La Virgin De Guadalupe

Although I did not grow up with the image of the Virgin Mary, I did grow up in a community where this icon was highly praised.  Throughout our community people celebrate her highly and correlate the Virgin with everything positive that occurs within the community.  For instance, when the Mexican national soccer team wins a match, people will roam in the streets with the Mexican flag and the image of the Virgin to signify a miracle she must have caused.  I do believe that the legend of this icon has been reinterpreted in order to fulfill the goals of the Spanish Conquest.  It sought to convert the indigenous populations of Latin America into Catholicism.  It was successful in doing so and the image of the Virgin Mary was created and developed for this purpose.  The legend itself is questionable because as Professor Lopez mentioned in class, we have no written records of such miracle ever occurring.  Maybe the Church did not intentionally create this image as a tool of conversion but it did help them.  The Virgin Mary can also be found throughout people’s skins, tattoos.  She is seen as a protection for many and provides a sense of comfort to many Mexicans.  We constantly see her depicted along side the Mexican flag and more recently the American flag.