SAN DIEGO — Celebrations were held on Thursday in San Diego as the Mexican-Catholic community celebrated an important religious holiday. Dec. 12 marks Feast Day each year – a day to honor Our Lady of Guadalupe.
The Feast Day celebrations commemorate the appearance of Our Lady of Guadalupe to the Mexican peasant Juan Diego in 1531. Parishes throughout the San Diego Catholic Diocese celebrated with special Masses including some that started the night Wednesday night. Many parishes included the traditional “Las Mañanitas” to Our Lady of Guadalupe at special Masses around dawn. Others had Masses with mariachi.
Feast Day celebrations were held at Our Lady of Guadalupe near Barrio Logan, St. Joseph Cathedral in Cortez Hill, and Mission San Diego de Alcalá in Mission Valley
The local Catholic Diocese said Feast Day is also an important holiday in Mexico and an important day for Mexican-Americans to celebrate their religious and cultural identity.