The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is one of the most significant Roman Catholic celebrations in Mexico, but it is also celebrated in various areas in the United States. The feast falls on December 12, and several US cities took part in these celebrations.

One of the biggest celebrations happened in Des Plaines, Illinois as the feast kicked off at midnight on Monday and continued into the overnight hours. Thousands of pilgrims attended and brought offerings, such candles, flowers, crosses, and more. There was also plenty of fireworks to celebrate Our Lady of Guadalupe.

"It's important in our culture, and growing up, I'm going to get emotional, growing up my dad used to take us to honor the Lady of Guadalupe," one of the Des Plaines pilgrims, Alma Arreola, told ABC-7. "I wanted to do this to bring my family here and do this special day."

Much like the celebrations in Guadalupe, Mexico, thousands of pilgrims arrived in Des Plaines on foot. There was a nonstop stream of people coming through all of Tuesday, many of whom were of Mexican descent. One of them, Maria Valdez, told ABC-7, "It's a tradition we do every year. We go to 9 o'clock mass, and then we come here, and this day is just to celebrate her."

The Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Des Plaines saw plenty of traditional Mexican indigenous dances, as well as plenty of other celebrations in honor of one of the holiest days of the year for Mexican Catholics.

READ MORE: Mexico: 5 Most Important Holy Sites to Visit During Holy Week

Migrant Workers Celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Florida

Over in Florida, despite the new draconian anti-immigration laws scaring off many migrant workers, there are still several living in the state, and they also celebrated the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

According to CBS News, one of these celebrations happened at the St. Ann Mission church in Miami, which has a ministry for migrant farmworkers that dates back to 1961. Many migrant workers observed cultural traditions, including folkloric dances that followed the solemn Mass celebrated by Miami's auxiliary bishop.

The Church also held a raffle and sold Mexican food specialties as migrant workers feasted on that special day. The proceeds will help raise funds for the needs of migrant workers, including social assistance like children's dental health, marriage counseling, food distribution, and legal immigration advice.

New York Continues Celebrating the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

New York has a very historic Hispanic community that has been celebrating the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe for decades. In fact, Our Lady of Guadalupe has been the first saint to serve New York City's Spanish-speaking community.

Our Lady of Guadalupe is also the namesake of the city's oldest Spanish-speaking Catholic congregation, according to NBC News. This means that She connects the many Spanish-speaking people in one of the US's most diverse cities. With Her feast, it is not just the Mexican congregation celebrating, but also Spaniards, Puerto Ricans, and others in New York.

READ MORE: Mexico: 5 Delicious Mexican Pastries to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: LIVE | Pope Francis' Holy Mass on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe | December 12, 2023 - EWTN