He was a Native American, Aztec, named Cuauhtlatoatzin (Eagle able to speak), but he went by his Spanish name, Juan Diego. He was rounding the hill of Tepeyac, where three days ago he had met that beautiful lady. She looked like a mestiza (Indian and Spanish), and dressed in a long, white tunic with a blue veil or cloak, she said, “Go to the top of the hill, and pick the beautiful flowers there. Put them in your tilma (cloak) and they’ll be that sign your bishop wants.” It was December 12, 1531, a cold day, even twelve miles north of Mexico City.
At the barren top of the hill was a rosebush, with beautiful red blossoms which he picked and dropped in his tilma. (to be continued)
