Papal Honors for Our Lady of Guadalupe?

Q. What papal honors have been granted Our Lady of Guadalupe?

A. Pope Benedict XIV in 1754 proclaimed Our Lady of Guadalupe patroness of what was then called New Spain (Spanish Central and North America), and approved liturgical texts for the Mass and Breviary in her honor.

Pope Leo XIII granted new liturgical texts in 1891 and authorized in 1887 the canonical coronation of her image, which took place in 1895.

Pope St. Pius X declared her patroness of Latin America in 1910, and Pope Pius XI proclaimed her the “Heavenly Patroness of the Philippines” in 1935.

Pope Pius XII in 1942 declared Our Lady, under the title “the Immaculate Conception,” to be the “Principal and Universal Patroness of the Philippine Islands.” He also declared her to be “Queen of Mexico and Empress of the Americas” in 1945, and “Patroness of the Americas” in 1946.

Pope St. John XXIII called her “Mother of the Americas” in 1961. Pope St. Paul VI presented her image a Golden Rose in 1966.

Pope St. John Paul II visited her shrine in 1979 and again in 1990 when he beatified St. Juan Diego. In 1992, he dedicated to her a chapel in St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, and in 1999, he reaffirmed her title of “Patroness of the Americas” and granted her feast the rank of solemnity in that region. He also included in the General Roman Calendar as an optional memorial the annual liturgical celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 12 (celebrated this week).

Pope Francis presented the image a second Golden Rose in 2013 and a new gold-plated silver crown during his apostolic visit to the Basilica in 2016.