This ministry promotes devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe by formally celebrating her feast on December 12 every year. If this date does not fall on a Sunday, we celebrate it on the Sunday nearest the 12th of December. The feast celebrates the apparition of Our Lady to Juan Diego at Tepeyac, Mexico in the year 1531. Our Lady of Guadalupe was declared Patroness of the Americas in 1999. She has become the parton saint of our Hispanic community. Historically and emothinally, the Virgin is deeply woven into the life of our Hispanic brothers and sisters. During the wars of indepence she was the patroness of the Mexican armies. Almost every Mexican town has church dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe. People turn to her for help and guidance on every occassion.