The Virgin of Guadalupe has been a prominent figure in my family for as long as I can remember. My mother has always taught my siblings and me to praise her and place our faith in her because she will show up to guide us and protect us. No matter what situation we might find ourselves in she serves as a symbol of hope. Even in the most desperate and frustrating of times, we must find it in ourselves to be patient with her and trust that she will illuminate our path. The Virgin of Guadalupe is a divine second mother to me and many others, she is my comfort when nothing else seems right or when I feel lost. There are so many reasons to find faith in her she is the refuge of many Chicanx households.
Every year on the twelfth of December we celebrate her, it's tradition to pray the rosary in her image and thank her for all that she's done for us. We all unite at our aunt's house where there is a statue of her and every year someone has the honor of purchasing a dress that is placed on her before we pray to her. On that same day we there is a pilgrimage from the City of Palm Springs to the downtown area of the City of Coachella where the church is located. This is over a 20-mile walk that hundreds and hundreds of people attend to signify the walk taken by Juan Diego when he encountered the Virgin of Guadalupe. My sisters and I took part in this walk to demonstrate our gratitude for a year of blessings and ask for guidance in the following year.
The Virgin of Guadalupe will always be a symbol of hope for me even in the worst of times.
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