A Catholic's Wet Dream

Taking the same route as the 7 million people expected to visit Virgen de Guadalupe's birthday celebration in Mexico City last week, we arrived to the Basilica walking by Calzada de los Misterios, next to other hundreds of thousands that left everything behind to travel here and be on time to sing Happy Birthday to their dear patron virgin.

After a tight walk through the Virgin of Guadalupe's miraculous image and shrine, we wandered outside the church. Among the swarm of pilgrims camping out, completely exhausted, faithfully sleeping next to their virgin's image, a Gregorian chant blasted from the Basilica's exterior speakers, giving us that weird feeling that the Apocalypse had just happened and this holy place was the last place standing in Mexico City.

WORDS: DAVID MURRIETA
PHOTOS: TONI FRANÇOIS