By Ted Strong
Just above the six different brands of hot sauce and the dehydrated sugar cane juice sit three elaborate statues of the Virgin Mary and a lifelike baby Jesus.

While the babe—just waiting for swaddling clothes—is familiar as part of crèche scenes, the appearance of statues of Jesus’ mother at Don José’s Tienda, 708 W. Rosemary St., represents a distinctly Mexican tradition. As Dec. 12 approaches, the faithful will gather to celebrate the appearance of Mary as Our Lady of Guadalupe.

“All Mexico uses these,” said Gloria Valdez. “Each state has different cultures, but everybody uses that.” Valdez has run Don José’s with her husband, Miguel, for the last three years.

According to Catholic tradition, the virgin of Guadalupe appeared to an indigenous Mexican Christian in the sixteenth century, requesting the construction of a new church and offering blooming flowers mid-winter as miraculous proof for a skeptical bishop.

Since then, her following has grown widely in Mexico.

“The Virgin of Guadalupe is the mother-patron of Mexico,” said John Herrera, member of the Carrboro Board of Aldermen, though he also said that she is important to other Latin American cultures. Valdez said that many people in Mexico have the day off to celebrate.

“It was seen as a sort of affirmation of their own ethnic and national identity,” said Jim Hynes, director of adult and elementary faith development at St. Thomas More Church, 940 Carmichael St., Chapel Hill. “It’s very much a Mexican patriotic feast as much as it is a religious feast.”

And that tradition has followed many Mexicans as they come to the United States. St. Thomas More has a sister parish arrangement Santa Cruz de Juventio Rosas, the Mexican town from which many immigrants come to the Carrboro area. A quarter of the church’s congregation is Hispanic, Hynes said, and the majority of those worshipers are Mexican.

Hynes said that there will be a large celebration after the Spanish-language mass the afternoon of Dec. 10, the Sunday closest to the feast day, including a procession.

In Mexico, some native traditions have fused with the Catholic faith, Herrera said. On Dec. 12, Herrera said the Virgin will be serenaded by a mariachi band, and the devout will perform native dances. And fresh flowers will be put around statues of the virgin.

Each of Valdez’s statues is at least a foot tall. Mary appears luxuriantly robed in green and with a golden aura radiating behind her.

Different religious figures appear with Mary. One statue features Jesus and an angel. Another has just the angel. In the third, Mary is accompanied by Pope Benedict XVI.

From below Mary’s feet rise two horns, representing the Devil.

“The devil has to stay on the bottom,” explained Valdez.