a damnable
heresy. I have in my possession a copy of this precious document,
bearing the signature of Don Alonzo Nunez de Haro y Peralto.

As I learn from the said proclamation that "the adoration of this holy
image" [picture] exists not only in Mexico, but in South America and
Spain, and that it has propagated itself in Italy, Flanders, Germany,
Austria, Bohemia, Poland, Ireland, and Transylvania, I shall be excused
for giving the substance of this miraculous apparition, since it is now
an article of belief of all good Catholics, having been proved before
the Congregation of Rites at Rome to have been a miraculous appearance
of the Mother of God upon earth, in the year and at the place
aforesaid. And the proclamation farther informs us that his holiness,
Benedict XIV., was so fully persuaded of the truth of the tradition,
that he made "cordial devotion to our Lady of Guadalupe, and conceded
the proper mass and ritual of devotion. He also made mention of it in
the lesson of the second _nocturnal_..., declaring from the high throne
of the Vatican that Mary, most holy, _non fecit taliter omni nationi_."

STORY OF JUAN DIEGO.

Juan Diego had a sick father, and, like a good and pious son, he
started for the medicine-man. He was stopped by the Virgin at the spot
where the round house on the extreme right of the picture is situated.
She reproached him with the slowness of the Indians in embracing the
new religion, and at the same time she announced to him the important
fact that she was to be the patron of the Indians, and also charged him
to go and report the same to Zumarraga, who then enjoyed the lucrative
office of Bishop of Mexico. Juan obeyed the heavenly messenger, but
found himself turned out of doors as a lying Indian. The second time he
went for the medicine-man he took another path, but was again stopped
on the way at the spot where the second round house now stands. She now
required him to go a second time to the bishop, and, in order to
convince him of the truth of the story, she directed the Indian to
climb to the top of the rock, where he would find a bunch of roses
growing out of the smooth porphyry. The Indian did as he was commanded,
and finding the roses in the place named, he gathered them in his
_tilma_, and carried them to the bishop. The spot is marked by a small
chapel. On opening his _tilma_ before the bishop and a company of
gentlemen assembled for that purpose, it was found that the roses had
i