GUADALUPE MEDALS. 



249 



conclave of ecclesiastics convened for the pur- 

 pose, he pronounced it the image of La ver- 

 dadera Virgen and protectress of JMexico. A 

 splendid chapel was soon after erected upon 

 the spot designated in the mandate, in which 

 the miraculous painting was deposited, where 

 it is preserved to the present day. In the 

 suburbs of every principal city in the repub- 

 lic, there is now a chapel specially dedicated 

 to Nuestra Senoia de Guadalupe, where coarse 

 resemblances of the original picture are to 

 be seen. Rough paintings of the same, of 

 Various dimensions, are also to be met with 

 in nearly every dwelhng, from the palace to 

 the most miserable hovel. The image, with 

 an adapted motto, has also been stamped 

 upon medals, which are swung about the 

 necks of the fliithful.* 



accorapanying cut represents both sides of a medal of 

 ScHora de Gitadahtpe de Mexico;' of which, as I have 



• The 



l»een informed, 216,000 were^ struck at Birmingham 



1831, designed for the Mexican market. Similar medals are worn 



by nearly nine- tenths of the population of Northern Mexico 



one Bide, as will be seen, the Virgin is represented in her star- 



Oa 



