Guadalupes

Guadalupes is a term that can refer to several things, most commonly associated with the Virgin of Guadalupe, a Marian apparition venerated in the Catholic Church. The Virgin of Guadalupe is a beloved icon in Mexico and has significant cultural and religious importance throughout Latin America. The story tells of a vision that appeared to an Indigenous peasant named Juan Diego in 1531 on Tepeyac Hill, near Mexico City. The Virgin Mary, speaking in his native Nahuatl language, asked him to request that a church be built in her honor.

When Juan Diego presented his plea to the local bishop, he was initially met with disbelief. The Virgin then instructed Juan Diego to gather Castilian roses, which were out of season and not native to the region, on his cloak. When he opened his cloak before the bishop, the roses had miraculously imprinted an image of the Virgin onto the fabric. This image, now known as the "Nican Mopohua," is housed in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City and is a major pilgrimage site.

The term "Guadalupes" can also sometimes be used more broadly to refer to devotees or followers of the Virgin of Guadalupe. In some contexts, it might be used informally to describe individuals who have a strong devotion to her or participate in traditions associated with her veneration. The imagery and devotion to the Virgin of Guadalupe have also been adopted and adapted by various artistic and cultural movements, sometimes outside of strictly religious contexts.