The Catholic understanding of the importance of Mary is so deep, rich, beautiful, and Biblically-based. Catholics are blessed to have a fullness of understanding of her role in salvation as well as a personal relationship with her.
There are many Catholic symbols that we can use in our everyday lives to remind us of our faith. Some choose to wear religious items for this purpose and one of the most popular example is the four and five way medal. These devotional medals are beautiful proclamations of our devotion to God.
The Holy Mother has appeared in visions to many blessed people around the world. Through these people she has given many important revelations, instructions and messages. One such person was Juan Diego, an ordinary man from Mexico who relayed the Holy Mother’s desire to have a church built in her honor on Tepayac Hill. The Marian apparition that Juan Diego witnessed has since been associated with Our Lady of Guadalupe, one of the most well known titles of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Saint Juan Diego is the patron saint of indigenous peoples. He is not just recognized as the first Roman Catholic indigenous saint from the Americas, he is well known for having seen an apparition of the Virgin Mary four times. We celebrate his feast day every year on December 9.
