20 Our Lady of Guadalupe

late 20th century Artist Unknown, Dimensions: 15 5/8” x 11 3/8”

This icon depicts Our Lady of Guadalupe, the patron saint of the Americas. In 1531 an apparition of the Virgin Mary appeared in Mexico to St. Juan Diego four times on Tepeyac hill. At the fourth apparition Juan Diego was ordered to gather flowers which Our Lady arranged in his cloak, later when Juan Diego opened his cloak there appeared in it the image of the Virgin. This icon depicts the image left on the cloakLike the ‘Icon made without hands’ the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe is unique in that is was originally transmitted without the hands of the artist. Where as Christ bestowed an image of himself on a cloth, so too did Mary give us an image of herself. In the top center is depicted God the Father.

On the top left is a Bishop as he has the Miter and the crosier. This is likely Juan de Zumaragga, the first bishop of Mexico after the conquests of Hernan Cortez, and the man who met with Juan Diego to confirm the truthfulness of the Marian apparitions.
On the top right we see St Anthony of Padua dressed in the habit of a Franciscan and holding the Christ Child. On the Bottom left is a martyr pope as he wears the papal tiara with the three crowns and holds red palm fronds in his left hand.