Our Lady of Guadalupe Day

Mexico’s most important religious figure is the Virgin of Guadalupe, a Marian apparition that appeared to Juan Diego in December 1531 on a hillside outside Mexico City.

Since then, December 12 in Mexico and many other countries in the Americas is known as the Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe.

The Virgin is the patrona of Ajijic’s Seís Esquinas neighborhood, so December 12 is the final day of a nine-day novenario. The eight days before have music, food, and (towards the end) fireworks castillos around the barrio’s small plaza. The last three nights are the biggest.

Procession Info for Our Lady of Guadalupe Day in Ajijic

In Ajijic, the afternoon’s procession usually starts between 4-4:30 p.m. at the Sanctuary for Our Lady of Guadalupe in the Seís Esquinas neighborhood and then goes east on Ocampo/Constitución, north on Galeana, west on Zaragoza, south on Francisco Villa and returns to the sanctuary for mass. Afterward, celebrations continue outside in the small plaza until late into the night.

There will likely be a fireworks castle on the last night and possibly on December 10 and 11, as well.