La Familia de Guadalupe

Friday night I attended the second of two performances of La Virgen del Tepeyac, Dios Inantzin. It was performed at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels by member of the Latino Theater Company; a work adapted by Evelina Fernandez and directed by Jose Luis Valenzuela.

It is the story of the Aztec/Mexica Juan Diego and the 4 miraculous apparitions of the Our Lady of Guadalupe. It is presented in a manner that has me thinking of it as a 21st century liturgical drama. The priests and parishioners of the 15th century would have recognized themes relating to the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity. I think the danzantes in the cathedral would have thrown them for a loop.

But the cathedral seems the perfect place to present the play - the space is wide open, the liturgical setting is totally appropriate to the theme, and it holds up to 4,000 people. The audience was standing room only on Friday.

The cardinal virtues of prudence, justice, temperance, and fortitude are at the core of the story. Juan Diego is dispatched by the Virgen de Guadalupe to tell the Bishop of Mexico to build a church at Tepeyac, a site where the indigenous revered they Earth Mother Tonantzin. The bishop finally believes Juan Diego when a miracle occurs.

It is a simple tale of a complex experience that is beautifully shared. By the end of the performance there is no doubt that we are all loved and valued. It is at once a universal tale and a tale that is unique to the Americas.

This is a picture of the cast that shared the telling this year. The gift of their performance reminds us that we are all a part of the familia of Nuestra Señora de Los Angeles, a part of the familia of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe. Tlazokomati Virgen de Guadalupe, thank you cast members. We so appreciate your gifts of dance, song, and wisdom.