Shrine Coordinator Donna Gardner, said: “The relic image has been based at the Shrine in Holy Child and St Joseph Church in Bedford since September 29, 2012, when it was gifted to the Northamptonshire Diocese by Cardinal Vincent Nichols. It is one of 220 digital reproductions commissioned by Pope John Paul II following his visit to Mexico in 1979 and produced so as to share the image with all the countries of the world.
“The images were all touched to the original Miraculous Image and so bear the same graces as the original. The Image miraculously appeared on the cactus cloth cloak of Juan Diego following Our Lady’s appearance to him in December 1531. It has been examined by scientists and has no brush strokes, no deterioration of colouring after nearly 500 years and contains unidentified colour pigmentation amongst many interesting facts.”
More information is available during the visit or on the website:
www.relicourladyofguadalupe.co.uk
Pictured above is the Relic Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.