You probably know that in 1531 on Tepeyac Hill in Mexico, Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared to Juan Diego. You likely also know that his miraculous vision led him to the bishop, asking for a church to be built on the site. And you've surely heard of the miracle of the roses gathered in his tilma, which when dropped on the floor- revealing an even greater miracle in the image of Our Lady imprinted on the tilma.
But did you know...
- The natural material the tilma was made from would normally last less than 30 years. Juan Diego’s tilma is intact almost 500 years later!
- There are no brushstrokes within the image. No pigment, paint, or other explanation for the image can be detected on the tilma.
- When looked at under a microscope, Mary’s eyes are lifelike and actually show a reflection of the moment Juan Diego opened his tilma to give the roses to the bishop.
- Not only was it miraculous that roses were growing in the winter, but the roses that Juan Diego took to the bishop were native to Castile, Spain- where the bishop was from and an additional sign to him of the miraculous event.
- Acid was accidentally spilled on the tilma in 1785, and a bomb was set off under the tilma in 1921. Both times the tilma remained undamaged.
If you'd like to share the miraculous story of Juan Diego and Our Lady of Guadalupe with your children, I have some incredible new printables for you! They were made in cooperation with Shari Van Vranken of Catholic Paper Goods using artwork from our new book!
We're excited to offer not only a coloring page, but one that is packed with info. It includes a short bio, a few ways to celebrate the feast days, and a number of facts about the OLG image on the tilma.
AND we have four versions available! There is a version for older kids with more text, and one for younger kids that is simplified and has a larger image. And we also were blessed to have a volunteer translate them both into Spanish!
Other resources for St. Juan Diego and Our Lady of Guadalupe:
And read more about St. Juan Diego, Our Lady of Guadalupe, and other December Saints in All about Advent & Christmas: Sharing the Seasons of Hope & Wonder with Children.
You can find it at The St. Paul Center here (30% off until 12/31/23!) or on Amazon here. It's also available as an ebook in both places if that's more your style!
St. Juan Diego, pray for us!
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