Defaced Images of Virgin Mary Stun Catholic Community

From Los Angeles to Latin America, she is adored and revered as the mother of God. Tuesday night at St. John the Baptist Church in Baldwin Park, thousands dropped to their knees and wept at the sight of the dark-skinned Virgin of Guadalupe, transfixed by the image that has evolved into the core of Latino Catholicism.

But in Boyle Heights and South-Central Los Angeles, the Virgin’s image has been repeatedly desecrated in recent weeks. Along Cesar E. Chavez Avenue, at least 10 murals of the Virgin of Guadalupe have been defaced with slashes of paint. On San Pedro Street throughout South-Central, a dozen images have been attacked, some with the number “666” and “La Bestia,” or “The Beast,” scrawled under the Virgin’s abdomen.

The defacements have sparked outrage among Catholics in the community, especially Mexicans, who revere the image as protectress and mother. The attacks have coincided with the tour through the region of a replica of the Virgin’s image, which is being displayed in churches across the Los Angeles Archdiocese.

Alejandro Espinoza, a South-Central resident, lashed out at the vandalism as he walked by the Virgin smeared with blue paint outside Restaurant Familiar on 41st and San Pedro streets.

“Why the hell are they doing this?” he yelled. “They are angry because of all the devotion we have for her. But this isn’t right. This is something we respect. It hurts me to see her like that.”

The legend of Guadalupe stems from the apparitions of the Virgin Mary in 1531 to Juan Diego, an Aztec convert to Christianity. Believers say after appearing to him as a dark-skinned Virgin outside Mexico City, she left her image on Juan Diego’s cloak. That image lies inside the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which was built on the site of the appearances.

As Latin American immigrants settled in Los Angeles, they brought Guadalupe with them, painting her picture along their businesses. Now, more than two dozen of those images have been defaced.

Some residents have blamed the attacks on evangelical Christians or Protestant Pentecostals, who have been critical of Guadalupe devotion as idol worship.

But Louis Velasquez, director of the Los Angeles Archdiocese Office of Hispanic Ministry, said it was wrong to equate an anti-Catholic act with Protestants.

“That’s unfair. Those are our sister churches,” he said. “We consider this a hate crime.”

Timothy M. Matovina, assistant professor of theological studies at Loyola Marymount University, said the attacks are reminiscent of an incident that took place Nov. 14, 1921, when a man placed a bomb at the feet of the original image of Guadalupe in Mexico City. The blast shattered windows and demolished some marble structures. But the Virgin was unscathed.

“In that case, the attack worked as a catalyst for an even more tremendous outpouring of devotion in Mexico City and across the United States. My guess is that the outrage and energy will provoke the same reaction here,” he said.