Eleven parishes in central Arkansas and the diocese’s Hispanic Ministry Office are planning for the largest Our Lady of Guadalupe procession to date Saturday, Dec. 7.
The procession, which will make its way from St. Mary Church in North Little Rock to St. Edward Church in Little Rock, is expected to draw around 700 people, as Catholics — especially in the Latino community — carry images of Our Lady of Guadalupe through the streets in Pulaski County.
The three-hour procession starts at 9 a.m. at St. Mary Church and will include participants, musical performers and dancers from St. Edward, St. Theresa Church, Our Lady of Good Counsel, Christ the King churches and the Cathedral of St. Andrew, all in Little Rock, St. Anne and St. Mary churches in North Little Rock; St. Jude Church in Jacksonville, St. John Church in Hot Springs, St. Rose of Lima in Carlisle, Our Lady of Fatima Church in Benton as well as adults and young adults involved in Hispanic ministry across the state.
Maria Martinez, a representative from St. Edward Church, told Arkansas Catholic that the celebrations started in 2018, when pastor Father Juan Manjarrez was assigned to the parish.
“He started getting this group together. He asked about a Guadalupe group, and we told him we didn’t have one,” she said. “We started getting a group of people to volunteer doing things for the celebrations. That’s how it started.”
Father Manjarrez, a close friend of Father Rubén Quinteros, pastor of St. Mary Church and Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in North Little Rock, began to brainstorm with his brother priest on how to expand the celebrations.
In 2019, the two coordinated a procession with around 200 people. The procession returned in full force in 2021 after the pandemic and has steadily grown each year since, drawing in more people and parishes.
Now, the procession includes Aztec and Chinelos folk dancers, music and a bilingual rosary. Hispanic dishes are served at St. Edward Church following the procession.
“We pray the rosary on the way (to St. Edward Church) … we stop for a short break at the Cathedral and get a blessing from the bishop, then we continue our way to (St. Edward Church),” Martinez said. “When we get here, we go to Mass with the bishop, then we have a reception with food.”
Sister Mickey Espinoza, MCP, director of the diocese’s Hispanic Ministry Office, said that for the Hispanic community, Our Lady of Guadalupe is a symbol of hope and protection.
“Our Lady has also been a symbol for migrants. As they begin their journey to come across into this country, they invoke her protection and guidance,” she said. “I am sure as new people come from more countries they also bring their devotion to their patron saint or invocation to Mary. … Some people call her with respect and tenderness, ‘la Morenita’ (a cultural term meant to acknowledge the Hispanic features of Our Lady of Guadalupe). She is well-known and loved and this pilgrimage in our metropolitan area unites all Hispanics under the title of Our Lady of Guadalupe in faith, culture and hospitality.”
Father Quinteros said the three-mile procession is an expression of faith.
“Our Lady of Guadalupe is the patroness of the Americas,” he said. “She symbolizes the blending of cultures. The procession is a way to honor her and express our devotion. It is why participants often carry images of Our Lady of Guadalupe as they dance, sing, pray the rosary … all of these as they walk towards the celebrations of the Eucharist. As a celebration of true faith, Mary takes us to her Son, Jesus Christ.”
Father Quinteros said the procession is also a commemoration of the history and culture surrounding the appearance of Our Lady of Guadalupe to St. Juan Diego in Mexico in 1531. St. Juan Diego is honored in the Church on Dec. 9, while Our Lady of Guadalupe is honored Dec. 12.
“We commemorate the apparitions of Our Lady to St. Juan Diego through representations of decorated trailers,” he said. “The apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe are a pivotal event, not only in Mexican history but in the history of our evangelization of the New World. Our faith is rooted in this story. It is a celebration of cultural identity — embracing our heritage through the traditions that the Catholic Church used to plant the seed of the Gospel.”
The procession has also been adopted as a pilgrimage by participants and attendees.
“We are in a spiritual journey that reflects not only our faith and hope, but our efforts and struggles as well,” he said. “We are pilgrims — this is a great image of our Church, a good ecclesiology. Walking represents a Church in movement, made by the people who walk towards the Promised Land — heaven.”
No matter the temperature or weather, the procession will continue, adding another layer of devotion to the event.
“Walking and dancing in the cold and rain is an offering to Our Lady of Guadalupe. This ‘small’ sacrifice is in thanksgiving for all she has done for us through her son Jesus Christ,” Sister Mickey said.
This year’s celebration is especially large, with more participants than ever, and with a custom-designed logo being sold on T-shirts, beanies and stickers. The celebration will also be broadcast on local radio. Organizers like Martinez are especially excited because the procession is an evangelization opportunity.
“We have noticed that in the past, people see this and wonder what it is … some people just from seeing (these processions) have joined the Catholic Church,” Martinez said, explaining that when bystanders ask her about the significance of the procession, she takes a moment to explain the faith to them. “We have noticed a lot of people join in the past two years. … A lot of people don’t know what the rosary is. … If they ask you nicely, then you nicely respond to them. … It is a Protestant state, so sometimes this is difficult, but not impossible.”
For Father Quinteros, the procession is the manifestation of the hard work and faith of many Catholics.
“This is the fruit of faith and trust,” he said. “It is a lot of work from people who generously share time and assistance to accompany and feed all the people making the pilgrimage after the Mass with our bishop.”
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story mentioned Aztec and Chileno dancers. This story has been corrected to reflect that there will be Aztec and Chinelos dancers. Chinelos are traditional dancers from Mexico with dances and outfits that mock colonial period Europeans.
