Hundreds March in Procession for Virgin of Guadalupe Image

Her image was on T-shirts, gold pendants and felt banners held high above the heads of hundreds who paraded through Echo Park on Sunday.

The procession at Our Lady of Loretto Church honored the Virgin of Guadalupe, the dark-skinned representation of the Virgin Mary, which adorns homes and shops -- postmodern murals to key chains -- and many believe is a staunch defender of the poor and meek.

“To her, there’s no racism, no languages. She loves us all,” said 55-year-old Alicia Alvarez, who was carrying a print of the Virgin in a wooden frame so big she barely got her arms on either side of it. Sweat shone on her brow, and she looked a little fatigued.

“It’s worth it,” Alvarez said.

Alvarez was drawn to this year’s procession because of the arrival of a special “official replica” of the original Virgin of Guadalupe image that was sent to the Los Angeles archdiocese from Mexico. The massive replica of Mexico’s patron saint was driven through the streets on the back of a pickup truck.

Hundreds carried her image as they sang devotional songs or recited prayers, serenaded by mariachi bands.

All this week events such as Sunday’s procession in Echo Park will take place throughout the area leading up to Thursday, the Virgin of Guadalupe’s official feast day.

On Thursday before sunrise, “guadalupanos” will meet at the former Cathedral of St. Vibiana downtown for a procession of the image to the new Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral, where religious groups will mark its arrival.

There also was a Virgin of Guadalupe procession in downtown Santa Ana on Sunday afternoon.

More parishioners than in previous years are expected to participate this year because newly canonized St. Juan Diego, who first saw the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe in 1531, is being honored today.

“It’s a life-giving time,” said Father Vicente Lopez of St. Raphael Church in South- Central Los Angeles, who helped organize the week’s events. “There’s music, there’s dance, there’s church, there’s bishops, there’s cardinals -- and there’s the virgin.”

Reaching out to immigrant Latinos with indigenous roots was a factor in organizing this year’s events, Lopez said. “They welcome her here because they call her the immigrant virgin, the pilgrim virgin that walks their walk.”

At Sunday’s procession, Maria Ortiz, 44, blew kisses and crossed herself as the massive image came by. Ortiz said the image protected her son from harm.

“When they shot at one of my sons in front of our house,” she said, “I yelled out, ‘Sweet little mother, you are the only one who can shield him!’ And look: Nothing happened to him. Because she is our shield, and she always will be.”

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Events

* Monday: St. Juan Diego feast day at Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral: Mass and performances by indigenous dance and music groups.

* Tuesday: Aztec “blessing ceremony” and performance of play “La Virgin de Guadalupe Dios Inantzin” at Cathedral Plaza.

* Wednesday: Vocalist Sergio Almazan and organist Francisco Santos perform a variety of devotional music in English, Spanish and Latin at the cathedral.

* Thursday: Daylong feast day events starting with sunrise procession and Mass led by Cardinal Roger M. Mahony at 5:30 a.m. at the cathedral.