When Cortés and the Spanish conquistadors reached the New World in their search for gold, they found a fabulous but barbaric civilization flourishing in the great Valley of Mexico. The powerful emperor Moctezuma ruled a beautiful city as large as any in Europe—and his priests sacrificed human victims to a fearful god who, they thought, made the sun rise every day.

After years of turbulent fighting, the Spaniards conquered the Aztecs. But while the Indians came to accept the Spanish government, the religion of the Spaniard, with its God of Love, was hard for them to believe in.

Juan Diego, a simple Indian peasant, did believe. And when the Virgin Mary appeared to him dressed as an Indian princess and commanded him to tell the Spanish bishop to build a chapel for her, the power of Juan's faith was great enough to accomplish what she asked . . . in spite of huge obstacles.

Most of the ruling Spaniards thought that the Indian peasants were more like animals than people, and treated them as slaves. How could Juan, who had been a simple farmer all his life, hope to convince them that his story was true? Even the good Bishop Zumarraga could not be sure of the truth when he first heard Juan's wonderful story. He trusted and respected the Indians, but he knew that if the story of such an important event was proved false his position in Mexico would be in jeopardy. He might be able to help the Indians less than before.

Juan returned several times to the desolate hillside where he had first seen the Virgin, and each time she encouraged him to try again. Finally, carrying miraculous evidence of her presence, he convinced the Bishop, the other Spaniards, and the Indians.

The shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe is the monument to the faith of this simple man as well as to the Lady who, by appearing as an Indian and by working miracles in their behalf, welcomed the Indians to the Christian faith.

From the dust jacket