OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE
THE OPENING OF THE NEW WORLD BROUGHT WITH IT BOTH FORTUNE SEEKERS AND RELIGOUS PREACHERS DESIRING TO CONVERT THE
NATIVE POPULATIONS TO CHRISTIAN FAITHS.
ONE OF THE CONVERTS WAS A POOR AZRTEC INDIAN NAMED JUAN DIEGO.
JUAN WAS WALKING THE TEPAYAC HILL COUNTRY IN CENTRAL MEXICO
WHERE HE ENCOUNTERED A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN SURROUNDED BY A BALL
OF LIGHT AS BRIGHT AS THE SUN. SHE INTRODUCED HERSELF AS THE VIGIN MARY. SHE ASKED JUAN TO CONVINCE THE BISHOP OF THE TOWN HE WAS FROM TO BUILD A CHURCH ON THAT SPOT SO ALL COULD WORSHIP GOD.
AFTER MEETING WITH THE BISHOP, THE BISHOP ASKED FOR PROOF
OF WHO SHE WAS AND IT WAS THIS IMAGE THAT APPEARED ON
JUANS TILMA, OR PONCHO.

WHILE MY WIFE AND I COLLECT THIS  ART FOR THE BEAUTY OF IT,
IT'S HARD NOT TO HAVE A RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE WHILE
WALKING THROUGH THE SPANISH MARKET HELD ANNUALLY IN SANTA FE, NEW MEXCIO. BOOTH AFTER BOOTH IS FILLED WITH THE MOST
BEAUTIFULL NEW MEXICAN DEVOTIOAL ART YOU CAN IMAGINE.

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