December 9th, 1531 A.D. - December 12th, 1531 A.D.
1st Apparition:
When: December 9th, 1531
Where: Tepeyac Hill, Mexico
What: Mary, mother of Jesus, appeared to a man named Juan Diego and instructed him to go to the Bishop and request that a chapel be built in her honor on Tepeyac Hill, in order for her to show and share her love and compassion with all those who believe.
2nd Apparition:
When: December 9th, 1531
Where: Tepeyac Hill, Mexico
What: Juan Diego went to the Bishop and told him what had happened, requesting that a chapel be built in honor of the Blessed Mother on Tepeyac Hill, but he was met with hesitation by the Bishop. On his return home, the Blessed Mother appeared to him again, and disappointed that he had failed in his mission, Juan Diego asked Mary to send a more esteemed messenger to the Bishop, so that he would believe the message. She then instructed Juan Diego to return to the Bishop with her request.
3rd Apparition:
When: December 10th, 1531
Where: Tepeyac Hill, Mexico
What: Juan Diego went to the Bishop again with her request, and the Bishop asked Juan Diego for a sign so that he might believe the Blessed Mother’s request. On his return home, Mary appeared to Juan Diego again, and he told her of the Bishop’s request for a sign. She told Juan Diego to come back to meet her the next day, and promised to provide a sign for the Bishop upon his return.
4th Apparition:
When: December 12th, 1531
Where: Tepeyac Hill, Mexico
What: Juan Diego missed his appointment to meet with the Blessed Mother on December 11th, as he was looking after his uncle, Juan Bernardino, who was gravely ill. On December 12th, he went out to find a priest to administer the sacraments to his uncle who was dying. Embarrassed that he had missed the appointment with the Blessed Mother, and not wanting to be delayed in seeking spiritual help for his uncle, he took a different route in order to avoid another encounter with the Blessed Mother. The Blessed Mother appeared to him on his journey, assured him that his uncle had been cured, and instructed him to climb to the top of the hill and gather flowers as a sign to take to the Bishop. Although it was winter and nothing should have been in bloom, Juan Diego trusted her, and climbed to the top of the frozen and barren hill to find exotic flowers growing. He gathered the flowers, and the Blessed Mother arranged them in his tilma (cloak). Juan Diego then went to the Bishop, to show him the sign that the Blessed Mother had given him. When he presented the tilma of exotic flowers to the Bishop, the flowers fell out and he recognised them as Castilian roses, which are not found in Mexico. However, it was not the flowers that drew the attention of the Bishop, but rather, Juan Diego's tilma, on which a colorful image of the Blessed Mother had been miraculously imprinted. The Bishop immediately understood that Juan Diego’s message from the Blessed Mother was true, and ordered to have a shrine built on Tepeyac Hill.
5th Apparition:
When: December 12th, 1531
Where: Juan Diego's Home, Mexico
What: While Juan Diego was gone (in search of a priest to administer the sacraments to his uncle) Juan Bernardino, felt as though he was about to die, when suddenly the room was filled with light and the Blessed Mother appeared to him and cured him of his illness. He immediately felt that his body was healed, and fell to his knees before the Blessed Mother. She told him that she had met Juan Diego and sent him to the Bishop with her sacred image imprinted on his tilma.
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