Oldest religious procession in Los Angeles takes place in East L.A. honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe

EAST LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- With faith in every step and prayer, tens of thousands of people gathered in East Los Angeles for the oldest religious procession in L.A. in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe and Saint Juan Diego on Sunday.

"I'm grateful...because through the hard moments that I have gone through in life when I lost my mom, it was very comforting to have her to talk to and get the strength that I needed," said Irene Solorzano about Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Solorzano has been participating in the mile-long procession for the past ten years.

"As a Guadalupana, I think it's one of the most important things or event that we have every year here," said Solorzano.

Dozens of floats adorned the procession route along Cesar E. Chavez Avenue and indigenous dancers, like 7-year-old Khaleesi Herrera, escorted the many images from different Catholic parishes in Los Angeles.

"Because my grandpa always wanted me to do this for him," said Khaleesi smiling as she looked at the procession.

Many came to witness 'La Peregrina', a pilgrim image of the Virgin of Guadalupe that's an exact digital replica of the original one in the Basilica in Mexico City.

"It's the faith of the Virgen of Guadalupe and it's a promise that my friends and I made that as long as we can do it, we'll keep doing it," said Solorzano.

The procession ended at East Los Angeles College with a mass at Weingart Stadium.