Yesterday's post was about my walk along the "Calzada de los Misterios", one of the roads leading to the Basilica of Guadalupe. Since, at the end of the walk, I was just across the street from the Basilica, I figured that I might as well make a quick visit. I have been there before, and have written about it on the blog, but here is another look at Mexico's holiest shrine.
There are actually two basilicas, the old and the new.
The Old Basilica was finished in 1709 on the site of earlier shrines dating back to 1532. Over the centuries the church sank unevenly into the soft subsoil. By the 1970s the basilica was deemed unsafe and not large enough for the throngs of pilgrims.
When the new basilica was opened, the old one was closed for a number of years while it was stabilized. The church is once again open to the public. However, as I think you can see in the photo below, the old basilica is still tilting.
The building next to the old basilica is a former Capuchin convent.
On the Hill of Tepeyac, behind the old basilica is a chapel marking the spot where the Virgin is said to have appeared several times to the native Juan Diego in December of 1531. I climbed to the top on a previous visit, but for this quick trip I did not make the ascent.
The new basilica was completed in 1974. The circular building can hold up to 10,000 worshipers.
Above the altar is the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe which supposedly appeared miraculously on the cloak of Juan Diego.
This group arrived while I was there. I suspect that they walked some distance to the basilica. Many of them were wearing orange vests probably to make themselves visible to motorists along the roads.
Outside the basilica there were more pilgrims with banners, a framed image of the Virgin and a floral offering.
Another group of pilgrims were in costume and dancing across the plaza of the basilica.
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