The devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe is not exclusive of Mexicans, for it has expanded to other countries.
In Mexico City , the Basilica of Santa María de Guadalupe , in the city hall Gustavo A. Madero , besides being a religious sanctuary for those who profess the Catholic faith , has also become in a tourist attraction for travelers, believers or not.
But it is not the only place were we can find a representation of Our Lady of Guadalupe . Around the world, many Catholic churches pay her tribute with altars where believers can come to pray and worship her image.
Here is a list of 6 temples in the world where you can find the “Morenita del Tepeyac”
1. Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in New York
Located in the iconic 5th Avenue , in this Catholic church of Gothic and Neo-Gothic style, there is an altar in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe which several believers visit daily. Every December 12th the church opens its doors to receive hundreds of Mexican and Latino pilgrims living in NY who worship her.
2. Notre-Dame in Paris
Contrary to other temples, in Paris, Our Lady of Guadalupe has a chapel of her own , inside the Notre Dame Cathedral. The chapel was created in 1949 and consecrated a year later. “La Morenita” wears a crown of solid gold .
3. Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome
Thanks to the faith of the former Pope John Paul II to Our Lady of Guadalupe, he authorized in 1983 the request from Mexican ecclesiastic authorities of the construction of a chapel in her honor in the Saint Peter’s Basilica . Four architects worked in the project, among them the responsible for the project of the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Pedro Ramírez Vázquez . The sanctuary was officially opened in 1992 , and it is inside the Vatican grottoes . Every December 12th a mass in her honor is held.
4. Basilica of Santa María de la Esperanza in Macarena, Spain
In Seville , Santa María de la Esperanza is known as Our Lady of la Macarena. Inside her basilica, in the Hispanic Altar , the devotees can find a painting of the patron of Mexico, created in 1703 by the painter Joseph Mota .
5. Cathedral of Our Lady in Los Angeles
Due to the great amount of Mexicans living in this American city, the worship of Our Lady of Guadalupe is very vast, for which the cathedral of the city has an altar in her honor which hundreds of devotees visit daily. They celebrate December 12th with a Mexican party , with music and mariachis. This church is also known for its bronze doors that connect halls and aisles and were designed by the sculptor Robert Graham.
Each door is ornamented with Catholic symbols , like religious figures, numbers, and virgins, among which the Immaculate Conception, Our Lady of Mercy and, of course, Our Lady of Guadalupe stand out.
6. San Nicola in Carcere in Rome
In the Ripa district in Rome, there is a small church of Medieval architecture in which two Virgins are worshipped equally. The first is the Madonna of Pompei , and the second is the Mexican Our Lady of Guadalupe , portrayed in a painting sent by Mexico in 1773 . The church is worth visiting because it is built over what were three Roman temples : they even preserved some original columns for its construction.