The Significance and Science of Our Lady of Guadalupe

In the early 1500s, the Aztec civilization occupied what is now the southern part of Mexico. It was an advanced civilization in language and knowledge but one that lived in fear of the gods that permeated their culture. They were in constant warfare with the neighboring indigenous peoples who inhabited the rest of Central America. In 1519, the Spanish invaded and with the help of the other tribes conquered the Aztecs in only two years. They imposed Spanish rule, destroyed the Aztec temples, and attempted to convert the people to Christianity, with little success.

The years after the conquest were not good ones for either the Aztecs or the Spanish. Spanish men took Aztec women as wives and concubines which resulted in children of mixed blood who were looked down upon and poorly treated by both Aztecs and Spanish. Called Mestizos, they became a poor, underprivileged underclass at the lowest rung of the social ladder. Attempts by the Jesuit clergy to correct the situation were met by resistance by the ruling Spanish authorities, and frictions between them got so bad that an attempt was made on the bishop’s life causing him to excommunicate the Spanish ruling council and withdraw all the clergy from Mexico City. By 1530, the situation was desperate.

Ten years after the conquest, in 1531, a poor Aztec convert to Christianity, Juan Diego, was crossing Tepeyac hill near Mexico City when the Virgin Mary appeared to him. She instructed him to go to the bishop and ask that a small church be built on the site. However, when Juan Diego went to the bishop with this request, the bishop refused to believe him. A second time the Virgin appeared to Juan Diego and a second time he was rejected by the bishop who requested a sign as proof of Juan Diego’s claims. On a subsequent appearance, the Virgin instructed Juan Diego to go to the top of Tepeyac Hill and gather the flowers that were growing there. The top of the hill is a dry, barren place never known to grow flowers, but Juan Diego did as he was instructed, gathering the mysterious flowers in his cloak, or tilma, and delivering them to the bishop as the requested sign. But when he opened his tilma to show the flowers to the bishop, a multi-colored image of the Virgin appeared on the rough fibers of the tilma.

This tilma is made from agave cactus fibers which normally decompose after 10 to 15 years. However, the tilma, and its image, still survive to this day with no signs of decomposition. It survived an accidental exposure to nitric acid during an attempt by a silversmith to clean the frame. It even survived a bomb explosion in 1921 that was meant to destroy it. Although a marble altar in front of the tilma was destroyed, the tilma and its glass covering were untouched.

The symbology displayed on the tilma is remarkable in that it harmoniously includes symbols that were meaningful to both the Aztec and Spanish cultures. The Virgin appears as an Aztec princess and a Mestiza. It has Aztec symbols that indicate that she is pregnant and yet a virgin. An Aztec flower symbol representing divinity appears over her womb. At the same time, there were symbols that were recognized by the Spanish as traditional symbols of Christianity?the cross on her brooch, her hands held in a position of prayer, and the moon under her feet.

As word of the miraculous image spread, the Aztec people began to embrace Christianity in large numbers without even being evangelized. Over 9 million people converted in only 8 years. Polygamy gave way to monogamous Christian marriage, Mestizos were recognized as children of God and treated more equally, and people walked long distances to go to confession.

In addition to the amazing survival of the tilma over the centuries, recent scientific examinations have revealed even more astounding facts. Infrared analysis of the image could not determine how the colors are achieved. There are no pigments and there are no brush strokes. There was no preparation of the rough fiber nor is there any evidence of any kind of preliminary sketch. But perhaps the most astounding findings were discovered when enlargements were made of the image’s eyes. In them were found reflections of human figures, as many as 13 people including a bishop and his attendants. Study of the images by multiple ophthalmologists revealed that the images appeared in both eyes, but were scaled and distorted exactly the way that would be expected due to the curvature of the real human eye.

Our Lady of Guadalupe continues to be a source of hope for people today. Over 20 million pilgrims visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City each year to venerate and be inspired by this amazing image.