AMERICA/MEXICO - Seven million pilgrims expected for feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Mgr Monroy Ponce: "the event offers the sons and daughters of Mexico and all America an opportunity to realise they are brothers and sisters”

Guadalupe (Agenzia Fides) - All is ready for the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe patroness of Mexico and all America on 12 December, the date of the first apparition 476 years ago, to Juan Diego, canonised by the Servant of God John Paul II. The principal celebration will be held in Mexico Valley where Juan Diego received the last apparition on 12 December 1531.
Every year about 18-20 million pilgrims visit the Basilica of Guadalupe. It is one of the most popular Marian Shrines and draws people from all over the world. The people in charge of the Basilica di Guadalupe expect at least 7 million visitors in these next four days, most of them, about 2 million, on 12 December.
In a Message for this year's feast day, Mgr Diego Monroy Ponce, vicar general and episcopal of Guadalupe and rector of the shrine said "this is an opportunity for the sons and daughters of Mexico and all America to realise they are brothers and sisters", and he says the opportunity should not be missed "so we can see that rather than divide us we are complemented by our differences. This is the significance of the celebration".
The national and continental feast day on 12 December has been prepared since 1 December with daily Chapter Masses and solemn Rosary, and conferences for families in preparation for the 6th World Meeting of Families in Mexico in 2009. On Sunday 9 December in the Old Chapel Cardinal Norberto Rivera Carrera, Archbishop Mexico presided Mass in honour of San Juan Diego concelebrated by the auxiliary Bishops, with the participation of more than 30 delegates of Indian peoples. During the Mass images of Our Lady and Saint Juan Diego were blessed and will be carried throughout the country to encourage devotion to the local Saint. Cardinal Rivera Carrera in his homily said the laity have a fundamental role in the propagation of the faith and to spread the Love of the Father. "A great man, simple and humble, layman Saint Juan Diego shows how lay people can carry God's message of love". The Cardinal appealed to the lay Indians "to be signs of the true spirit of the Gospel in simplicity". He said that in the event of Guadalupe was “the basis of our faith and our identity ”. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 11/12/2007; righe 32, parole 448)