LA gathers for celebration honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe

Thursday, December 12, 2019
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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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.
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