Virgin Of Guadalupe Analysis

The Virgin of Guadalupe, the patron saint of Mexico, is a religious icon and symbol of Mexican nationalism and identity (Benedetti). Through analyzing the image and history of the Virgin of Guadalupe through the theoretical terms, e.g. gender, sexuality, identity, and authority, one is able to understand her meaning and importance to Mexico, the world, and the catholic church. Her importance can be examined through the use of these theoretical terms and how they intersect and connect with religion and one another. The presence of each of these terms helps shape the others and finally to shape one’s understanding of how these terms are important to the interpretation of the Virgin of Guadalupe. The Virgin of Guadalupe is an extremely important …show more content…
According to Yeh and Olaguibel, “Her [the Virgin of Guadalupe] basilica is the second-most visited Catholic site in the world after the Vatican.” They also went on to state, that like like other women in history, the Virgin of Guadalupe is a mythologized figure, where the historical image is overtaken by the myth figure. They state, “…these women become more useful as cultural symbols and rallying points than as real people whose historical role is accurately understood” (Yeh, Olaguibel, 169). The role of the Virgin of Guadalupe as a religious figure is often portrayed differently depending on where in the world one lives. For example, many North American evangelical Christians find it difficult to understand why the Virgin is often regarded more highly than Jesus across Latin America. The authors Yeh and Olaguibel point out, “People pray to her [Virgin of Guadalupe] first before they pray to God, asking her for healing and protection” (Yeh, Olaguibel, 169). I believe this quotation is extremely meaningful when one is trying to understand exactly how important the Virgin of Guadalupe is to those in Latin America and the Roman Catholic