AMERICA/MEXICO - Marian Day at international Eucharistic Congress with traditional pilgrimage in honour of Our Lady of Zapopan: “We celebrate this image with authentic love because if we believe in Jesus Christ, we cannot fail to believe in his Mother”

Guadalajara (Fides Service) - Today the International Eucharistic Congress in Guadalajara will live an eminently Marian day with the traditional process of Our Lady of Zapopan, a major feast in the archdiocese of Guadalajara. "We celebrate this image with authentic love because if we believe in Jesus Christ, we cannot fail to believe in his Mother" Cardinal Juan Sandoval Iñiguez, Archbishop of Guadalajara said in his opening message to the Eucharistic Congress. Our Lady of Zapopan “ has accompanied us with signs and miracles for centuries and she is deeply loved by our people. She presided the formation of this city and this diocesan Church". With this demonstration of faith "we thank her for saying yes to the Incarnation because with her consent to the Angel the heavens opened and the second Person of the Holy Trinity was made man to be our brother, master, victim, Saviour and nourishment for eternal life".
Yesterday 11 October, Cardinal Claudio Hummes OFM archbishop of Sao Paolo (Brazil) presided a solemn Concelebration of Mass in the square in front of the Cabañas Cultural Centre and renewed the act of entrustment to Our Lady of Zapopan. This morning at 6 Cardinal Iñiguez Juan Sandoval will lead a pilgrimage from the cathedral to the Basilica of Zapopan for a Concelebration of Mass in the Basilica.
It was Spanish Franciscan Antonio da Segovia who strengthened devotion to Our Lady to this region. The zealous missionary wore the little 34 cm high statue of the Blessed Virgin on a cord around his neck as he went around evangelising. Celebrations for the feast day of Our Lady of Zapopan start on October 9. The statue it taken in procession for Zapopan to the cathedral in Mexico City where it remains for a triduum in honour of Our Lady including a solemn Mass on 11 October in the square in front of the Cabañas Cultural Centre, after which the statue is taken back to the Cathedral for an all night prayer vigil. At five the next morning 12 October there is the closing Mass and the statue is carried in procession back to Zapopan. Some two million people take part in a three hour procession with songs, prayers and dancing. Our Lady of Zapopan patroness of Guadalajara archdiocese has been given many titles, evangeliser, peace maker, protector against tempests, floods, the plague, patroness. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 12/10/2004; Righe 29; Parole 411)