Thousands of Roman Catholics attended the annual somber closing mass at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Des Plaines, with personal stories and traditions inspiring the largest gathering of its kind outside of Mexico. Emotional tributes to the Virgin Mary were shared by families, including one visitor whose grandmother’s passing on the same day made the event particularly meaningful. Despite blistering cold temperatures, attendees expressed unwavering devotion to the Virgin Mary, with a ceremonial series of events commencing the day before and hundreds of thousands expected to have visited the sacred space this year.
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