TYLER, Texas — A group of Catholic parishioners gathered at the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception for a procession honoring the Virgin of Guadalupe in Tyler.
Known to the Hispanic community as la Virgen de Guadalupe, she is an important saint in Mexico. The Virgin Mary is also the mother of Jesus.
The procession was marked with Aztec dancers as part of the celebration. Aztec dancer Luis Ramos has been dancing since he was three years old.
For Ramos, it's become a tradition he and his ancestors continue to follow since December 12, 1531.
In Mexican culture, December 12 is celebrated as the day the Virgin of Guadalupe appeared to an Aztec descent, Juan Bernadino. Ramos said it was to give the indigenous people hope, faith, and love in a time of need.
Ramos said that is where God shows his love towards our community, especially the community in Mexico. The Virgin of Guadalupe is known as the mother of Mexico
As the parishioners marched throughout the Azalea district neighborhood, they sang in prayer and held the Virgin of Guadalupe on their shoulders. Neighbors came out of their houses to see the display.
"I was just so impressed. I still have a big smile on my face. I was so thrilled that I got to see that," said Gean Nolan, a Tyler resident.
Ramos said the Aztec dances are a form of prayer. Their outfits symbolize different aspects of the Aztec culture. The color and shape of the headbands would symbolize a person's hierarchy. The feathers on those headbands would connect the Aztecs to the sun and purify the air around them.
This is a tradition Ramos gets to pass on to his children as inheritance as he said there is no better inheritance than the tradition of this Aztec Dance.