The Virgin of Guadalupe

THE SYMBOLISM BEHIND THE VIRGIN OF GUADALUPE 

By Emily Valle

           INSPIRED BY THE ORIGIN MYTH

                               The original art of the Virgin of Guadalupe is directly inspired by the myth of her encounter with Juan Diego. In the year 1531, the Virgin appeared to Juan Diego on the Hill of Tepeyac. She commanded him to inform the archbishop that she wanted a church built in her honor. After several failed attempts, Juan Diego wasn't able to achieve her request because the archbishop demanded to be shown proof of the Virgen's presence. Therefore, through a miracle, she made roses appear in the desert and she told Juan Diego to collect these roses and present them to the archbishop of Mexico. Juan Diego did as he was told and when he unveiled the roses to the bishop, an image of the Virgin was imprinted in his 'tilma' (cloak). Soon after that, the archbishop ordered a church to be built in honor of the Virgin Mary, which is now known as the Old Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

                THE VIRGIN OF GUADALUPE IMAGE EXPLAINED

                                         At first glance, the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe shows a woman dressed in an intricately, detailed gown with a mantle over her shoulders. She is shown looking down and in a prayer-like position, with an angel at her feet. 

                                        However, it is believed that certain elements in the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe symbolize certain meanings that relate to the original myth and to the Aztecs. For example, it is believed that in her eyes, which can only be seen with modern technology, there are reflections of the scene she experienced with Juan Diego. It is believed that the rays behind her symbolize the sun which means that she was more powerful than the Aztec's sun deity. The stars on her shawl symbolize the constellations that appeared on the day of her encounter with Juan Diego. Her hands are shown united in the sign of prayer which symbolizes that she is not God herself. The ribbon/belt symbolizes that she has a child in her womb. The flowers on her dress symbolize messages in the language she spoke which is Nahuatl. The angel represents Mary being taken to the people. Lastly, the blue/greenish color on her shawl represents the color of royalty, therefore, showing that she should be worshipped/respected. 

                       MYSTERIES SURROUNDING THE IMAGE

                                           When browsing through the images of the Virgin, there are some images that display her with a crown and others that display her not having a crown at all. Originally the Virgin did have a crown but, around 1887-88 it was removed because the area around the crown was damaged and chipping as a result of time. However, there are debates around that being the primary cause why the crown was removed, some historians believe that it was removed to modernize the image to fit the 19th century.   

                                           Another interesting theme surrounding the image is that the image possesses supernatural qualities. For example, there was a bombing at the Basilica in 1921, the bomb was put in a flower basket near the original 'tilma' and when it exploded, the image of the Virgin remained untouched. At that time there was also a crucifix on display and as a result of the explosion, the bomb bent the crucifix. This has been interpreted as the image having protective qualities and also, the bent crucifix was a sign of "Jesus protecting his mother".

                  MODERN REPRESENTATIONS OF THE VIRGIN

                                          The statue above is from the late 19th century and it was made in Mexico. This representation of the Virgin is different from the original image because it is more modernized since it is less detailed and some of her features are more exaggerated.  This representation of the Virgin has a crown, however, the crown seems to be exaggerated and that could symbolize that the Virgin should be respected and worshipped. Also, this statue is more simplistic and it seems that it was used for household/private devotional use.

                                          Another modern representation of the image of the Virgin can be found through the art of Yolanda Lopez and her Guadalupe series. This series uses the original image of the Virgin and embeds it with political/personal themes. She depicts these images through the eyes of Chicana women and also, through the importance of the Virgin in Mexican culture and identity. 

                          COMMERCIALIZATION OF THE VIRGIN

                                 It is without a doubt that the image and the story of the Virgin of Guadalupe has an important impact in the Mexican community. This is apparent with the commercialization of the image and what it represents. This can be seen through the variety of products that bare her image like, the Guadalupe pendant, different types of clothing, children's books, candles, poster/house decor, tattoos, etc. The commercialization of the Virgin isn't necessarily a bad thing, if anything it shows how strong a connection she has with the Mexican community and how her legacy and story with surpass generations to come. 

                              Another honorable mention of the commercialization of the Virgin is through the media, there's a show on Univision called 'La Rosa de la Guadalupe' which pays homage to the personal devotion and connection the Mexican community has with the Virgin. This show depicts various scenarios of personal hardship and the resolution to help solve the hardship, is usually to call upon the Virgin and pray for her guidance. She gives her guidance by making a white rose appear and giving the individual experiencing the hardship, some clarity on the situation. I thought I would mention this because it shows how important the Virgin is as a symbol of hope and comfort and now, her story is able to reach audiences across the world.