Rejoice, Life-giving Spring!
Rejoice, O Lady from Heaven, Virgin-Mother clothed with the Sun!

Kontakion 8
Thy sacred image of Guadalupe manifests many miraculous signs and wonders to this
day, O Holy Mother of God. Even Thy eyes reflect Thy love for families kneeling in
prayer and asking Thy benevolent assistance. Pondering how Thou dost keep us all in
Thy motherly heart, praying for our needs and coming to our aid, we sing: Alleluia!

Ikos 8
The tilma of Juan Diego, Thy sainted servant, is like unto the Mantle of Divine Protection which Thou didst extend over Thy children at Constantinople and many other places, protecting them from the enemies of their lives and salvation. We honour it as Thy very special token to us of Thy loving care and concern for us and sing joyfully:

Rejoice, Heavenly Cover against which the darts of the evil one rebound!
Rejoice, Putting on us the Lord Jesus Christ, leaving no provision for the flesh!
Rejoice, Cloak of salvation!
Rejoice, Protection against dominions and principalities!
Rejoice, warding off the invisible armies of those whose name is "Legion!"
Rejoice, Defeat of the spiritual Tartarus!
Rejoice, Joy of all who run to Thy Mantle!
Rejoice, Salvation of all who die under it!
Rejoice, Invincible Ally in our spiritual struggles!
Rejoice, Banner of Love flying above the Divine Banqueting House!
Rejoice, Signal of Grace!
Rejoice, Fortress of Divine strength!
Rejoice, O Lady from Heaven, Virgin-Mother clothed with the Sun!

Kontakion 9
Beginning with Juan Bernardino, the uncle of Thy servant, Juan Diego, Thy miraculous
image of Guadalupe has become an inexhaustible source of healings. No one seeking
Thy assistance or invoking Thine aid is turned away empty-handed, O Mother of
Guadalupe, as limbs are restored, sight is regained and illness is banished from the bodies of Thy children. Most of all, spiritual health is restored to our souls through Thy allpowerful intercession as we sing: Alleluia!

Ikos 9
Thy children come with tears to Thy Shrine at Guadalupe, O Mother of God, and return
home in the joy of being fed with the Divine Sheaves of Holy Communion and a greater
union with God through Thee and Thy miraculous image. Inspired by these wonders of
Divine Grace, we loudly exclaim:

Rejoice, Equal to the Apostles, bringing the world to Christ!
Rejoice, Ladder leading us up to the Kingdom of the Holy Trinity!
Rejoice, Chalice in which we find the Bread of Life!
Rejoice, Censor that contains the Divine Coal!
Rejoice, Altar bearing the Creator of all!
Rejoice, Garment which clothes us in Grace!
Rejoice, Converter of souls!
Rejoice, Cause of our repentance!
Rejoice, imparting the grace of sanctification to all!
Rejoice, inspirer of prayer!
Rejoice, Tablet through which God inscribes His law on our hearts!
Rejoice, bringing us health of body and soul!
Rejoice, O Lady from Heaven, Virgin-Mother clothed with the Sun!

Kontakion 10
Thou didst protect the children of old who were sacrificed to the cunning Serpent. Thou
didst dry up the streams of their blood and tears over the earth as Thou didst cast the
Serpent into hell from whence he came. We ask you, Most Holy Mother of Guadalupe,
to protect the children of our time from a similar fate - through the sin of being killed in their mother's wombs through abortion. As Thou are a Mother to all Thy children, we
sing to Thee: Alleluia!

Ikos 10
Thy image at Guadalupe, O Most Holy Mother, reveals Thee as the fulfillment of the
ancient prophecy that a Virgin shall be found to be with Child. Knowing each child to
bear the image of God, Thou art a sure defender of those whose angels are ever before the Face of God the Father as we sing to Thee:

Rejoice, Protector of the helpless little ones!
Rejoice, Defender of children in the wombs of their mothers!
Rejoice, for of such is the Kingdom of God!
Rejoice, for Thou dost not suffer the little ones to come to Thy Son!
Rejoice, for thousands of children were martyred by Herod to save Thy Son!
Rejoice, for Thou art surrounded by their souls as with a precious Crown!
Rejoice, for Thou art the support of mothers everywhere!
Rejoice, for Thou art their mainstay and hope!
Rejoice, for Thou nourishes them and their children on the Milk of Thy Grace!
Rejoice, for unto us a Son is born!
Rejoice, for His Name is Emmanuel!
Rejoice, for God is with us in a little Child!
Rejoice, O Lady from Heaven, Virgin-Mother clothed with the Sun!

Kontakion 11
The peoples of Mexico and all the Americas wonder in amazement at God's lovingkindness in sending us the image not made by human hands of His Most Holy Mother to be with us in our suffering and need. The Church, in the Name of Christ Crucified, also commands us to take our Mother home with us, in that holy image, to be our Guide and sure Protection as Thy faithful servants. And we lovingly obey, as we sing: Alleluia!

Ikos 11
Thy image has become a true well-spring of blessings to us all, Mother of Guadalupe.
You fill with joy each one of us who approaches in faith and the fear of the Lord, giving
us all that is to our benefit, as we joyfully proclaim:

Rejoice, Unquenchable Source of Miracles!
Rejoice, Motherly intercession that the Son will not refuse!
Rejoice, telling us to do all that Thy Son, in the Gospel, tells us!
Rejoice, filling the empty jars of our souls with the Wine of Joy!
Rejoice, leading us to the Cross to which is fastened the Divine Cluster!
Rejoice, Unploughed Field in which grew the Heavenly Wheat!
Rejoice, Protector of Mexico!
Rejoice, Defender of the Native peoples!
Rejoice, Patron of all the Americas!
Rejoice, our Hope!
Rejoice, our Expectation!
Rejoice, our Eternal Guide!
Rejoice, O Lady from Heaven, Virgin-Mother clothed with the Sun!

Kontakion 12
Thousands flock in pilgrimage to Thy holy Shrine at Guadalupe, O All-Holy Mother of
God! We are constantly in a great pilgrimage, travelling to our home that is Heaven and
the Kingdom of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Be Thou unto us our Leader
who guides us with Thine all-powerful intercession before the Throne of Thy Son and our Lord Jesus Christ, as we sing: Alleluia!

Ikos 12
Thou art the Mother of Light and the Source of our Enlightenment through the Grace and
Mercies of Thy Son, our Lord, God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, O Most Holy Mother. As
we continually gaze at Thy miraculous image of Guadalupe, we are lost in love and
wonder at how much God truly loves us in having given us such a great and exalted
Mother Who is His own. Humbled by these thoughts, we sing:

Rejoice, Mother of Christ!
Rejoice, Mother of God Incarnate!
Rejoice, Mother of the true Light that enlightens us all!
Rejoice, Intercessor most powerful!
Rejoice, Joy of all Joys!
Rejoice, Quick to hear!
Rejoice, Keeper of the Gates!
Rejoice, our Heavenly Protection!
Rejoice, Lady of Mount Zion!
Rejoice, Beacon on the Mountain!
Rejoice, Ray of Light emanating from the Sun!
Rejoice, our beloved Mother!
Rejoice, O Lady from Heaven, Virgin-Mother clothed with the Sun!

Kontakion 13
Most Holy Mother of God, Thou didst reveal Thy miraculous image to Thy humble
servant, St. Juan Diego, at Tepeyac to bring the Light of Thy Son to the peoples of
Mesoamerica enslaved by the Serpent of old. Be our sure protection and guide
throughout our lives, pouring on us the Divine Grace of Thy Son through Thy
intercession, until we reach the place from whence Thou didst come to us, the Heavenly
Kingdom of Thy Son and our Lord Jesus Christ, as we sing: Alleluia! (3 times).

(Ikos 1 and Kontakion 1 are repeated here).

Prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos of Guadalupe

O Theotokos of Guadalupe, accept this humble hymn of praise from us Thy servants in
honour of Thy miraculous image not made by human hands. Cover us with the Mantle of Thy Protection and guide with the prayers of Thy all-powerful intercession. Deliver us from the wiles of the Serpent of old, and break his hold on nations and individuals in our time. Lead us to Thy Son as the Divine Ladder, the flaming Bush unconsumed by fire
and the Ark of the New Covenant. Most Holy Mother of God intercede for us and save
us by Thy prayers. Amen.