A standing room-only crowd turned out for a special Mass on Dec. 9 to welcome a relic of St. Juan Diego to the Shrine of All Saints at St. Martha Church in Morton Grove.

With a mariachi band playing, Father Dennis O’Neill, pastor emeritus of All Saints Parish, installed the relic in a shrine to the right of the altar, which is also home to a large image of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the relics of other Mexican saints, such as St. José Sánchez del Río.

Mary appeared to St. Juan Diego as Our Lady of Guadalupe for the first time at dawn Dec. 9, 1531, at Tepeyac, and said she wanted a church built in her honor on that hill. St. Juan Diego went to the bishop to share this news, but was put off by the prelate.

She appeared again, and the saint — who was called by name by the apparition — again approached the bishop. The bishop asked for a sign, and Mary produced enough roses in December to fill the saint’s cloak, or “tilma.”

When he emptied the roses in front of the bishop, he found that Our Lady had left her image on the tilma, which remains today in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City.

St. John Paul II canonized Juan Diego in 2002.

While the shrine contains the relics of over 3,100 saints, it did not have a relic of St. Juan Diego, said O’Neill, who has spent decades collecting relics of the saints, saving them from closed churches in the Archdiocese of Chicago and from closed churches, chapels and monasteries in Europe. 

Relics include parts of the saints’ physical persons, such as pieces of bone, hair or blood; items that the saints used, including clothing; or items that have come in contact with the saints.

Cardinal Cupich dedicated the shrine in 2015.

Our Lady of Fatima Sister Victoria Utaji has been visiting Chicago for several months and worships at the parish. She attended the Mass to celebrate the special occasion, she said.

“I see this as quite inspiring and encouraging to those of us who come here, because it helps us reflect upon the life of the saints and to try to imitate and following God closely. In a very big way, I see this as something that could inspire us,” she said. 

Rafael Sánchez is a nephew of St. José Sánchez del Río and said having a relic of Juan Diego at the shrine was “amazing.”

“When they made him a saint, there were so many feelings inside that I cannot explain,” Sánchez said.

Just visiting the shrine, which has three relics of his uncle, brings him joy, he said.

“To see all of the relics brings me so much peace. I feel like I’m in heaven because every relic is a piece of heaven on earth. It is amazing to be around all of the relics,” said Sánchez.

Many people who visit the shrine experience that feeling, O’Neill said.

“Just about everyone who comes is overwhelmed. In the last two months, we’ve had over 600 visitors,” O’Neill said. “We’re connecting with our own history. What this is is the complete experience and immersion in the history of the communion of saints. People forget that when God gave human beings to each other … that doesn’t stop with death. The relationships are still there and there’s millions of them and they all want to help.”

For more information about the shrine or to schedule a tour, visit shrineofallsaints.org.