Patronal Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

A Mexican patronal feast in the heart of Rome

On December 12th, the Church celebrates the solemnity of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of Mexico and all of Latin America. In Rome, this occasion has a specific address: the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe and Saint Philip the Martyr, at Via Aurelia 675, in the Aurelio district of Municipality XIII. It is here that the capital's Mexican and Latin American community gathers every year for its patronal feast, an event that blends Marian devotion, national identity, and hospitality toward the local Roman residents.

The basilica, the national church of Mexico

The building was commissioned by Pope Pius XII, who wished to provide Rome with a place of worship dedicated to the Mexican and Latin American peoples. The first stone, brought from Tepeyac Hill in Mexico, was blessed on April 3, 1955; construction was completed in 1958, and the consecration took place on December 11, 1958, by Cardinal José Garibi Rivera, on the eve of the Virgin's feast. Established as a parish on September 22, 1960, and entrusted to the Legionaries of Christ, the church was elevated to a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II on January 15, 1991.

Inside, the apse mosaics, the Stations of the Cross sculpted by Luigi Enzo Mattei, and above all the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe placed above the high altar make the basilica a cherished stop for Spanish-speaking pilgrims visiting Rome. The site has been visited by Pope John XXIII on November 20, 1962, and by Pope John Paul II on January 27, 1980.

How the feast unfolds

The day of December 12th revolves around the solemn evening mass, the central celebration of the solemnity, often presided over by a bishop or cardinal and attended by the parish community alongside Mexican faithful residing in Rome. The basilica is filled with flowers—roses are the quintessential symbol of the Guadalupan story—and Spanish-language hymns accompany the liturgy.

• Confessions are available before the celebrations, according to parish custom
• Solemn Mass in the evening for the solemnity of Our Lady of Guadalupe
• Convivial moment after the celebration, featuring Mexican culinary specialties prepared by the community
• Charitable purpose: in past editions, proceeds from the dinner have been donated to support the training of seminarians

The 2025 edition

On Friday, December 12, 2025, the patronal feast held particular significance: in the afternoon, the basilica welcomed the pastoral visit of Cardinal Vicar Baldo Reina, who met with the parish community before presiding over the solemn mass in the evening. In his homily, the cardinal invited the faithful to entrust «our anxieties, our fears, and our worries» to the maternal presence of Mary, reminding them that the Virgin «asks for nothing, she simply asks that we acknowledge her presence».

A parish alive all year round

Beyond the patronal feast, the basilica is the center of an intense community life: catechesis, family programs, youth ministry, a five-week summer day camp, and charitable volunteer activities. The church also welcomes groups and pilgrims arriving in Rome, offering spaces for packed lunches and spiritual conferences.

Rome, Lazio, and its patronal feasts

In the Municipality of Rome, the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, and more generally in the Lazio region, the calendar of patronal feasts is very dense and marks the year for every district and neighborhood. The feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, however, stands out for its explicitly international dimension: it is the celebration of a foreign community that has chosen Rome as its second home and, on December 12th, makes its tradition visible to all. For visitors, it is an opportunity to discover a piece of Mexico just minutes from the Vatican.