Listen to the Beat of the Drums!
On Tuesday evening, December 12th, between 5 pm and 7 pm, it will be hard to miss the sea of colorful beaded costumes and the steady beat of drums, as the annual Our Lady of Guadalupe procession makes its pilgrimage from Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 1324 Jefferson Avenue at Cleveland to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 1695 Central Avenue at Belvedere. The MPD will lead the procession through Central Gardens going East on Peabody from Cleveland and then turning south on Belvedere.
The procession and celebration commemorate the feast day of the Mother of Jesus and her apparition to St. Juan Diego in Central Mexico. Upon the arrival of the procession at the Cathedral, a Mass will be celebrated by His Excellency the Most Reverend Francisco Gonzalez, S.F., Auxiliary Bishop of Washington, with His Excellency the Most Reverend Martin D. Holley, D.D., Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Memphis, presiding. This annual event includes over a thousand parishioners from the Catholic Diocese of Memphis. Everyone is invited to gather on the sidewalks as this religious and culturally rich procession passes through our neighborhood. Our Lady of Guadalupe is not only the patron Saint of Mexico but also of all of the Americas; the feast is of special significance to Mexicans as it commemorates the beginning of the conversion of Mexico’s people to Christianity. To learn more about the history of Our Lady of Guadalupe, visit:
http://www.catholic.org/about/guadalupe.php or https://lifeteen.com/blog/our-lady-of-guadalupe-2/