Guadalupe

Yesterday I went to “Mexico”. Locals refer to Mexico City (Ciudad de Mexico) simply as “Mexico” or “DF” for Distrito Federal. The original people of the region were the Mexica and founded the city of Tenochtitlán where the city is now.

The greater part of the city is in the Federal District, an administrative region separate from the other regional States of Mexico. Mexico City’s 25 million inhabitants now overflow the DF.

The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe - note the lean on the older basilica.

I would guess that most of them were either in the metro or in their cars yesterday. Auckland has nothing on Mexico for congestion!

I went, with a Mexican seminarian, David, to the Basilica of Guadalupe, patron of Mexico and the Americas.

Actually it is a complex of at least five churches! The largest and most modern is the Basilica of Santa María de Guadalupe. Since 1976, the original painting of Holy Mary of Guadalupe is on view here. You can get a closer look by going under the sanctuary of the church where there are several moving walkways crossing in front of the image. I imagine they're to prevent you camping there whilst saying your rosary! I was able to go back and forth without any problems, although I guess when there are huge crowds there (I estimate there were only a few thousand in the basilica!) they would move you on.

The inside of the Basilica - you can just see the painting on the centre wall

The Original Image

The Moving Walkway - under the Sanctuary

We visited the second church dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe. This is one begun in 1695. It’s a miracle it hasn’t fallen down. The building is leaning toward the front. It must be a metre or two out of whack at the top. They’ve stabilized it now, so it won’t move any further. The hope is to restore it to level. It can’t be too bad, it does survive Mexico’s frequent earthquakes!

During the Cristero war, a bomb, hidden in a floral arrangement, exploded under the main altar. It caused little damage. A crucifix was bent in two preventing, according to the locals, any damage to the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The church is open, and there’s exposition of the Blessed Sacrament here 24 hours a day. I noticed I had to climb a slight incline as I entered – and almost got up to a jog leaving (due to the slope caused by subsidence!)

We also climbed the hill of Tepeyac – where Mary appeared to the Indian Juan Diego. I confess I was a little puffed going up the steps to the top – even though it’s not a great climb. I guess I haven’t got used to the altitude yet. Up on the hill is the St Michael chapel, built in 1749 to replace an earlier church (1666). It was here that Juan Diego collected the roses local to Durango in Castilla, Spain. Juan was to show them to the bishop, a native of Durango, to prove that Mary had appeared to him.

Looking over Mexico City - the old Basilica (right) and Convent in front.

Inside there are murals depicting the appearance of Mary to Juan Diego and subsequent events. It’s dedicated to St Michael Archangel as protector of Mary. According to tradition it was him who delivered the painting from heaven to Juan Diego. 

St Michael Archangel

There are several other churches – a parish church, a chapel, which is believed to be where Mary appeared to Juan Diego, another chapel called the Chapel of the Indians and a convent – empty at the moment due to subsidence. 

One of the murals in the Chapel of St Michael

I bought a key ring to remind me of my visit! A bargain at 25 pesos – NZ$2.30!

In the afternoon we tried to go to visit the centre of Mexico City, the Zocalo – the main plaza. The trip is something like 14 stops on the metro and several changes of line. Not a problem usually – except Paul McCartney is giving a free concert today in the Zocalo and yesterday the metro lines were even more crowded than usual. And for some reason they announced rain delays. 

With David - Mexico City disappearing into the gloom

So we abandoned our visit. On the way back rushing to catch a train, David was able to enter the unit. I was only able to get a foot in, which the door closed on! Trapped by the foot I had visions of train surfing to the next station. I expected the door to open. It wasn’t opening. I managed to pull my foot out before the train moved off. I had to yell and ask David how many stops before I could meet up with him.

They told me the conductor is responsible for opening the doors when they close on someone. He must have thought he’d give this gringo a fright and not open the doors! Or he was asleep – both quite possible!