Church celebrates the Virgin of Guadeloupe - KOAM TV 7

A south west Missouri church celebrates the Virgin Mary with a tradition that has carried on in Mexico, for the last 400 hundred years.

Some danced in a parade, while others brought flowers to the alter at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Webb City.

It's all down to celebrate *the virgin of Guadeloupe* or the virgin Mary.

The story says that a young man brought flowers to an apparition of the Virgin Mary only to find the imagine of her appear on his cloak.

Church members say that although this has been a tradition in Mexico for a long time, it's just now being celebrated here in the four states and that it's important to show appreciation to the Virgin Mary.

"Every year we celebrate this in Mexico but right here in the United States, we started to celebrate right now, maybe ten years ago we don't celebrate the Virgin De Guadeloupe but right now almost every town of the heritage of Mexico celebrates" says Miguel Guillen.

Church youth lead today's mass with a reenactment of the story.