The feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is celebrated every year on December 12, the anniversary of her last appearance to St. Juan Diego on the hill of Tepeyac in 1531. It is one of the most joyful days of the year for Mexican and Latin American Catholics, and Our Lady of Guadalupe is honored as Patroness of the Americas. In 2026 the feast falls on Saturday, December 12. Below is the meaning of the feast, how it is celebrated, from Las Mañanitas before dawn to the great pilgrimage in Mexico City, her titles, and prayers for the day.
The story in brief
In December 1531, the Virgin Mary appeared four times to Juan Diego, a humble Indigenous man, on the hill of Tepeyac near Mexico City. Speaking in his own language, Nahuatl, she asked that a church be built there. When the bishop asked for a sign, she sent Juan Diego to gather Castilian roses, blooming in winter on the rocky hilltop. When he opened his cloak, the tilma, before the bishop on December 12, the roses fell out and her image appeared on the cloth. That image is still venerated in the Basilica of Guadalupe.
For the full story day by day, pray the Our Lady of Guadalupe novena, from December 3 to 11. St. Juan Diego’s feast is December 9: see the St. Juan Diego prayer.
Why the feast matters
Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared as a mother to a people suffering after the conquest of Mexico, with the features of a young mestiza woman, dressed with signs the Aztec people could understand. Her message drew millions of people to faith in Christ in the following years. Her most famous words to Juan Diego, “Am I not here, I who am your mother?”, have comforted generations.
How the feast is celebrated
- Las Mañanitas. Before dawn on December 12, or at midnight, parishes and families sing Las Mañanitas, the traditional birthday song, to Our Lady, often with mariachis.
- Mass. Special Masses, often in Spanish or bilingual, are celebrated throughout the day, with roses brought to her image.
- Processions and dances. Many parishes hold processions with her image, and groups of matachines (traditional dancers) dance in her honor.
- Pilgrimage to the Basilica. Millions of pilgrims travel to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City around December 12, many on foot, making it one of the most visited Marian shrines in the world.
- Food and family. Families gather for tamales, pan dulce and champurrado (hot chocolate thickened with corn).
- Roses. Many people bring roses to church or place them before her image at home, in memory of the miracle of the roses.
Her titles
- Patroness of the Americas, declared by St. John Paul II in 1999, when the feast was extended to the whole American continent.
- Empress of the Americas, a title used by Pope Pius XII.
- Patroness of Mexico and of the unborn, because her image shows her expecting a child.
- La Morenita, “the little dark one,” an affectionate name for her image.
Is it a holy day of obligation?
No. In the United States, December 12 is a feast, but not a holy day of obligation. The Immaculate Conception, four days earlier on December 8, is the holy day of obligation in December before Christmas. See holy days of obligation and the Immaculate Conception.
A prayer for the feast
Written for this page:
Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mother of the true God and our Mother,
you came to Juan Diego as a loving mother to a humble son.
Look upon us and our families, the poor, the sick and the unborn.
Make our hearts like the roses of Tepeyac, ready to bloom even in winter.
Lead us to your Son Jesus, and keep us in the shelter of your mantle. Amen.
Frequently asked questions
What day is the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe?
December 12 every year. In 2026 it is a Saturday.
What is the difference between Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Immaculate Conception?
The Immaculate Conception (December 8) celebrates Mary conceived without sin; Our Lady of Guadalupe (December 12) celebrates her appearance at Tepeyac in 1531. Many see a connection: the image shows a woman “clothed with the sun,” the image of Mary in the Apocalypse.
Why do people sing Las Mañanitas to Our Lady of Guadalupe?
Las Mañanitas is the traditional song sung to wake someone on their birthday. Singing it to Our Lady at dawn on December 12 is a way of celebrating her as a beloved mother.
More for Advent and Christmas
- Our Lady of Guadalupe novena
- St. Juan Diego prayer
- Las Posadas
- Advent
- Immaculate Conception
- Catholic prayers in Spanish
Texts and sources
- St. John Paul II, Apostolic Exhortation Ecclesia in America 11 (1999).
- On the apparitions: the Nican Mopohua (Nahuatl account, 17th century), summarized here.
- The prayer was written for this page.