The feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe was celebrated at various diocesan parishes on Friday, Dec. 12. Masses were offered in various parts of the 23-county diocese to honor the Blessed Virgin, who appeared to St. Juan Diego on Tepeyac Hill outside of Mexico City in 1531.

Columbus St. Thomas the Apostle Church was standing room only for Our Lady’s feast day, with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass celebrated by Bishop Earl Fernandes.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and wife Fran pray during Mass celebrated on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

The primarily-Latino congregation also included Gov. Mike DeWine and Ohio’s first lady, Fran DeWine, who are parishioners at St. Thomas.

Mass began with an entrance procession headed by a banner with an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Matachines, a group of Latino dancers garbed in ethnic costumes, also processed into the church.

Bishop Earl Fernandes gives his homily during Mass from the pulpit in front of a shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Fathers Brian Stacy, OFM Cap. (Order of Friars Minor Capuchin), pastor at Columbus Christ the King and St. Thomas, and Anthony Essien, OFP Cap., concelebrated. Bishop Fernandes was also assisted by Tom Phillips, a permanent deacon at the parish.

The Medina family (from left), Mahana, Adriana, Juan and Juan Jr., stand in front an Our Lady of Guadalupe shrine at St. Thomas the Apostle that the family built and gifted to the church.

St. Thomas featured a shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe near the church’s sanctuary. The display was funded and designed by the Medina family. Juan, Adriana, Mahana and Juan Jr. Medina built the shrine as a gift for the parish.

The Mass concluded with a blessing from the bishop. A plenary indulgence, or remission of temporal punishment due for sin – that applies to sins already forgiven – was also granted to the faithful.