For Edgar Vera, celebrating Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe, or the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, reminds him of home.
“It just makes me really happy to have a little bit of Mexican culture here in Juneau,” he said. “We’re so far away that it’s really special to have a little taste of what home is like.”
On Sunday, he sat in the long wooden church pews alongside more than 100 people at St. Paul Catholic Church. The rhythm of live music echoed off the high ceilings and played intermittently as the priest led Mass in Spanish. A portrait of the saint stood at the entrance.
Vera moved to Juneau from Mexico City with his family seven years ago. Now he’s a senior at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé and captain of the cross-country team. Each year on Dec. 12, his family spends their day commemorating Our Lady of Guadalupe, the patron saint of Mexico.
The Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a national holiday in Mexico. It honors the day when Catholics believe the Virgin Mary appeared before Juan Diego, a Mexican peasant and farmer, in 1531. People of Mexican heritage often regard the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe as a symbol of religious devotion.
Last year, more than three million people in Mexico made the pilgrimage to the saint’s dedicated basilica. This year in Juneau, Hispanic and non-Hispanic residents joined together at St. Paul Catholic Church to honor her.
The Juneau celebration was held two days before the actual feast day so more people could join in. There was a Spanish mass, a play depicting the story of Juan Diego’s meeting and a dinner full of Mexican staples.
The Juneau Hispanic Ministry organized the event. The group invites people to learn more about Hispanic culture and traditions. Delores Cervantes, who coordinates the group, moved to Juneau from Mexico in 1995. She said each year the celebration attracts more residents, not just from the Hispanic community, but across all groups.
“It’s very important because this represents my culture, and also brings the community together,” she said. “Our goal is to have more people involved and more people attending our celebration – no matter if you are white, Hispanic, Native – we want them all here.”
Since arriving in Juneau nearly 30 years ago, she said she’s seen a shift in the number of people moving from Mexico to Juneau. U.S. Census data shows that Juneau’s Hispanic population has more than doubled in the past 20 years.
Cervantes said now instead of people coming alone to seek jobs, they’re starting to bring their whole families.
Alex Vargas did just that. He moved to Juneau in 2014 with his wife and five kids. He serves as the director of music for the church’s weekly Spanish mass. He said moving to Juneau was a big step, but one he’s happy he made.
“I got used to it so quick. I like the nature, I like the place, I like the weather,” he said. “In Mexico it’s so warm, here is better for me.”
He said having a chance to celebrate his culture with his children is important so that they remember where they come from. He said he’s already excited for next year’s celebration and hopes more people will join in.
“It’s growing the culture, and the people from Mexico is growing here in Juneau,” he said. “We’re glad that more people came to the church and celebrate this important thing for us.”
