I grew up in a devoted Catholic family all of my life, my parents are from El Salvador and have always viewed La Virgen de Guadalupe as a religious icon. When my parents migrated to the United States they had to leave much of their life in El Salvador behind but one thing they’ve always remained committed to is their devotion to La Virgen de Guadalupe. Her presence is evidently incorporated into multiple factors of my life, from my sister's middle name being Guadalupe to the multiple images and statues of La Virgen around my house. I was taught to revere her and pray to her for guidance and protection. Her presence was always known as I grew up in the San Fernando Valley, a heavily Latinx area, through the multiple Catholic churches, murals, and schools in my community.
She is greatly loved in my family and by many families I’ve met throughout my life. I always remember questioning her existence and her association with the Catholic church. I grew up revering her as someone who loves everyone like a mother loves her child but knowing the corruption within the Catholic church and its dark roots constantly made me doubt my own faith. While I still practice Catholicism, the image of La Virgen de Guadalupe continues to embody the conflict I have with my faith and many of its horrifying attributes. I do believe her image provides a sense of comfort and resilience to people in the Latinx community but recently I’ve come to admire the different interpretations artists represent La Virgen de Guadalupe. I’m grateful for the influence La Virgen de Guadalupe has had in my life but instead of viewing her image in association with the Catholic church I now see her image as a representation of nature, Latinx culture, and memorable moments I’ve had with my family.
She is greatly loved in my family and by many families I’ve met throughout my life. I always remember questioning her existence and her association with the Catholic church. I grew up revering her as someone who loves everyone like a mother loves her child but knowing the corruption within the Catholic church and its dark roots constantly made me doubt my own faith. While I still practice Catholicism, the image of La Virgen de Guadalupe continues to embody the conflict I have with my faith and many of its horrifying attributes. I do believe her image provides a sense of comfort and resilience to people in the Latinx community but recently I’ve come to admire the different interpretations artists represent La Virgen de Guadalupe. I’m grateful for the influence La Virgen de Guadalupe has had in my life but instead of viewing her image in association with the Catholic church I now see her image as a representation of nature, Latinx culture, and memorable moments I’ve had with my family.
Hello Cristian, thank you for sharing your experiences with La Virgen de Guadalupe. I can relate to your experience with this religious icon, I also grew up with her a family that was heavily influenced by her.
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