SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — In North Park Sunday, thousands of members of the Catholic Church celebrated ‘Our Lady of Guadalupe.’
It's a day that honors The Virgin Mary, and according to Cardinal Robert McElroy, Bishop of San Diego, it honors a moment when The Virgin Mary appeared to St. Juan Diego in an apparition, in the 1500s.
“He was a very humble and poor guy,” McElroy said. “And she brought a message of real hope and compassion to the people of the new world, particularly the indigenous people.
So we celebrate every year that this feast because it really is a feast of identity, of faith, identity of culture and identity of mission in the world.”
McElroy said this year, there is also a level of somberness to the celebration.
“Particularly in these days, it's a challenge for those who are migrants and those who are undocumented because of what we're going to be facing in the coming months,” McElroy said.”
The procession started at the Morely Field Sports Complex and ended at St. Augustine High School for a mass service, where about 2,000 people were in attendance.
The procession included many floats with representations of the Virgin Mary, by teenagers to symbolize her age when she gave birth to Jesus Christ, and young boys to represent St. Juan Diego.
The procession also included 70 Aztec Dancers, Mariachi Bands, Princesses, and many different groups that represent different ethnic backgrounds.
On the sidelines were residents of the nearby neighborhoods watching the procession go through North Park.
Ruth Hollis was among them, and she said the parade was beautiful to watch.”
“It’s just beautiful, it's just wonderful.,” Hollis said. “To see this many people together.”
