7 Beautiful Marian devotions to celebrate this Hispanic Heritage Month

When we think of celebrating Hispanic culture, the first thing that might come to mind is the Cinco de Mayo holiday. This often amuses Latinos because Cinco de Mayo is actually not a big holiday in Mexico itself! While it’s a traditional celebration in the Puebla region, it’s not so much in the rest of the country.

Instead, mid-September is the real celebration for Mexico. Mexican Independence Day falls on September 16, and it's this holiday that leads the US to kick off Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15.

Living in an area with many Mexican residents, I see Mexican flags on countless cars and in front yards every September!

For all Catholics, whether you're Hispanic or not, Hispanic Heritage Month is a meaningful time of year because so many of our brothers and sisters in Christ worshiping beside us in the pews are Hispanic. Latin America is home to more than 425 million Catholics, nearly 40% of Catholics around the world. 

And in nearby nations like the U.S., the number of Catholics who are Hispanic is rising every year. Some 36% of the U.S. Catholic population is Hispanic.

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, here are several beautiful Marian devotions to celebrate from Hispanic culture. Perhaps some of these names are already familiar to you!

(And if you want to explain to kids why Our Lady appears under so many different names, check out the beautiful book Our Lady’s Wardrobe by Anthony DeStefano!) 

Most Catholics are familiar with the unforgettable story of how Mary appeared to Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin in Mexico in 1531. But did you know you can still see her image -- the original one that appeared! -- on his actual tilma today in Mexico City? Or that Our Lady of Guadalupe is the designated patron and Empress of all the Americas?

If you’re a teacher, parent, godparent, or grandparent, check out this sweet children’s book that introduces young readers to this miraculous apparition.

Known affectionately as “La Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre,” this Marian image is the patron saint of Cuba and a beloved figure for the Cuban-American community in the U.S.  

While originally associated with the 1571 Battle of Lepanto on the other side of the world, devotion to this Marian title is widespread in Latin America, particularly in Guatemala. 

Our Lady of the Rosary is the patron saint of Guatemala, and a revered statue of the Virgin Mary under this title is housed in the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary in Guatemala City.

“Nuestra Señora de la Soledad” is a Marian title that commemorates her grief and solitude on Holy Saturday, the day after Jesus's crucifixion and burial. As a grieving mother, she is a patroness of the bereaved, and a symbol of consolation and contemplation.

Our Lady of Solitude is especially associated with the city of Oaxaca, Mexico, where the local basilica houses an honored statue of her.

“Our Lady of High Grace” honors Mary as the “protective and spiritual mother of the Dominican people.” 

Her feast day on January 21 is a holiday in the Dominican Republic, and her devotion is widespread, not only in the D.R. but also in areas with many Dominican immigrants, such as New York City.

The Virgin of Copacabana is the patron saint of Bolivia, venerated on her feast day of February 2, the day of the Purification of Mary, and on August 5. 

An Indigenous sculptor, Francisco Tito Yupanqui, made this statue out of clay, a moving symbol of Catholic faith and Indigenous identity coming together in the person of Our Lady.

Also associated with Oaxaca, Our Lady of Juquila is a devotion centered on a 16th-century wooden statue of the Virgin Mary. 

The statue survived a fire that destroyed the local village, was restored after a theft, and is associated with other marvelous events.