Hundreds of Catholics parishioners attend the noon mass led by Father Ismael Gutierrez as they celebrate the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe at Saint Elizabeth Catholic church in Oakland on Tuesday.
Mariachi Tradicion Mexicana, who’s been performing since last night and this morning to sing “Las Mañanitas,” a traditional Mexican birthday song, continue singing during the mass.
Babies to women were dressed for the occasion in traditional Mexican dresses, and toddlers, boys and some male adults were dressed as Juan Diego, the indigenous man who witnessed the apparition of the Virgin on December 12, 1531, at the Hill of Tepeyac in Mexico City.
Angle Franco, 1, of Oakland, dressed as Juan Diego, walks with his mother before mass is celebrated during the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe at Saint Elizabeth Catholic Church in Oakland, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023. Catholics from all over the world celebrated the apparition of the Virgin witnessed by Juan Diego, an indigenous man, on December 12, 1531, at the Hill of Tepeyac in Mexico City where the iconic image rest in the Basilica de Guadalupe. According the story Juan Diego collected roses on his cloak per Virgin’s request and brought them to Bishop Juan de Zumarraga, who saw an image of the Virgin of Guadalupe after the flowers fell to the floor. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Arturo Hernandez, 4, dressed as Juan Diego, looks on as his sister, Aurora, 2, sits with their mother Delia Valenzuela, before a mass is celebrated during the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe at Saint Elizabeth Catholic Church in Oakland, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023. Catholics from all over the world celebrated the apparition of the Virgin witnessed by Juan Diego, an indigenous man, on December 12, 1531, at the Hill of Tepeyac in Mexico City where the iconic image rest in the Basilica de Guadalupe. According the story Juan Diego collected roses on his cloak per Virgin’s request and brought them to Bishop Juan de Zumarraga, who saw an image of the Virgin of Guadalupe after the flowers fell to the floor. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Parishioners attend a mass in celebration of the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe at Saint Elizabeth Catholic Church in Oakland, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023. Catholics from all over the world celebrated the apparition of the Virgin witnessed by Juan Diego, an indigenous man, on December 12, 1531, at the Hill of Tepeyac in Mexico City where the iconic image rest in the Basilica de Guadalupe. According the story Juan Diego collected roses on his cloak per Virgin’s request and brought them to Bishop Juan de Zumarraga, who saw an image of the Virgin of Guadalupe after the flowers fell to the floor. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Naomi Hernandez, 8 months, of Oakland, looks on during mass in celebration of the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe at Saint Elizabeth Catholic Church in Oakland, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023. Catholics from all over the world celebrated the apparition of the Virgin witnessed by Juan Diego, an indigenous man, on December 12, 1531, at the Hill of Tepeyac in Mexico City where the iconic image rest in the Basilica de Guadalupe. According the story Juan Diego collected roses on his cloak per Virgin’s request and brought them to Bishop Juan de Zumarraga, who saw an image of the Virgin of Guadalupe after the flowers fell to the floor. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Father Ismael Gutierrez sprinkles holy water during a mass in celebration of the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe at Saint Elizabeth Catholic Church in Oakland, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023. Catholics from all over the world celebrated the apparition of the Virgin witnessed by Juan Diego, an indigenous man, on December 12, 1531, at the Hill of Tepeyac in Mexico City where the iconic image rest in the Basilica de Guadalupe. According the story Juan Diego collected roses on his cloak per Virgin’s request and brought them to Bishop Juan de Zumarraga, who saw an image of the Virgin of Guadalupe after the flowers fell to the floor. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Arturo Hernandez, 4, dressed as Juan Diego, waits for the holy water sprinkled by Father Ismael Gutierrez during a mass in celebration of the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe at Saint Elizabeth Catholic Church in Oakland, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023. Catholics from all over the world celebrated the apparition of the Virgin witnessed by Juan Diego, an indigenous man, on December 12, 1531, at the Hill of Tepeyac in Mexico City where the iconic image rest in the Basilica de Guadalupe. According the story Juan Diego collected roses on his cloak per Virgin’s request and brought them to Bishop Juan de Zumarraga, who saw an image of the Virgin of Guadalupe after the flowers fell to the floor. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Parishioners Fabiola Aceves, left, and her husband, Ernesto Lopez, of Berkeley, take selfies with the Our Lady of Guadalupe altar after a mass in celebration of the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe at Saint Elizabeth Catholic Church in Oakland, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023. Catholics from all over the world celebrated the apparition of the Virgin witnessed by Juan Diego, an indigenous man, on December 12, 1531, at the Hill of Tepeyac in Mexico City where the iconic image rest in the Basilica de Guadalupe. According the story Juan Diego collected roses on his cloak per Virgin’s request and brought them to Bishop Juan de Zumarraga, who saw an image of the Virgin of Guadalupe after the flowers fell to the floor. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Father Ismael Gutierrez leads a mass in celebration of the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe at Saint Elizabeth Catholic Church in Oakland, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023. Catholics from all over the world celebrated the apparition of the Virgin witnessed by Juan Diego, an indigenous man, on December 12, 1531, at the Hill of Tepeyac in Mexico City where the iconic image rest in the Basilica de Guadalupe. According the story Juan Diego collected roses on his cloak per Virgin’s request and brought them to Bishop Juan de Zumarraga, who saw an image of the Virgin of Guadalupe after the flowers fell to the floor. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Father Gutierrez recounted the story of the apparition after the Spanish conquered the Aztec Empire in 1521. Also, he says to pray for peace in the world, especially during the Israel-Hamas and Russia-Ukraine wars.
Parishioners brought hundreds of flowers, mainly roses, to decorate the Virgin of Guadalupe altar. Also, some brought small icons to large statues of the Virgin of Guadalupe, which were blessed with Holy Water by father Gutierrez.
The celebrations continued in the afternoon with another mass, a procession from 38th Avenue and International Boulevard back to the church to conclude the festivity with a show of the apparition.
Catholics from all over the world celebrated the apparition of the Virgin witnessed by Juan Diego, and according to the story, he collected roses on his cloak per the Virgin’s request and brought them to Bishop Juan de Zumarraga as proof. Zumarraga saw the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe on the fabric after the flowers fell to the floor. Then a church was built per the Virgin’s request where her iconic image rests in the Basilica de Guadalupe.
Parishioners take away their Our lady of Guadalupe icons after Father Ismael Gutierrez blessed them with holy water during a mass in celebration of the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe at Saint Elizabeth Catholic Church in Oakland, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023. Catholics from all over the world celebrated the apparition of the virgin witnessed by Juan Diego, an indigenous man, on December 12, 1531, at the Hill of Tepeyac in Mexico City where the iconic image rest in the Basilica de Guadalupe. According the story Juan Diego collected roses on his cloak per Virgin’s request and brought them to Bishop Juan de Zumarraga, who saw an image of the Virgin of Guadalupe after the flowers fell to the floor. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
A parishioner touches a Our Lady of Guadalupe statute as Jose Gonzalez, left, and Melquiades Lopez, originally from Puebla, Mexico, who live in Oakland, walk off with the decorated statute after it was blessed during the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe at Saint Elizabeth Catholic Church in Oakland, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023. Catholics from all over the world celebrated the apparition of the virgin witnessed by Juan Diego, an indigenous man, on December 12, 1531, at the Hill of Tepeyac in Mexico City where the iconic image rest in the Basilica de Guadalupe. According the story Juan Diego collected roses on his cloak per Virgin’s request and brought them to Bishop Juan de Zumarraga, who saw an image of the Virgin of Guadalupe after the flowers fell to the floor. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Ana Lopez, of Oakland, takes the holy communion from father Ismael Gutierrez, during the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe at Saint Elizabeth Catholic Church in Oakland, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023. Catholics from all over the world celebrated the apparition of the virgin witnessed by Juan Diego, an indigenous man, on December 12, 1531, at the Hill of Tepeyac in Mexico City where the iconic image rest in the Basilica de Guadalupe. According the story Juan Diego collected roses on his cloak per Virgin’s request and brought them to Bishop Juan de Zumarraga, who saw an image of the Virgin of Guadalupe after the flowers fell to the floor. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Socorro Barajas, of Hayward, hundreds of parishioners attend a mass in celebration of the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe at Saint Elizabeth Catholic Church in Oakland, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023. Catholics from all over the world celebrated the apparition of the virgin witnessed by Juan Diego, an indigenous man, on December 12, 1531, at the Hill of Tepeyac in Mexico City where the iconic image rest in the Basilica de Guadalupe. According the story Juan Diego collected roses on his cloak per Virgin’s request and brought them to Bishop Juan de Zumarraga, who saw an image of the Virgin of Guadalupe after the flowers fell to the floor. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Parishioner take the holy communion during the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe at Saint Elizabeth Catholic Church in Oakland, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023. Catholics from all over the world celebrated the apparition of the virgin witnessed by Juan Diego, an indigenous man, on December 12, 1531, at the Hill of Tepeyac in Mexico City where the iconic image rest in the Basilica de Guadalupe. According the story Juan Diego collected roses on his cloak per Virgin’s request and brought them to Bishop Juan de Zumarraga, who saw an image of the Virgin of Guadalupe after the flowers fell to the floor. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Parishioners drop off flowers to Our lady of Guadalupe altar after a mass in celebration of the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe at Saint Elizabeth Catholic Church in Oakland, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023. Catholics from all over the world celebrated the apparition of the virgin witnessed by Juan Diego, an indigenous man, on December 12, 1531, at the Hill of Tepeyac in Mexico City where the iconic image rest in the Basilica de Guadalupe. According the story Juan Diego collected roses on his cloak per Virgin’s request and brought them to Bishop Juan de Zumarraga, who saw an image of the Virgin of Guadalupe after the flowers fell to the floor. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Father Ismael Gutierrez sprinkles holy water on Our lady of Guadalupe icons for parishioners during a mass in celebration of the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe at Saint Elizabeth Catholic Church in Oakland, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023. Catholics from all over the world celebrated the apparition of the virgin witnessed by Juan Diego, an indigenous man, on December 12, 1531, at the Hill of Tepeyac in Mexico City where the iconic image rest in the Basilica de Guadalupe. According the story Juan Diego collected roses on his cloak per Virgin’s request and brought them to Bishop Juan de Zumarraga, who saw an image of the Virgin of Guadalupe after the flowers fell to the floor. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Parishioners take away their Our lady of Guadalupe icons after Father Ismael Gutierrez blessed them with holy water during a mass in celebration of the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe at Saint Elizabeth Catholic Church in Oakland, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023. Catholics from all over the world celebrated the apparition of the virgin witnessed by Juan Diego, an indigenous man, on December 12, 1531, at the Hill of Tepeyac in Mexico City where the iconic image rest in the Basilica de Guadalupe. According the story Juan Diego collected roses on his cloak per Virgin’s request and brought them to Bishop Juan de Zumarraga, who saw an image of the Virgin of Guadalupe after the flowers fell to the floor. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
