The Virgin of Guadalupe

            Routinely, my cousin Michelle begins her day with a small prayer at her front door. While it is an odd spot to pray, nailed to her front door is a scroll with the picture of the Virgin of Guadalupe accompanied with a Spanish prayer. The prayer quotes, “I commend to your grace and power at the door of my house, don’t allow trespassers nor those who want to hurt me, but allow your blessings and love every day.” In almost every Mexican-Catholic household, there is a picture, statue, or even shire dedicated to this religious figure.

            The Virgin of Guadalupe is the patroness of Mexico and is often used as a symbol for Mexico. She represents Mexican nationalism and identity. Her role in Mexican history did not limited to religious themes but to social and economic issues as well.The Virgin of Guadalupe transcends her religious significance through the issues of race, gender, and oppression, as a liberation theologist would agree.  She is not only a woman, but she is indigenous and often identified with the oppressed people. It is her ability to relate to people on three different spectrums that make her a respected figure in Latin American religion.

            The scroll on my cousin’s front door was purchased in Mexico, in the Basilica of Guadalupe. It is only significant that I state where it was purchased because the Basilica lies where the first original shire dedicated to her was. I would agree that my cousin and I follow the dogmatic criteria since we both believe the origin of the scroll adds on to its religious significance. Unlike most portraits or religious art pertaining the Virgin of Guadalupe, this scroll is colorless. It lacks the vibrant colors her portraits are known for and her crown of stars. This scroll portrays the patroness as an ordinary maternal figure, not relying on color to demonstrate how elite she is. Instead the scroll shows her giving something to a man, an act of kindness, which she is known for.

            The neighborhood in which my cousin and I live in, Catholicism, especially immigrant Catholicism is widely practiced. The scroll on my cousin’s front door is an example of sacramentality -the recognition in life of the radiating presence of God in all things of the world- and the radiating importance of immigrant Catholicism, which Dorothy Day would admire since it is an important indictor of Catholic faith.

            While it is argued that materiality in religion does not verify someone’s religiousness, I believe it does to an extent. Day also would agree that sacramentality and materiality are important however, Leila Ahmed would disagree. Ahmed states, “religion was above all about inner things. The outward signs of religiousness, such as prayer and fasting, might be signs of a true religiousness but equally well might not . . .  what is important was how you conducted yourself and how you were in yourself . . .” (121). Although conduct is important, I believe Ahmed underestimates the truthfulness behind outward signs of religiousness. Religious materiality is a form of expression, which becomes part of one's identity.This supports why the Virgin of Guadalupe is a national symbol for Mexico. Similar to my cousin, I have a Virgin of Guadalupe necklace that I pray with. My necklace and my cousin’s scroll are not only indictors of our faith but they allow us to express who we are. I don’t think religion is all about inner things because religion produces art, which is what Celia Madden asserted.