In 1531, 10 years after the Spanish conquest of Mexico, there was a man from the country named Juan Diego. One early morning, when Juan was walking near Tepeyac hill, he heard someone call his name and he climbed the hill to see who was calling him.
Juan Diego saw a beautiful lady, and she introduced herself to him by telling him that she is the most holy mother of heaven, mother of the truest God for whom one must live for, God and owner of everything. Our Lady requested that her house be built here on this hill, so that she can show to the people her compassion, and lead others to salvation.
Our Lady sent Juan Diego to the Bishop of Mexico to tell him how much she requests that her house is to be built, to tell him everything that he has heard. Juan Diego departs from her to fulfill her command.
Juan Diego, at Our Lady’s request, goes to Mexico city to the Bishop’s palace to make our Lady’s request. The bishop was a Franciscan named Friar Juan de Zumárraga, OFM. When Juan arrived in the Bishop’s palace, he requested to see the Bishop and he waited. When the wait is over, Juan kneels in front of the Bishop and makes Our Lady’s request and tells him everything he heard, saw, and experienced.
At First the Bishop is skeptical and responds by saying how he would hear him once again to listen to him clearly, that he needs to hear everything from the beginning and that he will consider the reason for why he has come, his request. The Bishop requests that Juan would return once again to relisten to his request and testimony.
In despair, Juan Diego leaves the Bishop’s palace and returns to Tepeyac hill. Upon arrival, Juan had the blessing to see Our Lady. It seemed like she was expecting Juan to return. When Juan saw her, he kneels in front of her and tells her that he did everything that she asked him to do, but it was difficult to plead with the Bishop to fulfill her request. He tells her everything that happened at the Bishop’s palace.
Juan Diego pleads with Our Lady saying that someone powerful should take his place in making her request, that her word would be believed if someone affluent would make her request. He said that he is a man of the country, he has no power or influence. Juan expresses his humiliation in being unable to fulfill Our Lady’s request.
Our Lady responds by saying that Juan must know that her servants are plentiful. That many are able to fulfill her requests but that she deems it necessary that Juan makes her request known. Our Lady once again sends Juan Diego to tell the Bishop her will, her request, that Our Lady sent Juan Diego personally. That she is truly the mother of God and that she is sending Juan Diego to speak to the Bishop. Juan Diego responds by joyfully agreeing to Our Lady’s request. That he will never abandon her request no matter what.
Our Lady sent Juan Diego to the Bishop of Mexico to tell him how much she requests that her house is to be built, to tell him everything that he has heard. Juan Diego departs from her to fulfill her command.
The next morning after going to Sunday mass, Juan Diego returns to the Bishop’s palace. He sees the Bishop and kneels in front of him, and cries to him as he tells him about Our Lady’s request. The Bishop asked Juan many questions about Our Lady, Juan explained everything.
After listening to Juan’s testimony, the Bishop gives Juan a condition that Our Lady’s request will be done if she gives him a sign. Juan tells the Bishop to consider what sign he is looking for and he will ask Our Lady to send it. The Bishop sends Juan away so that he can fulfill his request.
To verify whether or not Juan was telling the truth, the Bishop sends spies to follow where Juan was going, to know everything about his interactions and his whereabouts. As Juan returned to Tepeyac hill, the spies got lost and because of it they were frustrated and returned to the Bishop telling him that everything that Juan Diego said was a lie.
They agreed that if Juan Diego returns, that he would be detained and punished so that he may no longer lie and lead others astray.
Meanwhile, Juan Diego told Our Lady about what the Bishop had told him. Our Lady had told Juan Diego to return the next day to bring the sign that the Bishop had requested. That the Bishop will believe him and no longer doubt, that he will be repaid for his work and to come back the next day.
The next morning, Juan Diego did not return to Tepeyac hill because his uncle fell ill. He called for a doctor but it was too late as his uncle was in critical condition. As time passed, his uncle begged him to get a priest to confess his sins because he thought his time to die had come.
At dawn, Juan Diego goes out to find a priest to hear his Uncle’s confession. On his way, he approached Tepeyac hill and did not want to be stopped by Our Lady because he thought that his uncle’s situation was urgent and giving the Bishop the sign could wait. As Juan takes the detour, Our Lady appears to him and asks what is wrong, where is he going.
Juan kneels in front of Our Lady and greets her and explains to her his uncle’s grave situation. Juan tells her about how he is going to see if a priest can hear his Uncle’s confession and that afterwards he is going to carry out her request as soon as possible.
Our Lady tells Juan to not be afraid of anything: “Am I not here, I, who am your mother?” She tells Juan to know for certain that his uncle would not die from his illness and to know that he is already healed. In fact, at that very moment, Our Lady appears to Juan’s uncle and heals him.
At that moment, Juan Diego is willing to carry out Our Lady’s request and Our Lady orders him to go to the top of Tepeyac hill and to pick out a variety of Castilla flowers and to bring them back to her. During Mexican winter, Castilla flowers are not in season, yet Juan Diego was able to find these flowers and he brought them back to Our Lady.
When Juan Diego brings the flowers to Our Lady, she affirms that the flowers are the sign that she is providing the Bishop and she tells Juan that he must tell the Bishop that in these flowers to see her will, and her request, that Juan is her messenger, and to tell him about how he found the flowers at Tepeyac peak so that the Bishop can be convinced that her house can be built.
Juan Diego’s attire consisted of a tilma and on that tilma Our Lady placed the flowers that he picked and when he sees the Bishop, he must extend his tilma to show him the flowers. Then he went on his way to see the Bishop at this palace. When Juan arrived at the palace he waited to see the Bishop for a long time. When people saw how he was waiting for a while, they bothered him and wanted to see what he was bringing. He showed them the flowers but they could never take any as when they did so they would fade.
Seeing what the people saw they went to the Bishop to report to him what they had seen. When the Bishop heard that Juan came to give him proof of Our Lady’s message he ordered to let Juan in to see him. Once again Juan told everything he heard and saw when he spoke to Our Lady and he also told the Bishop that he did everything he requested, that he brought him a sign to prove that it was in fact Our Lady who sent Juan to make her request to build her a house. Juan asks the Bishop to receive the flowers.
Juan Diego lets go of his tilma and the tilma extends, all the flowers that in the tilma fall onto the ground. All of a sudden, an image of Our Lady miraculously appears on Juan’s tilma. The Bishop and everyone present kneeled before the miraculous image and admired her. The Bishop apologized to Our Lady for not doing her will and fulfilling her request.
Juan Diego proceeds to place his tilma in the oratory to be venerated, and the next day, the Bishop orders Juan to show him where the Shrine must be built. Juan leads the Bishop to Tepeyac hill at a place called Guadalupe, and right away construction of the Shrine begins. Juan, having been unable to visit his uncle requests to visit him, the Bishop’s crew follow Juan and they see that Juan’s uncle is healed.
When Juan and the Bishop’s crew entered Juan’s Uncle’s house, the Uncle was impressed by seeing his nephew’s entourage, how he is well honoured. Juan tells his uncle everything that happened when he was supposed to bring him a priest. That Our Lady told him that his uncle got healed. His uncle tells him that it is true, Our Lady appeared to him to heal him.
To give testimony about what had happened with Juan Diego’s uncle, he brings him to the Bishop’s palace. When Our Lady’s house was constructed, the Bishop took Our Lady’s image to the newly constructed Shrine so that she can be honoured and admired. Everyone in town went to pay her homage and make their requests so that Our Lady can intercede for them. Nobody in the entire land painted her image; rather it was natural and miraculous, Our Lady of Guadalupe.
