When the Virgin Mary appeared to St. Juan Diego's uncle, he reportedly understood her to say, “Call me and my image Santa Maria de Guadalupe.” While there is a famous shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe in Extremadura, Spain—a site visited by Columbus before and after his voyage of discovery—it is unlikely that the Virgin would have identified herself with a purely Spanish title, especially since neither Juan Diego nor his uncle spoke Spanish fluently. This would have made repeating such a title to the bishop quite difficult. Instead, it is more plausible that she spoke to them in their native Náhuatl, using a name that they could easily comprehend but which was later misinterpreted by Spanish speakers.

One theory suggests that she referred to herself as Coatlaxopeuh (pronounced "Quat-la-sho-pay"), meaning "the one who crushes the serpent." This interpretation aligns phonetically with “Guadalupe” and offers a powerful dual significance—resonating with both Spaniards and Mexicans.

For the Spaniards, the title recalls the dark Virgin of Guadalupe in Spain. For the Mexicans, however, it carries two profound references. First, it alludes to Genesis 3:15, where God tells Satan, who appears as a serpent: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” This verse, known as the Protoevangelium or "First Gospel," prophesies the coming of a Redeemer who will crush the serpent's head, with the mysterious cooperation of "the Woman."

Second, it speaks directly to the indigenous culture, particularly the Aztec pantheon, where Quetzalcoatl—the feathered serpent—was a prominent deity associated with creation, wisdom, and knowledge. While revered, Quetzalcoatl and the Aztec religious system also demanded human sacrifices, making it a dark parody of the true God. By taking on the title Coatlaxopeuh, the Virgin Mary declared that she and her Son, the True God, would triumph over the feathered serpent and the oppressive religious practices that had long held sway over the people of Mexico.

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• Official Website of the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe: This site provides detailed information about the basilica's history, events, and visitor details.

  • Website link: https://virgendeguadalupe.org.mx/

• Vatican News: Includes references to Our Lady of Guadalupe from Pope Francis, such as in his February 15, 2023 message.

  • Article link: Pope: Mary constantly calls us to follow her example