The Relic of the Tilma of St. Juan Diego is now permanently enshrined at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, after being on tour in 20 cities throughout the United States. The relic is a piece of St. Juan Diego’s tilma—the cloth that holds the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
The statuette of Our Lady of Guadalupe holds the Holy Relic of the Tilma of Tepeyac	The “Tilma of Tepeyac Tour” had run since May 2003 and was permanently enshrined at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles on December 9, 2003 on the feast day of St. Juan Diego. Cardinal Roger Mahony authorized the loan of the relic for the tour, to the Apostolate for Holy Relics. The tour began in Denver’s Immaculate Conception Cathedral on May 30 and it will end in New York’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral on December 7. Other stops have included the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. and the Cathedrals in Palm Beach, Dallas, Detroit, San Antonio and others. The relic—likely the only one in the United States—is a small piece that was detached from the tilma and given to Archbishop John Cantwell of Los Angeles by the Archbishop of Mexico City, Luis Maria Martinez in 1941. It has been in the archives of the Los Angeles Archdiocese under the care of Monsignor Francis Weber since 1981. The faithful believe, that the image of the Tilma, or cloak, of a poor Indian named Juan Diego, was miraculously created by the Virgin Mary in 1531. The image - which continues to baffle scientists – is now the most recognizable religious symbol in Latin America, and devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe is a favorite of Catholics throughout the Americas.
St. Juan Diego was canonized on July 31, 2002 in front of an enormous crowd of over 5 million people. Up to 20 million visit the Shrine in Mexico City annually, making it the most visited in the world. AHR Vice President Andrew Walther said: “We hope that this pilgrimage will give those people who cannot go on pilgrimage to Mexico City an opportunity to share in the graces and blessings bestowed by Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Mother of God and Empress of the Americas. We also hope that people will take the faith and devotion of St. Juan Diego as a model for their own lives,” he said.
The Tilma of Tepeyac Shrine is now open to all Cathedral Visitors!
This Christmas, give your loved ones the gift of the Tilma Relic Rosary, available at the Giftshop! www.olacathedralgifts.com

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The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels
555 W. Temple Street, Los Angeles, California 90012
For more information call (213) 680-5277