Showing posts with label tilma. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tilma. Show all posts

Friday, December 12, 2014

The Amazing and Miraculous Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe


Published on Dec 12, 2012
Phoenix, Ariz., Aug 7, 2009 / 04:10 pm (CNA).- Researcher and physicist Dr. Aldofo Orozco told participants at the International Marian Congress on Our Lady of Guadalupe that there is no scientific explanation for the 478 years of high quality-preservation of the Tilma or for the miracles that have occurred to ensure its preservation.

Dr. Orozco began his talk by confirming that the conservation of the Tilma, the cloak of St. Juan Diego on which Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared 478 years ago, "is completely beyond any scientific explanation."

"All the cloths similar to the Tilma that have been placed in the salty and humid environment around the Basilica have lasted no more than ten years," he explained. One painting of the miraculous image, created in 1789, was on display in a church near the basilica where the Tilma was placed. "This painting was made with the best techniques of its time, the copy was beautiful and made with a fabric very similar to that of the Tilma. Also, the image was protected with a glass since it was first placed there."

However, eight years later, the copy of the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe was thrown away because the colors were fading and threads were breaking. In contrast, Orozco said, "the original Tilma was exposed for approximately 116 years without any kind of protection, receiving all the infrared and ultraviolet radiation from the tens of thousands of candles near it and exposed to the humid and salty air around the temple."

Dr. Orozco then discussed the Tilma's fabric. He noted that "one of the most bizarre characteristics of the cloth is that the back side is rough and coarse, but the front side is 'as soft as the most pure silk, as noted by painters and scientists in 1666, and confirmed one century later in 1751 by the Mexican painter, Miguel Cabrera."

Following an analysis of some of the fibers in 1946, it was concluded that the fibers came from the Agave plant, however, noted Dr. Orozco, the researchers couldn't figure out which of the 175 Agave species the Tilma was made from. Years later, in 1975, "the famous Mexican researcher Ernesto Sodi Pallares said that the species of the agave was Agave popotule Zacc," Orozco explained, "but we don't know how he reached this conclusion."

Before concluding his presentation, Dr. Orozco made mention of two miracles associated with the Tilma.

The first occurred in 1785 when a worker accidentally spilled a 50 percent nitric acid solvent on the right side of the cloth. "Besides any natural explanation, the acid has not destroyed the fabric of the cloth, indeed it has not even destroyed the colored parts of the image," Orozco said.

The second miracle was the explosion of a bomb near the Tilma in 1921. Dr. Orozco recalled that the explosion broke the marble floor and widows 150 meters from the explosion, but "unexpectedly, neither the Tilma nor the normal glass that protected the Tilma was damaged or broken." The only damage near it was a brass crucifix that was twisted by the blast.

He continued, "There are no explanations why the shockwave that broke windows 150 meters afar did not destroy the normal glass that protected the image. Some people said that the Son by means of the brass crucifix protected the image of His Mother. The real fact is that we don't have a natural explanation for this event."

Dr. Orozco thanked the audience for listening to his presentation and closed by reassuring them that "Our Lady visited Mexico 478 years ago, but she remains there to give Her Love, Her Mercy and Her Care to anyone who needs it, and to bring Her Son, Jesus Christ to everyone who receives Him."

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

In memory of St. Juan Diego's feast day, today

St. Juan Diego is very closely linked to our Lady.  In his memory, I think it is appropriate to review in Scripture, the sign that he received and which was depicted on his mantle, the Tilma of Our Lady, and which, to my mind, authenticates his revelation.

St. John's book of Revelations

Rv 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab

God's temple in heaven was opened,

and the ark of his covenant could be seen in the temple.
The Ark of the Covenant is a pre-figuring of the Mother of God.  Why?
1.  The Ark of the Covenant contained the Manna or the Bread of Heaven.
Mary contained, in her womb, Jesus the True Bread of Heaven.
2.  The Ark of the Covenant contained staff of Aaron which symbolized the Asronic His Priesthood.
Mary contained, in her womb, the eternal High Priest, Jesus.

3.  The Ark of the Covenant contained the Word of God carved by the finger of God into stone tablets.
Mary contained, in her womb, the Word of God made flesh.

That is why Mary is called the Ark of the New Covenant.

A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun,
with the moon under her feet,  

and on her head a crown of twelve stars. 
She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth.
This is the sign which was given to St. Juan Diego.  Along with the Shroud, the Mantle of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a powerful sign given us by God.

It also confirms the doctrines of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, the Crowning of the Virgin Mary as Queen of Heaven and the Virgin Mary as Mother of God. 

Then another sign appeared in the sky;
it was a huge red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns,
and on its heads were seven diadems.
Its tail swept away a third of the stars in the sky
and hurled them down to the earth.
This dragon is Satan, who is attempting to kill the Christ.

Then the dragon stood before the woman about to give birth,
to devour her child when she gave birth.
She gave birth to a son, a male child,
destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod.
Her child was caught up to God and his throne.
Jesus, although He was killed on the Cross, overcame death and was ascended into heaven.
The woman herself fled into the desert
where she had a place prepared by God.
In his prophetic way of speaking, St. John goes back and forth in time.  Here he mentions the evacuation of Mary with Jesus and Joseph to the desert of Egypt.  Egypt is a desert literally speaking and spiritually, because it was a land of gentiles where God was not recognized.

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
"Now have salvation and power come,
and the Kingdom of our God
and the authority of his Anointed."
And when the Dragon was defeated, the voice of an Angel rang out in heaven to declare the victory.