From Boyle Heights to East Los Angeles, residents marked the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe with processions, masses, and community gatherings on December 12. The celebration commemorates the appearance of the Virgin Mary to Juan Diego in Mexico in 1531.
Communities such as Boyle Heights and East LA are home to many shrines dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe. These sites serve as sources of hope for local residents, especially after a year marked by fires, immigration raids, and concerns about housing.
On Friday, Dolores Mission Church led a procession from Boyle Heights to Placita Olvera. The evening before, a statue of La Virgen was placed at Mariachi Plaza in Boyle Heights.
Unión de Vecinos, a chapter of the Los Angeles Tenants Union, organized a 12-day pilgrimage beginning December 4 for Boyle Heights residents in honor of the Virgin Mary.
Another procession took place in East LA on December 7. Participants walked from Our Lady of Solitude Parish to East Los Angeles College for a Mass dedicated to La Virgen.
