Over 7,000 Catholic parishioners attended Saturday's 19th annual Honra Tu Madre (honor your mother) event in downtown Phoenix, a celebration dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe, the patron saint of Mexico, whose feast day is on Dec. 12.
Parishioners representing cultures from Latin America, Asia, and Africa participated in dances dedicated to the Virgin Mary, a mass led by Bishop John P Dolan of the Diocese of Phoenix that took place in the courtyard of St. Mary's Basilica and in a procession that traveled the streets of downtown.
The Virgin of Guadalupe occupies a special place in the culture and religious life of many Mexicans and Latinos in the United States. Her importance is so great that her image, which originated in Mexico, has become a transnational symbol, her influence growing across the U.S. due to migration and the increased presence of Mexican culture.
Catholic churches organize masses, processions and festivals in her name on her feast day, Dec. 12, coinciding with the day she appeared before an Indigenous man in the 1500s in what is now Mexico City, according to Catholic dogma.
For almost 20 years, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix has organized an annual mass and procession at St. Mary's Basilica a week ahead of the official feast day, giving churches from across the Valley and other parts of Arizona the chance to participate in the massive event.
Dolan said Saturday's gathering was a special one for both Catholic and Christian communities of Arizona because it celebrated the Virgin Mary, the upcoming Christmas season and the birth of Christ.
As mass concluded, Dolan said St. Mary's Roman Catholic Basilica was among churches across the world that rang their bells in celebration of the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.
"It was a nice celebration for us to celebrate our lady, Our Lady of Notre Dame, as we are celebrating our lady, Our Lady of Guadalupe," Dolan said.
After mass ended, the crowd participated in the mile-long procession that showcased over 60 groups from Catholic parishes across Arizona. Dolan said the procession is meant to symbolize parishioners following the will of God.
Dressed in gigantic, marigold-adorne, sombrero-like hats and masks with thick faux facial hair, during the procession several dancers were spinning and kicking their feet in rhythm to the tlacololero, a traditional dance originating in Guerrero, Mexico.
Ricardo Sandoval, a tlacololero dancer, said he has been performing in the Honra Tu Madre event for the past six years. It was an honor for him to do this year after year as an homage to the Virgin Mary.
In addition to the tlacololeros, matachines dressed in distinct brightly colored, rattle adorned outfits lined the procession with each group's attire representing the region in Mexico from where their dance originated.
For about 20 years, Crizeida Avitia said she has been dancing in her father's matachin dance troupe that he brought over from Durango, Mexico.
For Avitia, she said performing matachin means being thankful "and giving back our thanks to Our Lady of Guadalupe; showing our thanks to Saint Jude, God, and any other saints that the families invite us to their homes for."
Reach La Voz reporter David Ulloa Jr. at [email protected].