LA gathers for celebration honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Thousands gathered at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday for a night of events honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe.

People gathered for a ceremony complete with indigenous dancers and musical tributes inside the cathedral.

"This is what L.A. is all about. The diversity, the celebration, it's the holidays," Jan Zoochie said. "This is a beautiful scene right here."

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People celebrated Our Lady of Guadalupe on a night featuring performances from indigenous dancers and musical tributes.

The symbol of Our Lady of Guadalupe has been part of Mexican culture for more than 500 years. Some even consider her a symbol of justice.

Several performers participated during the ceremony, all in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe, who many Mexican Americans consider to be a second mother.

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For Lalo Garcia, Our Lady of Guadalupe symbolizes a protector.

"It's huge. This is our biggest feast... it's for the whole world," he said.

It was a spiritual evening for those who attended the ceremony in the cathedral. Enshrined in the cathedral is a small relic of the "tilma," or cloak, of St. Juan Diego. It is the only known piece in the United States.

The celebration culminated with a midnight mass by Archbishop Jose Gomez.