In 1531, the Mexican peasant Juan Diego saw a vision of Our Lady who asked him to build a shrine in that spot so that she could show her love and compassion to all believers.

When he approached his bishop with this request, the bishop dismissed Juan Diego and required that if the request is true, that Juan Diego return with proof of the Lady’s identity.

When Juan Diego returned to the spot to deliver the news to Our Lady, she instructed him to go to the top of the nearby hill and collect flowers to bring to the bishop.  Although it was winter and there should have been no flowers in bloom, Our Lady collected and wrapped a bundle of flowers into his cloak and sent him back to the bishop.

Upon encountering the bishop for the second time, Juan openened his cloak, known as a tilma, and spread the Castilian roses (not indigenous to Mexico) in front of the bishop.  Even more miraculously, Juan’s tilma was imprinted with a colorful image of the Blessed Mother.  The bishop immediately identified the Virgin Mary and ordered a church to be built in that place.

Today, the tilma remains intact and on display in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City.