Parishioners trickled in through the fog before sunrise.
They took their places Friday morning among the pews at St. Matthew Catholic Church and raised their voices with the church band to honor the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, celebrated every year on Dec. 12.
Many of the 200 or so in attendance wore deeply colored shawls with depictions of the Virgin Mary as rich in tone as the Hillsboro church entrance’s stained glass.
The imagery referenced the Biblical tilma, or cloak, worn by an indigenous peasant, Juan Diego, during the Virgin Mary’s apparition in Mexico in 1531. When she appeared to Diego, the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe was miraculously imprinted on his clothing. The image has since become a strong cultural and religious symbol for many Latino Catholics.
The feast day saw both religious and advocacy-centered events all over the Portland metro area, many honoring the immigrant community due to the figure’s strong cultural significance across Mexico and Latin America.
The feast is traditionally celebrated with processions and early morning celebrations in Mexico that draw thousands of pilgrims from all over the country.
St. Matthew, which serves a largely Latino population, held services for two days in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe, whom the church referred to as the “mother of all migrants” on the church’s website.
The celebration included masses in English and Spanish, recitations of the rosary, singing services and children’s dance performances centered around resilience and unity.
“Our Lady of Guadalupe reminds us that we are important, that we are of great value, and that we must defend that value on a personal level,” the Rev. Manuel Rosiles told the congregation in Spanish, “and that we should also help our brothers and sisters who don’t know how, or are unable to defend themselves.”
Not far from the Hillsboro church, another event in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe carried a similar theme. The Beaverton Social Justice League hosted a 5 p.m. candlelit vigil near downtown Beaverton for people detained by immigration authorities.
The event included speakers from the Latino community sharing their stories and experiences followed by a procession with candles and handmade signs. Many prominently featured Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Siblings Lisando and Yaquelin Garcia said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents had detained two of their family members, and that the vigil stood as a reminder to stand up for others and continue to fight against what they view as injustice against their community.
“I grew up here,” Lisando Garcia said. “I’m not going to let them terrorize my community. And if I could do more, I would.”
Having grown up in the Catholic church, he said the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe gave the family added hope during a difficult time and someone to turn to for strength.
“This is a day that we all are praying and we are wishing for the same thing: for all of this to stop,” he said. “If she helps, it comes when you least expect it. That’s why I believe in her.”
The vigil ended in a communal prayer during which organizers entreated Our Lady of Guadalupe to protect attendees and their families.
“I know she’s always with us,” Yaquelin Garcia said. “Hopefully she could hear us, know all that’s going on here and try and change something a little bit.”
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