DES PLAINES, Ill. (CBS) — A crowd of Roman Catholics made a pilgrimage to the northwest suburb of Des Plaines on Wednesday for the largest gathering of devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe.
The celebration of the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe was scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, and cold temperatures did not stop the faithful from gathering to honor the Virgin Mother.
There was dancing for Our Lady of Guadalupe in front of the shrine that bears her image. Others paid their respects and asked the Blessed Virgin to answer their prayers by walking on their knees to the Shrine.
Everyone was more than prepared to brave the biting wind and temperatures in the twenties.
“Our main task is to care for the pilgrims as they come and they make this beautiful promise – this beautiful celebration and expression of their faith and hope,” said the Very Rev. Esequiel Sanchez, rector of the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe. . “We take care of them, and whatever they need, we’re ready to go.”
With temperatures expected to drop dramatically Wednesday evening, a concession tent was set up where worshipers could warm up and enjoy hot drinks and food.
Sánchez said in the past conditions have defied the type of weather expected on Wednesday evening.
“Blizzards have come our way. Four inches of snow have come our way, slush, below zero,” he said. “We have had many occasions where we have had to provide medical care to people and we are ready for that. But it is something that we will not stop. We cannot stop it. That is why we say we are at our service.” of those who come.”
Gabriela Ortiz had a very special reason to visit the shrine on Wednesday.
“We are very blessed because of the Virgin Mary,” said Ortiz, who flew up from the city of Chicago.
As Ortiz spoke to CBS News Chicago, her husband held their son Santiago, wrapped in a warm blanket. Ortiz gave birth to Santiago a month ago and said she constantly prayed to Our Lady of Guadalupe during her pregnancy.
“We had to have a cesarean section, and it was very scary, and we just dedicated ourselves to the Virgin Mary and said, ‘You know, whatever has to happen, it will happen, and we hope everything turns out well. ‘ and luckily she has blessed us,” Ortiz said, “and he is healthy, and I am healthy and we are both good.”
The shrine in Des Plaines is modeled after Mexico City’s Tepeyac Hill, where the Virgin Mary left her image on the bell of the native Mexican St. Juan Diego as evidence of her apparition.
Last year, 400,000 pilgrims from the Chicago area and beyond came to the shrine to honor Our Lady of Guadalupe. It is the 11th time that this festival is celebrated.
Suzanne Le Mignot
