Paul Atkin, the Pro-Life Officer of the Archdiocese, recently returned from a pilgrimage to Mexico City in homage to Our Lady of Guadalupe. Every year, millions of Catholics visit the shrine on the outskirts of the capital. Here is what he learned…

Tepeyac Hill is the major site of pilgrimage in the Americas
Tepeyac Hill, where the Virgin Mary appeared to Juan Diego, is a huge site of pilgrimage. It is to that continent what Lourdes is to Europe. The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe (below) has Mass on the hour, every hour, from 6am to 8pm. I was able to go to Mass and take time to pray before the miraculous tilma (cloak), which is displayed in a specially designed glass case. At the very top of Tepeyac Hill, there’s the Chapel of the Hill of Tepeyac – it is where the Virgin Mary actually appeared to Juan Diego.

The cloak worn by Juan Diego baffles scientists
The cloak can be viewed in the Basilica. The image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, miraculously imprinted on the cloth, continues to baffle scientists and historians. The image has never faded and it shows no signs of deterioration after almost 500 years. Some of the image’s miraculous qualities are fascinating: for example, there are no brushstrokes on the cloak - the image appears to be a divine imprint, rather than the work of a human artist.

Mexico City is safer than you think
We saw loads of police officers at the main tourist points and there was one on every platform on the underground. The first two carriages of every train are reserved for women and young children.  We didn’t feel unsafe at any time. We stayed at the Hotel Catedral in the centre of town where rooms start at about £70/night. Getting to and from the airport was easy with Welcome Pickups who provided an English speaking driver for about £35 from the airport to our hotel.

Our Lady of Guadalupe put an end to human sacrifice
I discovered that the appearance and image of Our Lady of Guadalupe contributed to the end of human sacrifice in violent Aztec culture and played a significant role in the conversion of millions of Mexicans to Catholicism. St Pope John Paul II made five visits to the Shrine declaring Our Lady of Guadalupe the Patroness of the Unborn and today we pray to her as an enduring reminder that every life is precious from conception to natural death.

It’s easy to get there
I fulfilled a long-held promise to Our Lady to visit the site of her miraculous apparition at Guadalupe, in Mexico City.  While Rome and Lourdes are more practical to get to in this year of pilgrimage, it’s easier to get to than you might think, particularly if you combine it with a trip to the US. The Pilgrimage site is located in Mexico City with flights there from major US and European airlines.  If you were visiting Florida it would be an easy add-on and UK nationals do not need a visa.

As I left the Basilica to head back to Scotland I had a renewed sense of the importance of defending the most vulnerable, particularly the unborn and their mothers. Our Lady of Guadalupe’s image inspires all who seek to uphold the dignity of life, and her intercession offers strength to the pro-life movement worldwide.