To honor the Virgin of Guadalupe on the 475th anniversary of her appearance to St. Juan Diego in Tepyac, Mexico, close to 30,000 people processed a mile from Our Lady of Solitude (La Soledad) Church along Cesar Chavez Avenue to East Los Angeles College Stadium in Monterey Park to celebrate Mass on Dec 3.

With the theme, "The Mother of all Immigrants" the event attracted people of all ages and nationalities carrying flags from their countries, some dressed in the ethnic clothing of their former homeland, to celebrate the feast day of the patron Saint of the Americas. Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa was among those who processed through the streets.

The 75th annual procession in the Los Angeles Archdiocese was scheduled to coincide with the month when the Virgin Mary appeared in to St. Juan Diego and left her image on his cloak in 1531.

For this year's procession, Msgr. Diego Monroy Ponce, rector of the Basilica de Santa Maria de Guadalupe in Mexico City, brought an image of St. Juan Diego as well as a digital reproduction of the Virgin that had been touched to the original image and blessed. The framed images were processed through the streets surrounded by people, musicians, and dance ensembles in costume.

Picking up worshippers along the route, the orderly group filed into the stadium, filling the seats as dancers and musicians dressed in bright, colorful costumes processed into the stadium and occupied the center field. The images of St. Juan Diego and Our Lady of Guadalupe were also processed in to applause, and chants of "Viva la Virgen!" About 50 doves were then released, which flew together around the stadium before disappearing.

Cardinal Roger Mahony, as well as Auxiliary Bishops Edward William Clark, Alexander Salazar, Gerald Wilkerson and Oscar Solis and more than 30 priests participated in the procession, leading up to the celebration of Mass which began with the cardinal's blessing in Spanish and English: "Welcome, Mother of God, to Los Angeles. Thank you for giving your mother's love through Juan Diego. Thank you because you are with all of us and know the suffering of your children."

"Oh, Holy Mother, to you we entrust our suffering, come to our aid, listen to our cries, pray to Jesus for us," he continued. "You look upon us with kindness. Take us in your hands; heal the wounds inflicted on our journey. You are our mother and in you we trust."

Msgr. Ponce gave the homily. Though most of the Mass was in Spanish, the prayers of the faithful were prayed in Spanish, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Mayan, English, a Native American dialect, Indonesian, Japanese and Tongan.

The Dec. 3 procession was preceded by a novena of Masses celebrated in parishes from Santa Monica to East Los Angeles. The images of St. Juan Diego and Our Lady of Guadalupe are being brought into parishes for nine days, concluding with a vigil at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels on Dec. 11 at 6:30 p.m.