Doña Toña considers that traveling just over two hours from the State of Mexico to the Basilica of Guadalupe To leave an obituary and a candle in a memorial is the least you can do to entrust the soul of your child to God and the Virgin.
At the end of January, hundreds of believers and their families turned this small prayer space, at the foot of the statue of Saint John Paul II, into a place covered with words of love, candles, photos and flowers. All this in memory of their loved ones who already enjoy eternal life.
“Such a long journey is no effort for me. On the contrary: I am calmer knowing that I was able to pray for my son, who died resisting an assault on his way to work six months ago, ”said Doña Toña as she hung up the obituary for her son.
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A memorial with more than 4 thousand obituaries
According to father Enrique López García, second sacristan of the Basilica, to date there are just over 4 thousand obituaries that families leave their loved ones. There are also candles, photographs, clothes, flowers or any belongings of the deceased.
According to the father, it was the faithful visitors themselves who started this initiative. At the end of January, personnel from the Basilica of Guadalupe hung a banner to inform that on February 2 a Virtual Novenario for the Dead would begin.
After this, the faithful began to put small pieces of paper with prayers and thoughts for their loved ones attached to the candles that they left to the Virgin.
“It is a time of great pain. What better than Saint John Paul II and the Virgin to give comfort to all the families that have lost a loved one, and not only because of Covid. Many were victims of violence and other diseases, ”he explained.
Whoever wishes to attend the memorial can do so from Monday to Sunday from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. with the sanitary measures and healthy distance.
At the entrance of this prayer space there is a small shop where the faithful can buy a candle. This is accompanied by a small paper, which is printed with a black bow as an obituary.
There, people can write their intentions and then hang them on one of the designated walls.
They will place these obituaries at the feet of the Virgin on April 8 and May 10
“Rest in peace, my love, God give you perpetual light.”
“Rest in peace, my son, we love you. Your father, mother, brothers, uncles, aunts and grandparents ”.
“Daddy, I love you! I love you very much! I hope you are proud of me, I miss you.”
These are some of the obituaries that are not forgotten. And it is that, from Monday to Friday, at noon, different chaplains of the Basilica of Guadalupe dedicate a moment of prayer to bless the candles and the thousands of petitions. This moment is broadcast on the page of Facebook of the Basilica.
Also, to pay tribute to the memory of loved ones, on April 8, 2021 at 10:30 am, a Mass will be celebrated in the Basilica of Guadalupe. In it, the 4 thousand obituaries and petitions will be placed at the feet of the Virgin of Guadalupe.
“We have the second Mass scheduled for the May 10 at 12:00 hours. Every month we will carry out Eucharistic celebration with obituaries at the feet of the Virgin ”, said the sacristan.
Both Masses will be broadcast on Facebook and the YouTube channel of the Basilica of Guadalupe.
Special requests to the Virgin
Although the memorial is dedicated to the deceased, many faithful leave their candle to make special requests such as recovering their health or well, or overcoming a difficult situation.
“This candle is for my friends and family who died of Covid, but I will use the paper to write to the Virgin, grant me her intercession so that my husband can find work and I can bear the burden of expenses,” said Laura, fervent devotee of the Morenita del Tepeyac.
However, most are obituaries. “Dear grandparents, I hope you enjoy eternal life. At some point we will meet again “, was what Janet Vázquez wrote after attending Mass.
Send intentions to the memorial online
Do you want to entrust your loved one without having to go in person to the Atrium of the Basilica of Guadalupe? During the 6:00 p.m. Mass, a Virtual Novenary in the Basilica. Find here the information to include your loved ones.
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