Our Lady of Guadalupe

Why this icon

I wrote this icon of Our Lady of Guadalupe for a friend and colleague of my husband, who already has a beautiful collection of icons.

Although the model appeared fairly simple, it ultimately took me much longer than I had imagined. The halo and garments, in particular, needed many revisions before I was satisfied with the result.

About this icon

Our Lady of Guadalupe is one of the most beloved Marian images of Mexico and the Americas. This icon follows the familiar image of Mary standing with joined hands, wrapped in a star-covered mantle and surrounded by rays of light. Its story is linked to the hill of Tepeyac, near Mexico City.

According to Catholic tradition, Mary appeared there to Juan Diego, an Indigenous Christian, in December 1531. She asked him to convey to Bishop Juan de Zumárraga her wish for a church to be built on the site. When the bishop requested a sign, Mary directed Juan Diego to gather flowers on the hill.

On 12 December, the account continues, Juan Diego brought the flowers to the bishop in his tilma, a cloak. As he opened it, the roses fell and Mary’s image appeared upon the cloth. This miraculous imprint is at the heart of the devotion to Guadalupe. The venerated image is preserved in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. This icon is an interpretation of that image, rather than the original cloth.

Mary’s inclined head and joined hands express humility and prayer. The dark ribbon tied high around her tunic is traditionally read as a sign of pregnancy: she bears Christ without the Child being separately depicted. Her flower-patterned garment and starry mantle bring earth and heaven together around her maternal presence.

The rays surrounding her and the crescent moon beneath her feet recall the woman “clothed with the sun” in Revelation 12. The angel below supports her garment and mantle, contributing to the image’s heavenly character. In this interpretation, the deep blue, warm rose and ochre tones, and gold details give the figure both gentleness and radiance.

For the faithful, Guadalupe speaks of Mary’s closeness to those who feel small, vulnerable or forgotten. The story of Juan Diego places an Indigenous messenger at the heart of the encounter and has become a powerful expression of Christianity taking root in the cultures of the Americas. Contemplating this image invites trust, prayer and welcome for others.