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WILKES-BARRE — For 2 miles and two hours through the streets of Wilkes-Barre, men carried the statue of la Virgen de Guadalupe on a rose-covered platform called a carrosa, while women threw petals in her path.
Musicians played a tuba, drum, trumpets and cornets as they marched; singers held candles as they ambled along; and dancers — some in colorful costumes and others in white with large woven sombreros on their heads — seemed to whirl in perpetual motion.
From North Wilkes-Barre to South Washington Street, scores of people walked and danced late Wednesday afternoon, past Maple, Hollenback and Butler streets, past Beaumont, North and Jackson, past Market, Northampton and South on their way to St. Nicholas Church, for a Mass in honor of the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patron saint of the Americas.
“I like to celebrate my culture,” said a 14-year-old Latina named Soledad who carried her family’s own, smaller statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe to the church so it could be blessed after the Mass.
While the celebration is rooted in the belief that the mother of Jesus appeared in December 1531 to an Aztec peasant named Juan Diego in Guadalupe, Mexico, the feast day isn’t just for people of Mexican heritage.
“I’m thrilled I get to see it,” Mary Ann Metzger said as she watched the procession pass Valley Seafood, the store where she works. “I love Our Lady of Guadalupe.”
Metzger, whose heritage is European, said she owns a picture of the saint which she believes had been touched to Juan Diego’s original cloak.
According to the traditional story, Juan Diego saw an apparition of the Blessed Mother, who requested that a church be built on the spot. He told the local bishop, who didn’t believe him — until Juan Diego returned with roses the lady had instructed him to pick, carrying them inside his cloak. When Juan Diego opened his cloak to reveal the roses, he discovered the image of the beautiful woman had miraculously appeared on his clothing.
Priscilla Tlatelpa, of Wilkes-Barre, who handed roses to members of the congregation as they filed out of the church after the Mass, said she had visited the shrine in Mexico where Juan Diego’s cloak, now close to 500 years old, is on display.
It was very special place, she said, a place where she gratefully brought her two young children because “I prayed (to Our Lady of Guadalupe) that I would become a mom.”
Fervent prayers were part of Wednesday’s feast day, along with all the celebrating.
“I pray for everybody, the whole world, for children around the world,” said Sandy Martinez of Wilkes-Barre.
“You just want to pray extra hard,” said 12-year-old Vianca Espinosa. “Because today is such a big day.”
