Mexican Christian Holy Figure: "Virgen de Guadalupe"

This is a Mexican Christian image of "La Virgen de Guadalupe," Spanish for the Virgin of Guadalupe. Accounts published in the 1640s tell how the Virgin Mary appeared to Juan Diego, a Nahua peasant, in 1531. The Virgin commanded the building of a church on the site. Diego told his story to the Spanish Archbishop who instructed him to return and ask the Lady for a miraculous sign to prove her claim. The Virgin directed Juan Diego to gather roses from the top of the hill and take them in his mantle to the bishop. When Juan Diego opened the mantle before the bishop, the Virgin's image was imprinted on it. It is popularly believed to be the same image venerated today at the basilica of Guadalupe. The Virgin of Guadalupe is Mexico's most popular religious and cultural image. Juan Diego peeks out from under the Virgin's robe in this image.

The Christian faith is based on the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus or Christ. Jesus, (7–2 BC/BCE – 30–36 AD/CE), is the central figure of Christianity. Most Christian denominations venerate him as God the Son.

The principal sources of information regarding Jesus are the four canonical gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The gospels declare that Jesus was a Jew born in Bethlehem, in the Roman province of Judea. At the age of 30, he began to preach throughout Palestine, which was then under Roman rule. The gospels describe miracles that Jesus performed such as raising the dead.

Most critical historians agree that Jesus was a Jew who was regarded as a teacher and healer. He was crucified in Jerusalem, on the orders of the Roman Prefect of Judaea, on the charge of sedition against the Roman Empire. Christians believe that Jesus then rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, from which he will return.

Spanish conquest of Mexico in the 1500s brought Roman Catholicism to the country. While Christianity became the main religion of Mexico, the country has "no official" religion. About 75 percent of the population reported itself to be Christian, Catholics making up the majority.

Source:
Source Citation (MLA 7th Edition) Poole, Stafford. "Guadalupe, Virgin of." Encyclopedia of Latin American History and Culture. Ed. Jay Kinsbruner and Erick D. Langer. 2nd ed. Vol. 3. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2008. 520-521. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 2 July 2013. Document URL: http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.lapl.org/ps/i.do?id=GALE|CX3078902624&v=2.1&u=lapl&it=r&p=GVRL&sw=w http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_Guadalupe "Jesus Christ." Children's Illustrated Encyclopedia. New York: Dorling Kindersley, 2010. 297. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 1 July 2013. Document URL: http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.lapl.org/ps/i.do?id=GALE|CX1796500200&v=2.1&u=lapl&it=r&p=GVRL&sw=w http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_Mexico