Pilgrims carried images of Our Lady of Guadalupe through downtown Philadelphia to the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul for a Dec. 11 Mass in honor of the beloved Marian devotion, which commemorates a 16th-century apparition of Mary in what is now Mexico City.

Pilgrims carry an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe to the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul for a Dec. 11 Mass honoring the patroness of Mexico and the Americas.

Images of Our Lady of Guadalupe, along with other popular Latino Marian representations, were placed along with altar rail during a Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul. (Photo: Sarah Webb)

In his homily at the Dec. 11 Mass, Archbishop Nelson Pérez called Our Lady of Guadalupe “a great gift” to the Americas and to the world.

A number of parents dressed their children as St. Juan Diego, to whom Mary appeared in 1531, for a Dec. 11 Mass in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe at the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul.

Archbishop Pérez said that Our Lady of Guadalupe (an image of which is seen in the foreground) travels with the faithful in their journeys through life.

The Dec. 11 Mass in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe drew faithful of all ages to the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul.

Prior to the Dec. 11 Mass, Archbishop Nelson Pérez spoke with some of the 1,200 faithful on hand to honor Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Archbishop Nelson Pérez, assisted by Father Dennis Gill (right), blesses images of Our Lady of Guadalupe brought by faithful to a Dec. 11 Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul.

Archbishop Nelson Pérez evoked laughter at the Dec. 11 Mass when he joked devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe is so strong that “there isn’t a taquería in Philadelphia” where he can’t “find tacos and the Virgin.”

Archbishop Pérez blesses a young child while distributing holy Communion during a Dec. 11 Mass in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Many at the Dec. 11 Mass wore clothing emblazoned with the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.