Parishioners say for decades it was an inspirational sight behind the church altar: A mural of the Virgin of Guadalupe, the patron saint of Mexico, depicting when she appeared to an Indian peasant in 1531.
But now a Denver priest's decision to build a wall to block the mural is stirring powerful emotions and threatening to strain the Catholic Church's relationship with the Hispanic community here, who see the Virgin as a symbol of love, hope and equality.
"We have heard from people in the parish and in the broader Hispanic community that they support the renovations and find it beautiful. The protesters are fewer than those who support the decision," DeMelo, a spokeswoman for the archdiocese, said in a statement.
"This decision was not a denial of the mural's value to the parish's history, or a rejection of the artist's original intent. It simply gave the tabernacle the central focus it deserves."
A few feet now separates the white wall, finished in December, from the mural. DeMelo said is still "open and accessible" to those who want to see it.
However, she said Hernandez would not allow press to photograph the mural, saying the church is a "place of worship."
The archdiocese also did not allow media to accompany the procession of people at its campus as they delivered their letter Tuesday.
Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput has criticized the group for going to the media, which DeMelo said they're using to "express their concern rather than going through the proper channels."
United Faithful members are adamant that the mural should not be blocked and in the letter addressed to Chaput they urged him to "tear down the Guadalupe wall!"
"The wall is an affront to our faith and heritage," the letter said.
The church, built in 1948, has long been a center for Hispanic political activism and culture.
Tom Noel, a history professor at the University of Colorado at Denver, said one of its former priests was known to wear the United Farm Workers' eagle on the back of his red sackcloth chasuble while conducting Mass. Some of the church's congregants went on to hold local political offices.
The church has also been a gathering place for Hispanics to celebrate during Christmas time with song and food and street performances re-enacting Mary and Joseph's door-to-door search for shelter for Christ's birth.
In 1977, Denver artist Carlota EspinoZa, painted the Virgin's mural at the suggestion of the priest at the time.
EspinoZa, who said she had a vision of the Virgin of Guadalupe years earlier, painted a mural showing the Virgin with the Indian Juan Diego kneeling beside her on a hill near Mexico City.
According to church tradition, the Virgin left an olive-skinned image of herself of Juan Diego's cloak, helping draw Mexico's Indian population to the Catholic faith shortly after it was introduced by invading Spaniards. Juan Pope John Paul II canonized Juan Diego in 2002.
"Top put a wall in front of her, I thought it was kind of sacrilegious," EspinoZa said.
Many Hispanic Catholics are fiercely loyal to the Virgin of Guadalupe, whom the Catholic Church declared the patron saint of all the Americas.
"La Virgen de Guadalupe is the blessed mother and she is our blessed mother not only in Mexico, not only in Denver, Colorado, not only New York City — la Virgen de Guadalupe is everywhere all over the world," said Dr. Marta Urioste, who for 40 years has attended the Denver church on Dec. 12 to celebrate the apparition to Juan Diego.
"And so for someone to decide that our Lady of Guadalupe can no longer be on that wall is totally disrespectful."
Gloria Fuentes, 51, who has attended the church for more than 30 years, said she supports the decision to build the wall to make Christ the focal point of the altar.
"Because the church is Christ," she said. "Our lady is his mother and she's very, very important, but Christ is our church."
SIC: DN/USA
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