Devotees urged to avoid Des Plaines shrine pilgrimages
Every year, hundreds of thousands of Catholics, devotees of Our Lady of Guadalupe, make a pilgrimage from across Chicago and other cities to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Des Plaines to honor the mother of Jesus on her feast day, Dec.
12.
This year, the celebration, which brings together more than 200,000 from across the United States, second only to the massive celebration in Mexico City, will be canceled due to COVID-19 restrictions and concerns about a greater spread of the virus.
In a video message released Thursday, religious leaders, including Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich and the Rev. Esequiel Sanchez, rector of the shrine, urged devotees to celebrate this year’s feast at their homes and discouraged individuals or group pilgrimages from visiting the shrine in Des Plaines fromDec. 11-12, as has been done annually for years.
Sanchez said that the emblematic image of the Guadalupana will be removed from the hill of Tepeyac at the shrine and safeguarded in one of the chapels at the site from the evening of Dec. 11until Dec.
13. The entrances to the shrine site will be blocked, the lights will be turned off and no parking will be available at the shrine starting the night of Dec 11.
There will also be private security and police to guardthe area, according to Sanchez.
“It was a difficult decision, butwe need to ensure that people do not feel compelled to come to the shrine,” saidSanchez. “This (is) not going to be done to insult anyone, rather highlight the seriousness of this pandemic, and if we remove the very reason for whichpeoplecome, wewill hopefully discourage many
from coming.”
InMexico City, theBasilica de Guadalupe, home to the original image of the VirginMary visited by millions through the weeks approaching the feast on Dec. 12, will be closed from Dec. 10 to 13.
The religious leaders shared their dismay over the cancellation of one of the largest Catholic celebrations in the Archdiocese of Chicago but said it was important to do so.
The basilica in Mexico City houses the original cloak on which it is believed the image of the Virgin Mary appeared before peasant Juan Diego in December 1531 on the hill where her shrine now stands. Before it was brought to the Chicago area, the Des Plaines icon was touched to the original image and blessed at the basilica by the church’s then-rector. The image now brings thousands of Guadalupanos from across the United States to pay a visit after a pledge is made in exchange for an urgent request made in prayer.
Parishes across the city will still hold smaller celebrations and Masses to
honor the Virgin Mary. Some started virtual novenas and others have established a limited number of attendees. Sanchez encouraged devotees to participate in local celebrations whilewearing a mask and maintaining social distancing.
Sanchez also said that they invite devotees to visit the shrine in smaller groups, even pilgrimages, during the month of December, but not on the days of the traditional celebration.
“We understand the great faith and hope that the mother of God represents for many, but I want to let them know, that even if we can’t celebrate her on her special day as we usually do, she is with us year-round,” he said.
There will be a number of virtual events and celebrations available to the public on the shrine’s Facebook page. Devotees were also encouraged to put a candle by a window facing the street from 6 p.m. Dec 11 to midnight.
“Perhaps this year it is the lady that will come to our home,” Sanchez said in the video.