By Alfonso Aguilar
Herald Staff Writer
(From the issue of 12/23/04)

369 pilgrimages and dozens of Aztec dance groups arrive at the Basilica of Guadalupe from distant towns in Mexico. Religious fervor lessens the inconveniences of sleeping on the street overnight.

Mexico City — On Guadalupe Avenue, a 100 meters from the main entrance of the Basílica of Guadalupe in Mexico City, an orphaned boy name Geovanni struggles to sing the words and music of "La Guadalupana." The hymn to Our Lady of Guadalupe can be heard at this time of year around the basilica, in huge, temporary markets that sell a variety of religious merchandise.

With an old guitar and a harmonica, Geovanni, 8, says in a quiet voice that he knows five or six songs, but on these days of religious fervor he prefers to sing this one over and over.

"People like this song," says Geovanni, and with a sad glance at the pilgrims he gazes at the small green cup where he is collecting coins.

"I can make 10 pesos per day (less than a dollar)," he says while seated on the pavement, singing the same song and focusing on the cup. Being a street urchin, he knows that delinquents frequent massive events — a fact confirmed by the public messages of the "Basilica Operative 2004." The publication details security mesuares for the protection of the millions of pilgrims visiting the basilica to honor Our Lady of Guadalupe, or "Virgen de Guadalupe," in the days leading up to the Dec.12 feast day.

On the same avenue, not far away, Jesús Vásquez observes the comings and goings of the multitude of souls with the same needy look as Geovanni.

"A coin, please, please have pity on me," he says, imploring with raised hands to be seen and heard by the passing crowd given his low stature having lost the lower half of his body.

"I lost my legs a long time ago, but never my will to live, and such is my faith that this is the 18th consecutive year that I have traveled from Poza Rica, Veracruz, to the Basilica to honor Our Lady of Guadalupe," he says with pride.

"In addition, during theses days people are more willing to help poor and handicapped persons like me," he says, as a group of passing teenagers from Guadalajara toss some coins into his straw hat.

"Thank you boys, may Our Lady of Guadalupe protect you and give you more," he replied with a smile.

Cruz Ortega, from Puebla, is among the thousands making their entrance to the Basilica on Dec. 11. To keep a promise to Our Lady of Guadalupe, he travels the last 100 or 150 meters on his knees, carrying his daughter María Cruz Ortega, 3, in his arms along with a floral offering for the altar.

"It’s a promise he made to the Guadalupana the same day the doctors were predicting she would not survive," says his mother. "But Our Lady of Guadalupe performed a miracle and for that reason my son is here expressing his gratitude to the Guadalupana."

Each pilgrim, each family, each procession, each soul has a reason for participating in the celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe’s Feast Day in this capital, home of the largest Guadalupana celebration in the world.

This year 6.5 million attended the event between Dec. 9 and 12, and as many as 369 pilgrimages groups came in buses, bicycles or on foot to the capital, according to local authorities.

Guadalupanism has its origin in 1531, when Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared to the Mexican Indian Juan Diego, recently canonized. But it was exactly 250 years ago when the Feast of Our Lady, also known as the Patroness of the Americas or the "Brown Virgin," was first celebrated in this historic basilica and then throughout the world. Since then, Mexicans residing in the capital or in states as far as Chiapas or Sonora arrive at the basilica every year to renew their Catholic faith, to express gratitude for a miracle, to ask for forgiveness or, in some cases, to promise not to disobey their parents or ever drink alcohol.

Most pilgrims from outside the capital sleep around the basilica or on nearly streets, face low temperatures, get pushed around and are susceptible to frequent abuses from vendors. But their unique Guadalupana faith surpasses these inconveniences.