Handmaid of the Lord

The Virgin of Guadalupe is not only the patroness of Mexico where the Virgin Mary appeared to the indigenous man Juan Diego in 1531.

- 

She is also venerated by Hispanics in South America and in the United States where one can see her images in stores, on clothing, cars banners, and, of course, churches.

In the Philippines, Our Lady of Guadalupe is not only popular but is also the patroness of the country. On July 16, 1935, Pope Pius XI declared the Virgin of Guadalupe of Mexico to be “in perpetual remembrance” as “The Celestial Patroness of the Philippine Islands.”