Since the time of Benedict XVI, it has been a tradition that the Vatican holds a special celebration for the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Pope Francis has been following on this tradition since 2014. He will preside over this liturgical ceremony in Spanish at St. Peter's Basilica.
Last year he focused on denouncing the ideological colonization suffered by Latin American people.
POPE FRANCIS
“Our fertility demands the defense of our people from an ideological colonization that does away with the richest of them – whether indigenous, African American, mixed, rural or suburban.”
Each year a guest choir is in charge of bringing joy to the celebration. In the past there has been heard prayers in Quechua or Nahuatl; and compositions such as the Agnus Dei by indigenous Francisco Varay and the Misa Criolla by Ariel Ramírez.
This year there will be two choirs. These are the Sistine Chapel and Colegio Pío Latino Americano choirs. This is because the Colegio Pío is celebrating its 160th anniversary.
The ceremony will be attended by Latin Americans living in Italy as well as those passing through, either for vacation or work. Everyone is invited to a special celebration presided over by the first Latin American pope in history.
