Marian pilgrim image from Mexico returns to LA after pandemic pause

The pilgrim image of Our Lady of San Juan de Los Lagos is currently traveling through the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. 

The first stop was at Our Lady of the Rosary Church in Paramount on Sept. 9-12, where parishioners welcomed the image with a performance by Aztec dancers and a special Mass with Fr. Carlos de Alba Martinez, from the Diocese of San Juan de Los Lagos. 

The Marian image comes from the shrine of San Juan de Los Lagos in Jalisco, Mexico, which draws some 6 million visitors each year. This year marks its first time back in LA since 2019, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Parishioners at Our Lady of the Rosary welcomed the image with a performance by Aztec dancers and a special Mass with Fr. Carlos de Alba Martinez, from the Diocese of San Juan de Los Lagos. 

The image will be in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles through Oct. 2, at the following parishes: 

• Sept. 17-19: Resurrection Church, 3324 Opal St., Los Angeles
• Sept. 22-26: St. Francis Xavier Church, 4245 S. Acacia Ave., Pico Rivera
• Oct. 1-2: San Francisco Church, 4800 Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles

Our Lady of San Juan de Los Lagos has been venerated since 1623, when the first recorded miracle was attributed to her. A young traveling acrobat died during a performance in San Juan de Los Lagos, but was revived when an image of Our Lady was laid over her body. Now, the shrine is the second most visited in Mexico, second only to the one dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City.