Basilica of Guadalupe, Monterrey
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The Basilica of Guadalupe or Santuario de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, is a Roman Catholic church located in the metropolitan area of Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico in the neighborhood of Colonia Independencia, just outside of the citys downtown area. It is one of the larger Church edifices in northern Mexico and is dedicated to Virgin Mary in her guise as Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Patroness of America, who appeared to St Juan Diego on Tepeyac Hill outside Mexico City in 1531.
It's volume is smaller than its counterpart, the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, in Mexico City, which without a doubt enjoys a larger national and international notoriety.
Year after year, the church becomes the destination for thousands of faithful, devoted to the Virgin, especially on the days prior to her feast day, December 12, when, beginning at the stroke of midnight leading into the 12th, mariachis play and sing traditional songs , or mañanitas, paying tribute to the Virgin.
Usually, the weeks prior to Our Lady's holiday, pilgrimages are made by peregrinos who arrive praying or chanting, and matachines who dance all the way up to the basilica, emerging from various directions to converge onto the church to pray and hear Mass in front of the copy of the image of the Guadalupana. The original is in the Mexico City basilica.
Other notable Catholic churches in the area are: The Monterrey Cathedral, La Purísima, the Chapel of the Sweet Names, La Salle, El Roble, Sacred Heart and the Old Basilica.
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 Temple entrance with the motto ¿No estoy yo aquí que soy tu Madre... ?, Spanish for Am I not here, who is your mother? |
 In the background, several downtown buildings. |
 Outside the Basilica, traditional shops. |
 The Old Basilica of Guadalupe, less than 50 meters away from the new church. |
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