Religious Image or Pop Culture?

<a class="highslide" onclick="return vz.expand(this)" href="http://laprensa-sandiego.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/lady-glpe.JPG">… loading="lazy" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-3791" title="lady glpe" src="http://laprensa-sandiego.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/lady-glpe-212x3…; alt="lady glpe" width="212" height="300" srcset="https://dev-laprensa.pantheonsite.io/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/lady-gl… 212w, https://dev-laprensa.pantheonsite.io/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/lady-gl… 288w" sizes="(max-width: 212px) 100vw, 212px"></a> The day came and went, and throughout dozens of San Diego churches, it was a familiar scene.
Even before the sun peaked, thousands of flowers were already left at the feet of Our Lady of Guadalupe, candles were lit by her side, and followers, one by one, knelled, paid homage and prayed. Officially, December 12th is recognized as the day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, but her image and what she represents is celebrated year round.
Monica Gurmilan, 23, is used to seeing the traditional image of Our Lady of Guadalupe at stores and even in her neighbors’ front yard in San Ysidro, where small statues stand. She has a serene face. Dark skin with dim brown and yellow tones surrounding her.
About two months ago, while crossing the border from Tijuana to San Diego, Monica saw a different image up close: a childlike image of Our Lady of Guadalupe with bright and vibrant colors etched on a thick, long blanket. A salesman was holding it, well over his face, so drivers who waited at the border could see it.
“I was really drawn to it,” says Monica, “I’m obviously not a kid, but I really liked it, it’s bright, cheerful and it’s an image we all know.”
This particular childlike image of Our Lady of Guadalupe has become extremely popular in recent years. Stickers have been made out of it, as well as bracelets, bags, T-shirts, magnets, aprons, chocolates, bibs and pillows to name a few.
“My college roommate wasn’t Catholic,” says Monica, “But she loved the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. It wasn’t necessarily what it represented. She just liked it as art.”
It’s definitely not uncommon to see the impression of Our Lady of Guadalupe on candles sold at local supermarkets or on religious prayer stamps. But, nowadays, her image has surpassed the religious category it was once limited to. Slowly but surely, it’s become an icon that’s made its way into pop culture on both sides of the border.
“It’s a nice way to show your faith without having it too much in your face,” says Monica, “that image of Our Lady of Guadalupe is not imposing.”
For years, Dan Grillo has dealt with the popularity of religious images. In fact, in the last six years, dozens of customers have asked him to tattoo their favorite version of Our Lady of Guadalupe on their skin.
“A lot of it is just trend,” says Grillo, a tattoo artist with blond hair, thick black glasses and tattoos throughout both his arms. “They [the customers] see it everywhere else.”
Dan Grillo works at “Two Roses” tattoo parlor. It’s a unique business in Barrio Logan that combines a coffee shop, a barbershop, and tattoo parlor under one roof. A frame with the image of  “Our Lady of Guadalupe” hangs on one of their walls, and on the main business couch, lays a red pillow with the image of the patroness sown in.
“They see it as a badge of protection,” says Jay Crocket, who estimates he’s done about 100 tattoos of Our Lady of Guadalupe. “It’s almost like they see it as a gateway to heaven.”
But not all those who seek the image are religious. Some of them belong to a gang, and just want to be a part of this cultural icon. Others ask that she be converted into a skeleton or other versions they relate to.
“I once had a customer who considered getting a tattoo of Our Lady of Guadalupe appearing on a slice of toast,” says Crocket, referring or course, to the multiple sightings people have claimed to see in everyday items or places.
It’s also surprising that out of the 100 or so tattoos Jay Crocket has done of Our Lady, not all of them were done on Latinos. “In the last 20 years, I think I’ve had more white kids asking for those tattoos. I would say about 70 percent of them were not Hispanic.”
<figure id="attachment_3792" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3792" style="width: 225px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a class="highslide" onclick="return vz.expand(this)" href="http://laprensa-sandiego.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/two-roses-emplo… loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-3792" title="two roses employee 2" src="http://laprensa-sandiego.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/two-roses-emplo…; alt="Ryan Moore credits La Virgin with saving his life." width="225" height="300" srcset="https://dev-laprensa.pantheonsite.io/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/two-ros… 225w, https://dev-laprensa.pantheonsite.io/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/two-ros… 270w" sizes="(max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-3792" class="wp-caption-text">Ryan Moore credits La Virgin with saving his life.</figcaption></figure>
 For Dan Grillo, just the opposite is true. But both agree on the timelessness of these religious tattoos.
“Someone can get a tattoo of Guadalupe today, and 20 years from now, it will still hold its place. It will still be relevant,” says Crocket.
Ryan Moore, also works at Two Roses. He’s a 28 year old with tattoos showing throughout his upper body. On the left side of his neck, his own version of  “Our Lady of Guada-lupe” stands out. It’s just one of several religious tattoos on his body:
“I’ve never regretted getting so many tattoos,” says Moore. “I love them.”
But for Moore, the reason behind the tattoos is deeper than pop culture.
“A few years back, I was diagnosed with meningitis. I was basically told I was going to die,” he recalls. “When I started getting better, I chose to get these religious tattoos,” he continues, while pointing out some of them, including one that reads “Second chance.”
Be it for religious affiliation or for her mere popularity, “Our Lady of Guadalupe” is standing strong on both sides.
Whether her images are bought out of devotion, or bought or tattooed on to make a customer feel like a better person, or simply to be part of pop culture, it seems the image of  “Our Lady of Guad-alupe” keeps on revolutionizing one’s faith and one’s market wherever she goes….