Hundreds of thousands to flock to Des Plaines for largest Our Lady of Guadalupe pilgrimage in US

DES PLAINES, Ill. (WLS) -- The celebration honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe is underway.

There has been a steady stream of faithful pouring in to make their prayers and receive their blessings in Des Plaines.

A bed of flowers surround the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

"I'm very thankful of Our Lady of Guadalupe," said Lourdes Caybot.

"We keep coming to thank God," added Rosalind Palma.

The two-day celebration traditionally attracts hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from around the Chicago area and from around the country.

The celebration will feature multiple masses, music, and folkloric dance performance, all dedicated to paying homage to the Patroness of Americas.

The celebration at the Des Plaines shrine is the largest gathering of pilgrims honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe in the United States.

"Just coming and getting to see the Virgin Mary every year, and being able to see her and get blessed and everything is a wonderful experience," said Ana Navarro, who walked from Maywood. "It feels really good inside just being able to do it and coming here every year and being able to see and experience this, it's just a beautiful feeling."

This year Navarro made the 15-mile trip by foot with her family.

"I've been walking for five hours, all the way from Maywood -Lake Street and First Avenue," Navarro said.

This is Rosalind and her aunt Lourdes' fifth year making the pilgrimage.

"Way back in the Philippines we grow up having devotion with the Blessed Virgin so its a lot for me," Palma said.

With each answered prayer, the family says, their faith is restored.

"Whatever I ask her, she gives it to me, so my petition was granted and I tell my friend ever since every year we come here," Caybot said.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims come in mass on foot, bike, bus and car for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, who appeared to Saint Juan Diego in Mexico City in 1531.

"Something is calling them. People are coming because they find this place to be welcoming and it's a home for them. It's a spiritual home, its a place they can breathe, a place they can feel a little bit of the music, that they know where they are coming from, the flavors and the sounds and the music and the dancing," said Very Rev. Esequiel Sanchez. "Everyone that comes here asking for a blessing that you see, they want that blessing there's a power beyond them that says that I hope my year goes well. It's a blessing for the year."

There was a mass Sunday night, which Cardinal Blase Cupich will be the main celebrant, followed by a fireworks display as part of the holy celebration.

The holy celebration continues overnight into Monday night.

You can watch a live stream of the Our Lady of Guadalupe festivities in Des Plaines HERE.