The Virgin of Guadalupe First Appeared to Mexican Juan Diego in 1531

Today in Latin American history, the Virgin of Guadalupe first appeared to Juan Diego at Tepeyac, Mexico City in 1531.

The peasant Juan Diego saw on the slopes of the Hill of Tepeyac a vision of a girl of fifteen or sixteen years of age, surrounded by light.

Speaking to him in Nahuatl, the local language, she asked that a church be built at that site, in her honor; from her words, Juan Diego recognized the Lady as the Virgin Mary.

At the time, December 9 was the Feast of the Immaculate Conception in the Spanish Empire. 

Other events that occurred on this day:

Today in LatAm history, Peruvian saint Martin de Porres who is the patron saint of mixed-race people and all those seeking interracial harmony was born in 1579

Today in LatAm history, Patriot forces led by General Antonio José de Sucre defeated a Royalist army in the Battle of Ayacucho, putting an end to the Peruvian War of Independence in 1824

Today in LatAm history, Uruguayan plane crash survivor Nando Parrado whose story is the basis for the book and film “Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors” was born in 1949

Today in LatAm history, Dominican baseball player Juan Samuel who played for the Philadelphia Phillies was born in 1960

Today in LatAm history, Argentine tennis player Gaston Gaudio who won the 2004 French Open was born in 1978