Pilgrims make annual visits to Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Each year, the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Des Plaines hosts over 150,000 people making pilgrimages in honor of Our Lady. On Dec. 3, 2022, hundreds of riders on horseback started a pilgrimage in a forest preserve and rode to the shrine to place roses at the image of Mary. Later that evening, hundreds of tractor trailer drivers brought their decorated trucks to the shrine for their own pilgrimage. A week of events culminated with the celebrations on Dec. 11-12, 2022. (Karen Callaway and Cyndy Flores-Mocarski/Chicago Catholic)

Members of Club Los Vaqueros Unidos (United Cowboy Club) in Wadsworth and riders from as far away as Michigan, Wisconsin and Iowa, make their way to place a rose at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Des Plaines on Dec. 3, 2022 as part of a pre-celebration for the feast day on Dec 11-12. The riders begin their pilgrimage with Mass in a forest preserve in Northbrook to make their journey to the shrine. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

A rider practices with a lasso. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

(Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

Riders approach the outdoor shrine and lay their roses before the image and receive a blessing. (Cyndy Flores-Mocarski/Chicago Catholic)

(Cyndy Flores-Mocarski/Chicago Catholic)

Family and friends joined the riders at the shrine. (Cyndy Flores-Mocarski/Chicago Catholic)

(Cyndy Flores-Mocarski/Chicago Catholic)

A rider places a rose at the shrine. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

A priest blesses the riders. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

(Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

(Cyndy Flores-Mocarski/Chicago Catholic)

On the evening of Dec. 3, 2022, hundreds of tractor trailer drivers brought their decorated trucks to the shrine for their own pilgrimage. (Cyndy Flores-Mocarski/Chicago Catholic)

(Cyndy Flores-Mocarski/Chicago Catholic)

A man holds a statue of the infant Jesus. Cardinal Cupich was the main celebrant during a Mass at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Des Plaines on Dec. 11, 2022. More than 200,000 people make a pilgrimage to the shrine each year for feast day on Dec. 11-12 which celebrates the appearance of Mary to indigenous peasant St. Juan Diego in 1531 near present-day Mexico City. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

Cardinal Cupich incenses the altar. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

Cardinal Cupich receives the gifts. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

The cardinal raises the cup. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

A woman snuggles a child during Mass. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

(Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

The cardinal blesses volunteers following Mass. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)

Pilgrims make their way through the new main entrance the at Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Des Plaines on Dec. 11, 2022. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)