The annual archdiocesan celebration in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which marks its 75th anniversary Dec. 3 in East Los Angeles, traces its beginnings to a time of economic depression in the U.S. and religious persecution in Mexico.

Bishop John J. Cantwell, as head of the Diocese of Los Angeles-San Diego, inaugurated the first Guadalupe procession in 1930 --- a time when hundreds of thousands of Mexicans sought refuge from religious persecution in their country and fled to El Paso and Los Angeles. Bishops, priests and religious, with the thousands of "Cristeros," fought for their faith and brought with them their intense devotion to Mary under her patronage of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

That special devotion started almost 475 years ago when the Virgin appeared to the Indian, Juan Diego, on Tepeyac hill near Mexico City. Although it was December, Mary told Juan Diego to gather roses in his cloak to present to the bishop as a sign of her apparition. When the Indian unfolded his cactus-fiber cloak, the roses fell out and miraculously her image was emblazoned as a dark-skinned Aztec princess, standing in front of the sun and on top of a crescent moon. Seven years after the apparition, some eight million Indians were converted.

Fervent devotion followed through the centuries. In 1754 Pope Benedict XIV approved a Mass and Office in celebration of the feast on December 12. Pope Pius X in 1910 declared her the patroness of Latin America. In 1946 Pope Pius XII declared her Patroness of the Americas and by 1988 the feast day was celebrated in every diocese in the United States. Pope John Paul II canonized Juan Diego in 2002 in the Basilica in Mexico City.

The local procession has taken place over the years in East Los Angeles, Norwalk and the Memorial Coliseum. In 1931 Bishop Cantwell received the "Golden Rose of Tepeyac," presented for outstanding devotion to Christ and Church. (The relic is now in the Archdiocesan Archival Museum.) He continued the procession until his death in 1947.

In 1948 (his first year as head of the archdiocese), Archbishop James Francis McIntyre presided at benediction at Our Lady of Lourdes Church. During the 1950s, 10,000 to 15,000 persons marched in the solemn procession. By 1964 that number swelled to 50,000, a number equaled in 1999 at the Coliseum with Cardinal Roger Mahony presiding.

Cardinal Timothy Manning, during his tenure from 1970 to 1985, often headed the march that usually started at Our Lady of Solitude Church and ended in East Los Angeles College stadium. The processions have included colorful parish-desigend floats, dancers in native costumes, bands, students and persons from all over the archdiocese --- a fitting tribute to Our Lady of Guadalupe, the first evangelist in America.

This year, Los Angeles' oldest religious procession begins at noon Dec. 3 at La Soledad Church, 4561 Cesar Chavez Ave. The procession will end at East L.A. College Stadium, Monterey Park, with a special liturgy. For more information, call Resurrection Church at (323) 268-1141.