AND FAITH THIS YEAR. DECEMBER 12TH A SPECIAL DATE FOR MILLIONS. FOR US, IT’S LIKE A NATIONAL HOLIDAY. IT MARKS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CULTURAL TRADITIONS FOR CATHOLICS, ESPECIALLY IN THE LATINO COMMUNITY. FOR CENTURIES, THE IMAGE OF THE VIRGIN OF GUADALUPE HAS BEEN MORE THAN A RELIGIOUS SYMBOL. SHE REPRESENTS FAITH, IDENTITY AND BELONGING. AT SACRAMENTO’S NATIONAL SHRINE OF OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE, THE CELEBRATION IS BIG AND LOUD, WITH MASSES, MUSIC, PRAYERS AND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE GATHERING. A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE FOUND THEY KNOW, YOU KNOW, A SECURE, YOU KNOW, REFUGE IN THEIR FAITH. A SAFE PLACE WHERE THEY CAN COME AND PRAY AND WORSHIP AND GATHER. AND THIS YEAR, THAT MESSAGE OF REFUGE AND HOPE CARRIES EVEN MORE WEIGHT. GIVEN THE FACT THAT THIS YEAR HAS BEEN REALLY DIFFICULT FOR ALL OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY, WHY NOT COME AND SAY THANK YOU FOR ONE MORE YEAR THAT WE’RE ALLOWED TO STILL BE HERE AND FIGHTING TOGETHER AGAINST ALL ODDS AND RACISM AMID A YEAR OF IMMIGRATION RATES THAT HAVE SOWN FEAR AND LATINO COMMUNITIES, TODAY BECOMES MORE THAN A CELEBRATION. IT’S A STATEMENT OF RESILIENCE, A DAY WHERE MANY TURN TO THE VIRGIN OF GUADALUPE FOR PROTECTION, COMFORT AND HOPE. WHAT DO YOU SEE HERE? YOU KNOW, IT’S LIKE MARY COMFORTING, COMFORTING PRESENCE IN THE LIFE OF SO MANY IMMIGRANTS OF THIS NATION, A TRADITION PASSED DOWN FOR GENERATIONS. WE COME EVERY YEAR TO, YOU KNOW, PAY OUR RESPECTS AND JUST SHOW HER HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE HER, HOW MUCH WE BELIEVE IN HER, AND ONE THAT FEELS ESPECIALLY POWERFUL IN UNCERTAIN TIMES. IT BRINGS A LOT OF WARMTH IN MY HEART WHEN I SEE THAT JUST SEEING EVERYONE HERE TOGETHER, A LOT OF PEOPLE, EVERY SINGLE MASS, ALL DAY LONG, IT’S FULL. LIKE THERE’S SO MANY PEOPLE IN THERE, AND IT JUST MAKES YOU REALIZE HOW STRONG OUR COMMUNITY IS. CELEBRATIONS STARTED YESTERDAY. THEY CONTINUED THROUGH THE NIGHT AND ALL DAY TODAY AT THE SHRINE, A VISIBLE REMINDER OF FAITH, CULTURE AND UNITY I
Sacramento’s Our Lady of Guadalupe celebration offers hope amid challenges
Updated: 9:09 PM PST Dec 12, 2025
Friday marks a significant cultural tradition for Catholics, especially within the Latino community, as the National Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Sacramento hosts its annual celebration, offering a sense of refuge and resilience amid a challenging year.”For us it’s like a national holiday,” said attendees, highlighting the importance of the Virgin of Guadalupe as a symbol of faith, identity and belonging. The celebration at the shrine is vibrant and lively, featuring masses, music, prayers and hundreds of people gathering. “A lot of people have found refuge in their faith. A safe place where they can come and pray and worship and gather,” Mauricio Hurtado from the Diocese of Sacramento said. This year, the message of refuge carries even more weight.Irma Gutiérrez, a member of the Guadalupanos, expressed gratitude despite the difficulties faced by the immigrant community. “Given the fact that this year has been really difficult for all our immigrant community, why not come and say thank you for one more year that we’re allowed to still be here and fighting together against all odds and racism,” Gutiérrez said. Amid a year of immigration raids that have sown fear in Latino communities, the day becomes more than a celebration; it is a statement of resilience. Many turn to the Virgin of Guadalupe for protection, comfort, and hope. Hurtado added, “What you see here is Mary comforting presence in the life of so many immigrants of this nation.”Daisy Maya, another member of the Guadalupanos, shared the tradition’s significance. “We come every year to pay our respects and just show her how much we appreciate her and believe in her.” She noted the powerful sense of community, stating, “It brings a lot of warmth in my heart when I see that. Just seeing everyone here together. A lot of people, every single mass, all day long. It’s full. There’s so many people in there and it just makes me realize how strong our community is.”The celebrations began yesterday, continued through the night, and filled the shrine all day today, serving as a visible reminder of faith, culture, and unity.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
Friday marks a significant cultural tradition for Catholics, especially within the Latino community, as the National Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Sacramento hosts its annual celebration, offering a sense of refuge and resilience amid a challenging year.
“For us it’s like a national holiday,” said attendees, highlighting the importance of the Virgin of Guadalupe as a symbol of faith, identity and belonging. The celebration at the shrine is vibrant and lively, featuring masses, music, prayers and hundreds of people gathering.
“A lot of people have found refuge in their faith. A safe place where they can come and pray and worship and gather,” Mauricio Hurtado from the Diocese of Sacramento said.
This year, the message of refuge carries even more weight.
Irma Gutiérrez, a member of the Guadalupanos, expressed gratitude despite the difficulties faced by the immigrant community.
“Given the fact that this year has been really difficult for all our immigrant community, why not come and say thank you for one more year that we’re allowed to still be here and fighting together against all odds and racism,” Gutiérrez said.
Amid a year of immigration raids that have sown fear in Latino communities, the day becomes more than a celebration; it is a statement of resilience. Many turn to the Virgin of Guadalupe for protection, comfort, and hope. Hurtado added, “What you see here is Mary comforting presence in the life of so many immigrants of this nation.”
Daisy Maya, another member of the Guadalupanos, shared the tradition’s significance.
“We come every year to pay our respects and just show her how much we appreciate her and believe in her.” She noted the powerful sense of community, stating, “It brings a lot of warmth in my heart when I see that. Just seeing everyone here together. A lot of people, every single mass, all day long. It’s full. There’s so many people in there and it just makes me realize how strong our community is.”
The celebrations began yesterday, continued through the night, and filled the shrine all day today, serving as a visible reminder of faith, culture, and unity.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel