An image of Our Lady of San Juan de los Lagos will visit St. Francis of Assisi Church, Fillmore, Aug. 15-17.
The visit will commence with 6 p.m. Mass on Friday that coincides with the Feast of the Assumption, followed by music and food; candlelight processions on Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m.; a festival on Sunday (10 a.m.-4 p.m.); and the departure of the image at 3 p.m. Sunday.
In 1542, Father Miguel de Bologna, a Spanish priest, brought a statue of the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception to the village of San Juan Mezquititlan Baptist in Jalisco, Mexico. But its name was changed to San Juan de Los Lagos in 1623 when, according to local legends, a local girl fell ill, her parents prayed for her health, and the young girl recovered.
The statue eventually acquired its own local identity as Our Lady of San Juan de los Lagos. Today, the town is among Mexico’s most visited pilgrimage sites.
Parishes and other groups are invited to attend the celebration. Call (805) 524-1306. For more information, visit http://www.stfrancisfillmore.com/.
