Our Lady of Guadalupe celebration held at Passaic parish

For its 26th year, Holy Trinity Parish in Passaic hosted a well-attended celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe. This year’s event was held on Dec. 10 with a procession through the streets of Passaic, followed by a Mass in Spanish celebrated by Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney.

The celebration honored the Blessed Mother, who appeared four times in Mexico to St. Juan Diego asking for a church to be built in her honor in 1531. In these apparitions, she is referred to as Our Lady of Guadalupe, patron of the Americas, specifically Mexico, mothers, and the unborn. Her feast day is Dec. 12.

At Holy Trinity, about 2,000 people participated in the outdoor procession, despite the rain. It started and ended in the church before Mass and included the display of images of Our Lady of Guadalupe and St. Juan Diego.

The Mass was celebrated by Bishop Sweeney and concelebrated by Father Antonio Rodriguez, Holy Trinity’s pastor. Assisting was Deacon Pawel Halat.

About 1,000 people attended the Mass, which included participation from the parish’s children’s choir. Some of the little boys were dressed as St. Juan Diego, while some of the little girls were dressed as the Blessed Mother.