The Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe is one of the popular tourist attractions in Puerto Vallarta. The church is a 16th century Roman Catholic Mexican icon depicting a vision of the Virgin Mary. The Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe besides being a famous tourist attraction has become a cultural emblem of great importance to the Mexican people.
Our Lady of Guadalupe holds great significance for the people of Mexico. She is known in Mexico as “La Virgen Morena”. Mexican Catholics believe that Guadalupe was a manifestation of the Virgin Mary in the Americas. Mary Virgin was believed to have come to earth to offer faith, hope and consolation to the oppressed natives of Mexico and to reconcile then with their Spanish rulers.
The Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe dominates Puerto Vallarta's skyline and features in many postcards thereby reflecting that it has come across as a significant symbol of Puerto Vallarta. It serves as the city’s most familiar and attractive landmark all over the world. It is a must see attraction in city. Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe is one of the most precious monuments, and the government and the people have taken the necessary steps to preserve it.
Many Catholics and tourists come to this church to see the symbol of Mexico. It is mostly crowded on festivals and particularly during a 12-day festival known as the Feast of Guadalupe held every December. Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe, or Guadalupe Church, has been under the attentive supervision of eight parish priests: Francisco Ayala (1921 - 1926), José Ramírez (1929 - 1932), Luis Robles (1932 - 1940), Rafael Parra (1942 - 1966), Francisco Antonio Aldana (1967 - 1979), José de Jesús Meda (1979 - 1982), Luis Ramírez (1982 - 2003) and Esteban Salazar (2003 - present).
People come for Sunday mass at this church and on any ordinary day many kinds of services are seen to be performed here. Tour guides are mainly seen hovering around this place with their tourists and offering them knowledge about the traditions and history involved with the church. If you do take a visit here, do not forget to see the miraculous image of her appearance on the cactus fiber cloak, or "tilma", which still exists today for all to see in the The Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City.
For more information about The Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe, visit Travel.MapsofWorld.com.
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