Our Lady of Guadalupe mural unveiled at Camarillo church to honor COVID-19 victims
CAMARILLO, Calif. - A special mural of Our Lady of Guadalupe was unveiled in Camarillo Sunday morning in honor of those who died and are affected by COVID-19.
The mural was revealed during an outdoor mass at Padre Serra Parish on Upland Road around 9 a.m.
“It is so fitting that this image of Jesus’ Mother, appearing to comfort the conquered and suffering people of Mexico, should become a symbol for us in the time of our own great struggles,” said Fr. Patrick Mullen, pastor at Padre Serra Parish. “I encourage all to make a little pilgrimage to the image, after its unveiling, to remember this year, to pray for God’s mercy on the deceased, to ask God’s strength and healing for the sick, and to stand with Mary in our own desire to heal the world by God’s grace.”
The magnificent piece was created by sacred artist Lalo Garcia and includes hidden symbols depicting the suffering and challenges people in the world have lived due to the pandemic.
Garcia said faint blue and brick-colored crosses can be seen around the Virgin of Guadalupe commemorating those who died from COVID-19.
A faint face mask can also be seen around the pattern of her corona and a graph is painted at her feet as a reminder of the many waves of the virus that have hit the world.
“This is a very contemporaneous mural,” said Garcia. “As it has been done with other art pieces in this parish, I thought of hiding some symbols in the image of the Virgin to connect it with current times. The angel, for example, is carrying a stethoscope, and he is separated from the Virgin, just as many of us have faced separation from our loved ones due to the pandemic, and just as the Virgin Mary suffered the pain and grief of a forced separation from her beloved son.”
The mural can be seen on the eastern wall of the church building.
For more information about the Padre Serra Church, visit www.padreserra.org.
To view more of Lalo Garcia's artwork, visit www.lalogarcia.com.
