DALLAS — Thousands of faithful men and women filled the pews of Cathedral Guadalupe in Downtown Dallas on Tuesday night.
The feast of Our Lady Guadalupe is celebrated each year, paying homage to the miraculous apparitions of the Virgin Mary in Mexico in 1531.
But this year marked the first feast since the cathedral downtown was designated the national shrine of the blessed mother.
"Through her presence she brings forth justice and peace in the world, and my friends, I think we all now that’s exactly what we want and what we need," Bishop Edward Burns of Catholic Diocese of Dallas said.
Burns said during a press conference he believes even more pilgrims will flock to the Cathedral because of its shrine status. And during mass, Father Jesus said the faithful have a job to do.
"Carry out her message of hope, peace, justice, so we can be more united than ever," he said.
The festivities went on for four hours on Tuesday, beginning promptly at 5 a.m. with the singing of Las Mañanitas. There was a Spanish mass at 6 a.m., an English mass at noon, a Celebration mass at 5 p.m., followed by Tower bells with Marian songs, a serenade to Our Lady Guadalupe, Matlachines dancers and a blessing of the flowers.
Several churchgoers told WFAA all Our Lady Guadalupe has done for them, following services.
"Everything...every prayer, I feel she really hears," Clairessa Cruz said. "She’s blessed me with an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter."
"I've been struggling, me and my wife lost our jobs recently" Sydney Martinez told WFAA. "She got us through that, and I’ll always be grateful. Anything you go through she’ll take care of you, because we’re her sons."
The Diocese of Dallas estimates more than 50,000 people came to the Cathedral on Monday and Tuesday.