Catholics from across the Rio Grande Valley will be gathering at the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan to celebrate The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

It's one of the biggest celebrations for thousands of Catholic families in the community that lasts two days in San Juan.

Tuesday is one of the most important days on the Catholic calendar; it's the annual Feast of our Lady of Guadalupe. It honors the day when Mary, the mother of Jesus, appeared to indigenous Juan Diego in Mexico City back in 1531.

Rector of the Basilica, Father Jorge Gomez, says she came to offer faith and hope to the oppressed natives of Mexico and to reconcile them with their Spanish rulers.

"Since that moment, the natives came to see her, and they converted to Christianity because they saw all the symbolism in her statue of our Lady Guadalupe and 500 years later, we still come to her asking for miracles and especially now when the world is going through different wars," Father Gomez said.

For many Mexicans and Mexican-Americans, it's also why our Lady of Guadalupe remains a powerful symbol of Mexican identity and faith.

Her image is associated with everything from motherhood to feminism to social justice, and many will show their profound love and gratitude for La Virgen Morena beginning Monday night.

Father Gomez says they are expecting around 3,000 people from all over the Valley to attend the event.

The event begins Monday night at 8 p.m. with mariachi playing music then a rosary and Las Mañanitas at 11 p.m. followed by a midnight mass.

The Basilica will then hold a 7 p.m. mass on Tuesday.

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