Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe - 2013

Jesus Arias from Gurnee carries a banner of Our Lady of Guadalupe in the Dec. 8 procession. (Karen Callaway / Catholic New World)

Club members make their way past the outdoor shrine and lay roses on the snowy Dec. 8 day. (Karen Callaway / Catholic New World)

The members wore traditional Mexican cowboy attire for the procession. (Karen Callaway / Catholic New World)

A young boy on a pony joins the procession. (Karen Callaway / Catholic New World)

A young cowboy smiles while joining a procession on Dec. 8. (Karen Callaway / Catholic New World)

Members of "Club Los Vaqueros Unidos " (United Cowboy Club) of Wadsworth, Ill., wait for a blessing after more than 100 horses made their way past the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Des Plaines on Dec. 8. The procession was part of a pre-celebration for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on Dec 12. More than 100,000 people make a pilgrimage to the shrine each year for the feast, which celebrates the appearance of Mary to indigenous peasant St. Juan Diego in 1531 near present-day Mexico City. (Karen Callaway / Catholic New World)

Birds are released after Father Marco Mercado, rector of the shrine, blesses the horses and riders. (Karen Callaway / Catholic New World)

Father Mercado greet hundreds of Catholics representing Hispanic parishes throughout the Archdiocese of Chicago as part of the "antorcha Guadalupana," Guadalupe torch run, on Dec. 11. (Karen Callaway / Catholic New World)

Father Gary Graf (left) and parishioners from St. Gall are second to arrive at the shrine to light the torch to take back to their parish on the eve of the feast day Our Lady of Guadalupe. Father Marco Mercado blesses torches that hundreds of Catholics representing Hispanic parishes throughout the Archdiocese of Chicago carried as part of the "antorcha Guadalupana," Guadalupe torch run, on Dec. 11. (Karen Callaway / Catholic New World)

Dancers perform on the side of the shrine as a tribute to Our Lady of Guadalupe on Dec. 11. Festivities began at the shrine at 5 p.m. on Dec. 11 and carried through until the closing Mass on the evening of Dec. 12. (Karen Callaway / Catholic New World)

Members of St. Jerome Parish head back to their parish on foot after visiting the shrine to light their torch on Dec. 11. (Karen Callaway / Catholic New World)

18 of 23 Catalina Almos lights a candle near the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe following the closing Mass on Dec. 12. (Karen Callaway / Catholic New World)

Oralia and Mario Garcia and Ramiro Jimenez join a combined musical group from several parishes as Father Mercado celebrates the closing Mass at the shrine on Dec. 12. (Karen Callaway / Catholic New World)

Worshippers pray during the closing Mass on Dec. 12. More than 100,000 people braved frigid temperatures to participate in events marking the feast at the Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine the evening before. (Karen Callaway / Catholic New World)

Father Mercado receives a tilma with the image of Our Lady (placed on the altar) following the closing on Dec. 12. (Karen Callaway / Catholic New World)

Father Mercado and assisting priests from the shrine serenade Our Lady of Guadalupe following the closing Mass on Dec. 12. (Karen Callaway / Catholic New World)