Pilgrims on foot and on bikes honour Our Lady of Guadalupe

By Sandra Parra Dec 13, 2011, 1:43 GMT

Mexico City - A huge crowd gathered Monday at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City for the 480th anniversary of the last vision of the virgin, according to Roman Catholic tradition.

An estimated 7 million people from across Mexico and abroad gather each year for the anniversary at the largest pilgrimage site in the Americas.

Convoys of cars and trucks sporting images of the Virgin Morenita, the dark-skinned virgin, were to be seen in Mexico City's main avenues since Sunday. They headed for the basilica built on Tepeyac Hill in memory of the virgin's four apparitions to the indigenous peasant Juan Diego, which allegedly occurred December 9-12, 1531.

Pilgrims arrived on foot, by bike and by car to honour Mexico's patron saint, and the basilica was chock-full by midnight, when mariachis sang the popular Mexican song Las Mananitas to the virgin.

Others arrived at the altar that holds the icon with huge statues or pictures of Our Lady of Guadalupe hanging upon their backs, to honour pledges, make requests or show gratitude for favours, while many more gathered to see for themselves the celebrations of the popular religious feast.

Some pilgrims entered the shrine on their knees, while many could be seen with T-shirts, scarves and scapulars with the image of the virgin as they approached the basilica in northern Mexico City.

'I'm coming from Tlaxcala (some 120 kilometres east of Mexico City) by bike because I made a pledge,' Alberto Mendoza, 21, told dpa.

'We come from Pachuca on foot. We do it every year, this is the fourth year we do it. We're spending the night, and we'll leave early tomorrow,' said Mauricio Lopez, who slept at the shelter for pilgrims.

Improvised beds and tents took over public spaces within the complex that holds the shrine and also beyond its boundaries, while hundreds presented exhausted pilgrims with food.

Shops and businesses near the basilica lent their bathrooms and other assistance to believers who passed by.

'This is the first time we come to hand over food to people here. We do it on our own initiative, we give them oranges and sandwiches,' said Felipe Gomez.

The huge moon over Mexico City was accompanied by fireworks and singing throughout the vigil, in which some renowned artists also took part.

During the first mass to mark the anniversary, Monsignor Enrique Glennie, the rector of the basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, delivered a message. The virgin, he said, wants 'unity for a difficult, troubled Mexico, where there is no peace and there is great violence and corruption.'

More than 45,000 people have been murdered in Mexico over the past five years in incidents linked to drugs and organized crime.

'It is important for Catholics, and especially those of us who are committed to our homeland's progress, to make a plan for peace,' he said.

Pope Benedict XVI is scheduled to visit Mexico next year. His predecessor, John Paul II, visited the basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe on the five occasions when he visited the country.