The Latino Ministry Office of the Diocese of Columbus is sponsoring a celebration of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe for all diocesan parishes from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Dec. 11 at Westerville St. Paul Church, 313 N. State St.

The event will be entirely in Spanish and will include Mass, music, dancing and more. The featured speaker will be Sister Ana Gonzalez, OP, a member of the Dominican Sisters of Peace who immigrated with her family from Mexico to Texas when she was a child. She made her final vows as a sister earlier this year and serves as coordinator of international admissions at Albertus Magnus College in New Haven, Connecticut.

In addition, several diocesan parishes are planning special Masses and other events, mainly on the actual feast day, Sunday, Dec. 12, with some on Saturday, Dec. 11 or on other days. Dec. 12 is the anniversary of the third and final apparition of the Blessed Virgin to St. Juan Diego in 1531 at Tepeyac Hill, near Mexico City. Some parish programs will include the “Happy Birthday” serenades to Mary that are known as mananitas. 

The schedule for activities related to the feast throughout the diocese is as follows: 

Parroquia Santa Cruz, Columbus – Novena to the Virgin of Guadalupe, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 3, followed by Mass and continuing daily until 8:30 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 11, followed by Mass. Procession starting at the COTA Park and Ride stop, 4939 N. High St., traveling 3.9 miles down High Street and Patterson Avenue to Holy Name Church, 154 E. Patterson Ave., 8 a.m. Dec. 12, with Mass at noon. All Masses in Spanish   

Columbus Christ the King – Mananitas, 10 p.m. to midnight Dec. 11; procession from Columbus St. Philip Church to Christ the King, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Dec. 12, followed by Mass at church and reception in All Saints Elementary School cafeteria, featuring a dramatization of Mary’s appearance to St. Juan Diego

Columbus St. James the Less – Mananitas, 6 a.m. Dec. 12, with Mass at 12:30 p.m., followed by a procession around the church and food and celebration in the school cafeteria 

Columbus St. Peter – Dinner, 6:30 p.m. Dec. 11, followed by dramatization of Mary’s appearance at 9, dancing at 10:30, rosary at 11:30 and mananitas. Posadas, which re-create Mary and Joseph’s search for a place to stay in Bethlehem, will take place at 7 p.m. from Thursday, Dec. 16 to Thursday, Dec. 23 in the Blue Room

Columbus St. Mary, Mother of God (German Village) – Procession, 12:30 p.m. Dec. 12, followed by Mass at 1 and celebration in school gym

Columbus St. Stephen the Martyr – Procession starting at 9 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 5 from church’s upper parking lot to corner of Sullivant Avenue and Georgesville Road and back, followed by Mass at noon. Dramatization of Mary’s appearance. 10 p.m. Dec. 11, followed by vigil Mass in Spanish at 11 and mananitas at midnight. Mananitas, 5 a.m. Dec. 12, followed by Masses in Spanish at 5:30, 8 and 11:30 a.m. and 1 and 7 p.m. and in English at 10 a.m. 

Columbus St. Thomas the Apostle – Procession from back entrance of Mann’s Trailer Park and Sixth Avenue to church, 9 a.m. Dec. 12, followed by Mass in Spanish at 11 

Delaware St. Mary – Rosary, 1 p.m. Dec. 12, followed by procession at 1:30, Mass at 2 and food and celebration in the school

Dover St. Joseph – Mananitas. 9 p.m. Dec. 11, followed by traditional foods the following morning. Posadas, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 16 to Friday, Dec. 24

Kenton Immaculate Conception – Procession, 6:30 p.m. Dec. 12, followed by Mass in Spanish at 7 and food and celebration at 8 

Marion St. Mary – Eucharistic Adoration, 7 p.m. Dec. 11 to 6:30 a.m. Dec. 12, ending with rosary and mananitas; 2-mile procession from Crescent Heights Road to church, 11 a.m. Dec. 12, followed by traditional dancing at 12:30 p.m. and Mass at 1

Portsmouth Holy Redeemer – Mass, 4:30 p.m. Dec. 12, followed by mananitas at 5:30 and potluck dinner.