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Rylee Kopchak

Mr. Clark

Honors British Literature 12

March 9, 2018

The Tilma of Our Lady of Guadalupe: A Miraculous Relic

The Tilma of Our Lady of Guadalupe

The Tilma of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a widely recognized Catholic relic that tells a

miraculous story of faith, persistence, and evangelization. The relic originated in Mexico, where

the native Aztec people believed in many gods and practiced ritual human sacrifice. When

Spanish missionaries traveled to Mexico in the 1520s with the goal of converting the Aztec

people to Christianity, they were met with resistance (“Saint Juan Diego”). Despite this, a man

named Juan Diego, along with several of his family members and native people, converted and

were baptized into the Catholic faith. At this time in history, however, tension remained high

between the Aztec people and Christians living in Mexico.

On the morning of December 9th 1531, Juan Diego was walking to mass when beautiful

music lured him to Tepeyac Hill, located near modern-day Hidalgo, Mexico. Suddenly, a

magnificent woman called out to him by name and said: "Know for certain, least of my sons, that

I am the perfect and perpetual Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus, the true God, through whom

everything lives, the Lord of all things near and far, the Master of Heaven and earth. It is my

earnest wish that a temple be built here to my honor” (“Saint Juan Diego”). Mary instructed

Juan Diego to go and tell Bishop Zumarraga of her desire to build a church on Tepeyac Hill.
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Tradition also states that when Juan Diego asked the Virgin Mary her name, she responded with

”Tlecuatlecupe,” which in his native language of Nahuatl means "the one who crushes the head

of the serpent.” Because Juan Diego told Bishop Zumarraga her name in his native tongue, he

probably confused it with the familiar Spanish name "Guadalupe” (“Saint Juan Diego).

Bishop Zumarraga, a fair and compassionate man, listened to Juan Diego and agreed to

reflect on his request. Juan Diego then went back to Tepeyac Hill and reported to Mary the

Bishop’s response. The next day, he once again asked for Bishop Zumarraga’s permission to

build a church at the site of the apparitions of the Virgin Mary. The Bishop then requested that

Juan Diego bring him a sign to prove that his story was true. On December 12th, the Blessed

Mother again appeared to Juan Diego and told him to not be discouraged. Mary directed Juan

Diego to go to the top of the hill and pick flowers to be used as proof. The flowers that he

discovered were foreign to Mexico and flourished even though it was winter. Juan Diego

gathered the flowers in his tilma and proceeded to the bishop’s house. When he told his story

and opened his tilma to present the flowers he had picked, a vibrant image of the Blessed Virgin

Mary also appeared. Bishop Zumarraga wept at the beautiful sight and prayed to be forgiven for

his doubt. A year later, an adobe temple was built atop Tepeyac Hill in honor of Our Lady of

Guadalupe (“Saint Juan Diego”).

Juan Diego’s tilma has remained on Tepeyac Hill for its over 475 years of existence. On

the tilma, Mary appears as a young Indian maiden or queen. In addition, there are many

fascinating details with deep religious meaning in the image. The Blessed Virgin Mary wears a

blue-green mantle (to signify royalty) that is covered in stars and depicts the exact constellations

that were in the sky before dawn on December 12, 1531. Over her womb is a four petal

quincunx flower in the shape of a cross which signifies the Virgin’s child Jesus Christ, who was
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both human and divine. Mary also stands in front of the sun, which in Aztec culture represented

the sun god Huitzilopochtli. Therefore, she announces the one true God who is greater than the

Aztec gods and goddesses. The Virgin stands on the moon, which symbolized the Aztec serpent

moon god Quetzalcoatl, and crushes the head of the serpent or devil. (“Our Lady”). Scientific

studies done by José Aste Tonsmann of the Mexican Center of Guadalupan also showed,

“Though the dimensions are microscopic, the iris and the pupils of the image's eyes have

imprinted on them a highly detailed picture of at least 13 people” (“Science”). Tonsmann

believes that the people reflected in the Virgin’s eyes include Juan Diego, Bishop Zumarraga,

and others present when the miracle occurred on December 12th. The image on the tilma is said

to be iridescent and contain vibrant colors. The Tilma of Our Lady of Guadalupe became an

important Catholic relic that led many people to believe in Jesus Christ.

Relics: What’s the Big Deal?

Relics are an important part of the Catholic Church because they provide tangible

evidence of holiness and inspire believers to grow in their relationship with Christ. In order to

understand the significance of relics, it is imperative to learn about their history and why they are

venerated. According to Reverend Charles Mangan, “The word relic comes from the Latin

relinquo, literally meaning I leave, or I abandon” (Mangan). Traditionally, a relic is a body part

of a saint or an object that a saint has touched. In the Catholic Church, there are three

classifications of relics: first, second, and third class relics. First class relics are body parts from

a saint such as bones. Second class relics are items that have been touched or worn by a saint.

For example, the Tilma of Our Lady of Guadalupe can be considered a second class relic

because it is a piece of clothing worn by Saint Juan Diego. Finally, a third class relic is an object

that has been sanctified by touching a first-class relic (Mangan).

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Although the veneration of relics may seem odd to non-Catholics, the practice has a long

history in the Church. There are several scripture passages that support the veneration of sacred

relics, and Early Church Fathers wrote about reverence shown to relics beginning in the fourth

and fifth centuries (Mangan). The veneration of relics became popular and very common in the

Middle Ages due to the widespread belief that relics contained miraculous powers. By the

1100s, many churches and shrines contained relics that attracted pilgrims and other believers.

Saint Jerome explained why Catholics venerate relics by writing, “We do not worship, we do not

adore, for fear that we should bow down to the creature rather than to the Creator, but we

venerate the relics of the martyrs in order the better to adore Him whose martyrs they are”

(“Why Do We”). Relics are important to Catholics because they remind us of the holiness of

saints and how they mirrored the love of God through their own lives. Relics allow us to

appreciate more profoundly the saints who followed God and demonstrated immense faith.

Authenticity: How Do We Know?

The authentication of Catholic relics is a thorough process that ensures that the relics we

venerate are genuine and legitimate. When the collection and veneration of relics increased

during the Middle Ages, unfortunately so did the abuses. The lack of means for verifying relics

led many people to unethically sell fake saintly objects. The popes and other religious

authorities were unsuccessful is preventing forgeries until the Council of Trent was held in 1563.

This Council defended the veneration of relics: "The sacred bodies of the holy martyrs and of the

other saints living with Christ, which have been living members of Christ and the temple of the

Holy Spirit... should also be venerated by the faithful. Through them, many benefits are granted

to men by God" (“Why Do We”). Since the Council of Trent, the Catholic Church has
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implemented strict guidelines to ensure the authenticity of relics. The church forbids the selling

of relics without proper documentation proving their validity.

As with many Catholic relics, the authenticity of the Tilma of Our Lady of Guadalupe has

been questioned and many non-believers still doubt its legitimacy. One theory states that the

tilma was painted in Europe and brought to Mexico by the Franciscan missionaries. Another

suggests that the image of the Virgin Mary was painted over a pre-existing image of an Aztec

goddess (Samaha). Both theories, however, have been proven untrue by scientific studies. Juan

Diego’s tilma was fabricated out of fibers from the maguey plant, which would typically

disintegrate after around thirty years. Miraculously, the Tilma of Our Lady of Guadalupe has

remained in perfect condition for its over 475 years of existence. In addition, “Richard Kuhn,

the 1938 Nobel Prize winner in chemistry, found that the image did not have natural animal or

mineral colorings. Given that there were no synthetic colorings in 1531, the image is

inexplicable” (“Science”). In 1979, American scientists Phillip Callahan and Jody B. Smith used

infrared rays to determine that there was no trace of paint and that the fabric of the tilma had not

been treated with any technique for its preservation (“Science”). The evidence found during

these scientific studies proves the tilma’s authenticity and incredible origin.

Conclusion: What to Take Away from the Tilma of Our Lady of Guadalupe

As one of the most prominent Catholic relics, the Tilma of Our Lady of Guadalupe is

miraculous proof of God’s power and the love of the Virgin Mary. The picture of the Blessed

Mother on Juan Diego’s tilma convinced people of God’s realness: “The image of the tilma was

able to do what up to that time the missionaries were not able to do significantly. The proof is in

the fact that after the apparitions, eight million natives of Mexico converted to Catholicism from

1531 to 1538” (“Our Lady”). The tilma also reveals the importance of the Virgin Mary in the
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Catholic faith. Members of the Church believe that Mary, the Mother of Jesus Christ and Queen

of Heaven, is a great saint who followed the will of God without hesitation.

Our Lady of Guadalupe is the Patron of the Americas, but has particularly impacted the society

in Mexico. Our Lady of Guadalupe plays a significant role in Mexico’s religious life and as a

national symbol. Many people believe that the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe freed the

Mexican people from idolatry and human sacrifice practiced by the Aztecs (Britannica). Pope

Francis discussed the influence of Our Lady of Guadalupe: “...[by] taking upon herself the cultural

and religious symbolism of the indigenous peoples, she proclaimed and gave her Son to all these

new peoples lacerated by their mixed origin” (“Homily”). The image of the Virgin Mary on Juan

Diego’s tilma reconciled the relationship between the native people of Mexico and the Spanish by

presenting a common devotion.

Because the Tilma of Our Lady of Guadalupe was considered extremely sacred, a Basilica was

built on Tepeyac Hill—the site where Mary appeared to Juan Diego. The “Old Basilica” was

finished in 1709, but because of foundation issues, a “New Basilica” was built in 1976. Mass is

celebrated daily at the Basilica where the tilma is on display and attracts millions of people each

year. The story of Juan Diego and the Tilma of Our Lady of Guadalupe has led many people to

the Catholic faith. Pope Francis explains, “She mysteriously left her sacred image imprinted on

the tilma [cloak] of her messenger so we would feel her constant presence, thereby becoming a

symbol of Mary’s covenant with these peoples, to whom she imparts her soul and tenderness”

(“Homily). The tilma has become an important Catholic relic that reminds people of the miraculous

power of God and the grace of the Virgin Mary.