Celebrate the Humble – The Feast of St. Juan Diego

Juan Diego (b 1474)  was a poor Aztec Indian originally named Cuahtlatoatzin, which means, “The one who speaks like an eagle.”

Who Was Juan Diego?

It is said that even before the apparitions, Juan Diego was a pious and holy Christian, as was his wife.  They converted to the faith around 1525 and were baptized by one of the first Franciscan missionary priests, Father Peter deGrand.  Juan Diego was 50.  Although his wife, Maria Lucia died two years before the apparitions, the story goes that she wove the tilma that her husband wore during his visits with the Blessed Mother.  So in a way, Maria Lucia was part of the miracle as well.

In a way, it was a brave thing that Juan Diego and Maria Lucia allowed themselves to be converted away from their Aztec faith. They were raised and surrounded by so much superstition and fear that the old religion used to hold itself up and continue the practice of bloody human sacrifices.

Juan Diego did not see himself as the brave hero type. He was from the lowest class of Indian culture and referred to himself as “I am a nobody, I am a small rope, a tiny ladder, the tail end, a leaf,” when talking to Our Lady and to the Bishop. When the church proceeded with a formal investigation into the events surrounding Our Lady of Guadalupe, it came out that Juan Diego was a very devoted and religious man. He walked 14 miles from his village to receive his religious instruction in bare feet and thin clothing.  

The meeting with Mary.

Juan Diego attended Mass and catechism class at the Church in Tlatelolco regularly. On December 9, 1531, Juan Diego started for church.  He had to pass by a hill named Tepeyac to get there.  This was an ancient site for goddess worship and human sacrifice.  On this particular day, as he passed by the hill, he heard music, and then suddenly a beautiful young woman appeared and called him by name. 

It was then and there that Mary charged him with approaching the local bishop to build a church on that spot. Of course the local bishop demanded a sign to confirm this request was genuine, and Mary provided the sign. The next time Juan Diego saw the Bishop he carried beautiful out-of-season flowers in his tilma, and of course the beautiful image of Our Lady of Guadalupe remained on the garment. You can read more about the apparition here.

You’re never too old for God’s Plan.

What I find particularly heartening is that this wonder occurred to him when he was 57 years old. Juan Diego moved into a room of the chapel where his tilma was displayed and lived to the age of 74. He is an inspiration to those of us of limited means and at the other end of life that we are still called to do great love and a life of holiness.

Juan Diego was canonized on July 31, 2002.  He is the patron saint of indigenous people.

Updated from 2014 and 2016