Catholics are gathering downtown Los Angeles, marking the annual tradition of the Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
An early morning mass honoring the patron saint of the Americas started the ceremonies, with a unity rally set to kick off at 10 a.m. on Placita Olvera.
The December 12 celebration is a centuries-old tradition for the Catholic faithful, honoring the Virgin Mary. In downtown LA, flowers and prayer candles adorn a portion of Placita Olvera, where the focus for prayers will be on advocacy, unity, and protection following months of federal immigration action.
Before sunrise, participants gathered to sing “Las Mañanitas,” commemorating the first appearance of the Virgin Mary in Mexico City in 1531 to an indigenous man named St. Juan Diego. Her image was left, according to tradition, on Diego’s cloak as proof to her appearance to him…