The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington will celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe with the annual Walk with Mary procession on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. The pilgrimage will begin at 11 a.m. at the Shrine of the Sacred Heart in Washington, D.C. at 16th and Park Road, N.W., and continues on to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception at 400 Michigan Ave., N.E. Participants will pray the rosary at the National Shrine at 1 p.m. and then attend a Mass at 2 p.m.
The annual event, organized by the archdiocese’s Secretariat for Evangelization and Synodal Renewal through the Office of Cultural Diversity and Outreach, typically draws between 2,000 and 3,000 participants each year. Pilgrims from Hispanic and Latino communities, along with African American, Asian and Pacific Islander, Caribbean, and Anglo Catholics, join in prayer to honor the patroness of the Americas.
The Walk with Mary commemorates the 1531 apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary to St. Juan Diego on Tepeyac Hill near present-day Mexico City. The procession features prayers in multiple languages, mariachi music, traditional dancers, national flags, and a reenactment of the apparition of Our Lady to St. Juan Diego.
Her image, believed to have appeared miraculously on St. Juan Diego’s tilma, a cloak made of cactus fiber that would typically deteriorate within decades, has remained intact for nearly five centuries. Researchers studying the image have observed reflections in the eyes of Our Lady that resemble human figures, details consistent with early accounts of those present when the image was first revealed.
Organizers estimate that representatives from 50 to 70 percent of parishes in the archdiocese will participate through parish groups, youth ministries, and cultural delegations. Hundreds of volunteers, including liturgical ministers, ushers, musicians, and youth leaders, help coordinate the event.
Church leaders describe the Walk with Mary as more than a cultural celebration. They say it serves as a public witness of faith, solidarity, and evangelization, especially among immigrant families and young people. In a challenging time for the nation’s immigrants, the pilgrimage offers a message of peace, unity, and hope rooted in the Church’s mission to “walk together in faith.”
In a reflection shared by the archdiocese, the faithful are invited to pray:
“Extend your protection to nations all over the world and renew their fidelity to Christ. Inspire their political leaders to pursue policies of equity and justice. Protect Juan Diego’s brothers and sisters from discrimination. Care for all children. Keep families united. That your clemency, your compassion, and your protection be manifested through your holy image. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.”
Declared Patroness of the Americas by Pope Pius XII in 1946, Our Lady of Guadalupe is recognized as a central figure of devotion among Catholics across the Western Hemisphere. The feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe was elevated to a solemnity in dioceses throughout the United States in 1988 and to a liturgical feast for the Americas in 1999 by Pope St. John Paul II. The annual observance continues to draw widespread participation and reflects the enduring importance of Marian devotion in the life of the Church.
