Feast of our Lady of Guadalupe Celebration Sunday in Yakima
It's called the Feast of our Lady of Guadalupe and the celebration happens Sunday in Yakima. Catholics throughout the Diocese of Yakima are expected to be part of a procession Sunday through downtown Yakima to St. Joseph Catholic Church following the 1:00 pm Spanish Mass at St. Paul Cathedral.
There's deep history in the celebration
Officials at the Diocese say this year is the 490th anniversary of five apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Mexico, who according to church tradition appeared to a native, Juan Diego, and asked him to convey a message of peace to the Archbishop of Mexico City. A press release from the Diocese the Sunday celebration in Yakima starts with "special music, dances, and prayers, from 3:00 am to 6:00 am. The 1:00 pm Mass will be for the third Sunday of Advent, for Catholics and many other churches a period of four weeks of spiritual preparation for the celebration of Christmas December 25. Since the Sundays of Advent takes precedence for Catholics over the celebration of saints, special Masses also will be offered to honor Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 13. Many parishes in the Diocese of Yakima will incorporate native Mexican dances and music into their celebrations."
The procession starts after an afternoon Mass
After the 1:00 pm Mass at the Cathedral, 15 S. 12th Avenue, a procession led by Yakima Bishop Joseph Tyson will go north to Yakima Avenue, then move east to Third Street. The procession will then travel north past Martin Luther King Jr. Way and will end in the parking lot of St. Joseph Church, 212 N. Fourth Street.
Because of the celebration, the streets along the procession route will be closed and traffic redirected. Once those taking part arrive at St. Joseph’s, the Guadalupe celebrations will continue with a concert starting at 4:00 pm.
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