The origin of a transcontinental devotion
The apparition of the Virgin of Guadalupe at Tepeyac in 1531 marked the beginning of a religious phenomenon that, according to recent research, would become the first Marian apparition of global significance. Although her cult began in New Spain, it was during the 17th century that it transcended borders through a systematic process of reproducing the original image. The tilma, considered acheiropoietic (not made by human hands), became an object of veneration and study, particularly after the official inspection ordered by the Cathedral Chapter in 1666.
Mechanisms of dissemination and reproduction
According to researcher Paula Mues Orts of the National Institute of Anthropology and History, the expansion of the Guadalupe cult was linked to the strategic position of New Spain within the Spanish empire. "The most widely distributed Marian image in the world found its main vehicle for dissemination in the Spanish global system," explained the specialist. Through the Manila Galleon and trade routes, copies of the image reached the Philippines, Andalusia, Cantabria, and various Spanish provinces, gradually taking root in the collective imagination of the peninsula.
Institutional control and popular appropriation
Despite the control exercised by the Archbishopric of Mexico over the official dissemination of the image, research documents how the indigenous population developed its own mechanisms of reproduction. Historical sources reveal the existence of specific ceremonies to select the artists authorized to copy the miraculous image, with cases such as that of the painter Luis de Tejeda standing out. This process culminated in the creation of the first direct tracing of the tilma by the mulatto Juan Correa at the end of the 17th century, using oiled paper to capture the finest contours and details.
Consolidation as a symbol of identity
The veneration of the Virgin of Guadalupe grew in parallel with her reputation for performing miracles, such as during the flooding of Mexico City in 1629 or the plague of 1736. These events consolidated her position as patron saint of New Spain and a symbol of identity for the people of New Spain. The publication of works such as Miguel Sánchez's Felicidad de México (1648) and Luis Lasso de la Vega's Nahuatl story Nican mopohua (1649) amplified her devotion. The exhibition "So Close, So Far Away: Guadalupe of Mexico in Spain," on display at the Prado Museum until September 2025, documents this process through more than 70 pieces selected from the more than 1,000 that exist in Spain.
Historical legacy and current significance
The mass production of reproductions, facilitated by facsimiles derived from the first tracing, allowed the image to transcend its local origins. As Paula Mues pointed out, this phenomenon explains how the Virgin of Guadalupe became an emblem of New Spanish society and, later, a banner of the Mexican independence movement. Her trajectory illustrates the complex interaction between ecclesiastical control, popular appropriation, and global dynamics in the formation of modern Marian devotions.
Original source: www.gob.mx (published July 16, 2025)
Photo: Tofin Creations on Unsplash
