Nuestra Señora de Zapopan

Location: Village of Tzapopa (later Zapopan), province of Tonalán, State of Jalisco, close (about two miles) to the city of Guadalajara.

Origin: When he defeated the Tochos Indians that had rebelled against the Spanish power, Francisco de Bobadilla, a conquistador, founded Tzapopa in the midst of Indian territory in 1541, twenty years after the fall of Mexico.  Franciscan friars soon came to evangelize the peopulation.  A statue of Mary Immaculate was brought by Fray Antonio of Segovia on that occasion.  The story says that this friar had offered his mediation in order to prevent more bloodshed.  He came before the Indians holding a crucifix in one hand, and a small statue of Mary in the other.  The Indians watched celestial twinklings around that statue.  That made them lay down their arms.

History: The shrine passed on to the diocesan clergy in 1641.  During the following years, after an official enquiry on the miracles ascribed to the intercession of Our Lady of Zapopan, the local ordinary transferred her feast from December 9 to December 18, one week--an octave--before Christmas.  He also changed her original name to Nuestra Señora de la O or de la Expectacíon, but the original name has been kept by the people.  Our Lady of Zapopan has been venerated fervently not only in Zapopan, but throughout the entire State of Jalisco.  Countless miracles have continued to happen.  People used to transport her to Guadalajara whenever this large city--now the second largest in Mexico--was in danger, as in 1721, in order to protect the city from plague.  In 1734, she was proclaimed Patroness against storms and lightning.   Even now, the statue stays in Guadalajara from June 13 to October 5.  After Mexico became independent in 1821, the Virgin of Zapopan was proclaimed Patroness of the State of Jalisco and its army.  She was canonically crowned on January 18, 1921.

Return to Resources