Event to feature fiesta, procession through the streets of New Haven and book signing

Contact: Andrew Walther, Director of Media Relations, Knights of Columbus, 203-752-4253, 203-824-5412 cell, andrew.walther@kofc.org

NEW HAVEN, Conn., Sept. 8 /Christian Newswire/ -- One of the most revered relics in the United States will visit New Haven Wednesday, Sept. 9 for a Guadalupe Celebration that will begin at St. Mary's Church (5 Hillhouse Ave.) and conclude at the Knights of Columbus Museum (1 State St.).

The relic visited New Haven once before in 2003, and drew thousands of people over a one week period. It is on loan to the Knights of Columbus from the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles.

Our Lady of Guadalupe is one of the most recognizable Catholic images in North and South America.  Her image miraculously appeared on the cloak -- or tilma -- of St. Juan Diego, a native Mexican, in 1531. The origin of the image continues to baffle scientists to this day.

"Our Lady of Guadalupe is an important symbol of unity and love in our hemisphere," said Supreme Knight Carl Anderson, whose book on our Lady of Guadalupe has been on the New York Times bestseller list for several weeks. "Her presence of her relic here in New Haven is a symbol of that unity of faith that transcends whatever differences we may have."

More than a thousand people attended Masses at two parishes in the Diocese of Bridgeport that featured the tilma relic last month. The event in New Haven is expected to draw hundreds of people Wednesday.

The celebratory evening begins with a Mass at St. Mary's Church with Archbishop Henry Mansell of Hartford and Bishop William Lori of Bridgeport at 5 p.m. At 6 p.m. there will be a speech at St. Mary's by Fr. Eduardo Chavez, who oversaw the cause for St. Juan Diego's sainthood, and is a leading expert on both St. Juan Diego and the Virgin of Guadalupe.

At 6:30 p.m., a procession will travel through the streets of New Haven to the Knights of Columbus Museum. There, from 7 - 9 p.m., the faithful will be able to venerate the only relic of the tilma in the United States.

In addition, there will be Mexican food and music, and book signing of Our Lady of Guadalupe: Mother of the Civilization of Love, the New York Times bestseller co-authored by Carl Anderson and Fr. Eduardo Chavez.

Media attendance is welcome.