"The Miracle Roses" "We thank the following people and institutions" "For their collaboration in the making of this film:" "Tenochtitlán The great Aztec capital" "Of the ancient empire of Montezuma" "In the year 1519" "Experienced a strange phenomenon" "The appearance in the sky of a comet of ill omen" "That foretold bad things to come" "A new portent falls over my kingdom:" "The gods of the sky fix their arrows over my heart" "Mystery covers us tonight" "Superstitious spirits like that of Montezuma" "Always surrounded by powerful enemies like the Plazcaltecs and the Huejotzincas" "Had to be extremely sensitive to omens" "Any natural phenomenon" "Signified war, catastrophes" "Or strange powers that came out of the darkness to destroy him" "Or to destroy his beloved people" "Techotlala, you who divine by the voice of the stars" "And who know the mysteries of the times" "Tell me, what strange news are our gods sending" "With that luminous wanderer?" "It is my wish that you gather your diviners" "To study the voice of the stars" "And find out for me the message of that celestial traveller." "Lord King Montezuma" "Your orders shall be carried out" "Snails announce dark omens" "Citlali, my rich feather, don't go" "These are evil days" "Don't be afraid." "I'll be back soon, my precious stone" "Remember that when it is dark" "Your footprints should not be found on the path" "The night is clear and by order of the gods" "I'm going to pick the flowers of the moon in the garden" "To offer them tomorrow on the altars" "You shouldn't lie to your old nanny" "You're going to see Nanahuatzin" "The Huejotzinca prince" "The gods will not be pleased" "I'll go with you" "Don't follow me, nanny" "I'm going alone to follow my destiny" "My precious stone, you shouldn't see him" "The anger of your father, Lord Montezuma, will be great if he comes to know of it" "No, not if you keep quiet" "Nanahuatzin!" " Citlali!" "Impossible" "I'm telling the truth" "May the gods punish me if I'm lying" "Time passes slowly when you're not by my side" "Why must destiny be fulfilled with a man who isn't of my people" "We were born under the same destiny" "And the providence that marked your fate" "Has marked mine too" "But your people enemy to my people" "True" "Nevertheless, our lives are united by order of the gods" "And by the divining of our signs" "And no other love can ever fit in our hearts" "Now my destiny will by yours" "This is my promise" "The amulet that links my life to yours" "And this is my promise" "And the amulet that links my life to yours" "You should go" "Your life is in danger here" "Tomorrow when the moon appears" "I'll be by your side again" "I fear for you" "My father, Lord Montezuma" "Will never forgive you" "I will try so that my people makes peace with Montezuma" "The smoking star says nothing" "About the death of any prince or any king" "Your words are true, Techotlala" "But you shouldn't forget" "That we are in the five dark days" "That precede the end of our century" "Many misfortunes can happen to us" "On these five fateful days" "Of which nothing is told in the accounts of time" "It is war" "Lord King Montezuma" "War awaits your armies" "Enemies offend your honour" "Who?" "The Tlaxcaltecas perhaps?" "Or the Huejotzincas?" "Citlali" "How dare you enter this precinct without my authorisation?" "Father and Lord" "Forgive me, but I have something important to talk to you about" "Speak" "I'm your youngest legitimate daughter" "And it is my duty to tell you that I..." "Lord, powerful Lord" "Many fateful omens have fallen over your empire" "And I've come to inform you of one more" "What has happened?" "A son of the Huejotzinca king" "The prince Nanahuatzin" "Your deadliest enemy, Lord" "Has promised matrimony" "To your daughter Citlali" "Impossible" "No woman of my kingdom" "Can be wife of a Huejotzinca" "Tell me" "Is what he said true?" "Lord" "An alliance with the Huejotzinca kingdom" "Would enlarge your kingdom" "He wants peace with you" "You will never link your destiny" "To that of the son of one of my worst enemies" "Father and Lord Montezuma" "The love which joins Nanahuatzin and I" "Will be for his people's good" "And ours" "Tlalquetatzin, you, as the chief of my armies" "Give your opinion" "Great Lord" "This is the best moment to avenge the offenses that have been done to you by Lahuicotu, king of the Huejotzinca" "Put on your insignia of war" "And go out in combat against them" "I want Nanahuatzin taken prisoner" "If this is your will" "I will have to die, Lord" "Tlalquetatzin, make the call to war" "The flower of love rests in my hands" "I bring it as an offering to my mother, Cihuacoatl" "Lightning is bursting is over us" "Because the order has been given for war" "If you would live forever" "If you would never die" "Don't let the earth be dyed red" "Don't abandon us" "Protect my beloved" "Mother of the Earth who governs death" "From Tutlocal to Ventepeyocatl" "Citlali" "The gods grant me the favour of finding myself with you" "Lord, you know it is not allowed for you to talk with me alone" "I'm going to war, Citlali" "But before I go, I want to say what my eyes have expressed" "I want you to be my wife" "You are worthy, as a prince and a brave warrior" "So that my heart would belong to yours" "But my life is joined to another man" "By mandate of the divine omens" "Look" " This is his promise and his amulet" "I know" "It was given by Nanahuatzin the Huejotzinca" "But he will die soon" "And the augury will be broken" "If that happens, I'll die too" "My destiny is written:" "Join myself to Nanahuatzin" "Or die" "Lord Huitzilopochtli" "Strengthen the arms of our warriors" "So that they may defeat our enemies" "The Huejotzincas" "Lord" "Let your spirit remain calm" "Our armies are powerful" "And will annihilate the Huejotzincas" "The army which Montezuma sends against us is numerous, Lord" "The efforts of my father to avoid war were all in vain" "We won't be able to defend ourselves" "We will die with you, Nanahuatzin" "If my insignia of warrior prince is cast down" "It will be the sign of my defeat and death" "And you will not continue fighting" "Give the order to set out" "Lord, there is the prince Nanahuatzin" "Lord" "I have the great joy of informing you" "That for the honour and greatness of your empire" "And of your royal person" "The brave Aztec armies" "Have defeated the Huejotzincas" "These humble gifts I offer you" "Are testimony of victory" "Your gifts are beautiful, prince Tlaltecatzin" "So much so that I feel some obligation towards you" "The army you placed in my hands was powerful, Lord" "We took many prisoners" "Among them" "Prince Nanahuatzin" "Prince Nanahuatzin" "Yes, Lord" "He fought with a brave heart" "And he will be treated as a man of courage" "And you" "As a worthy warrior chief of my armies" "Will receive the honours the empire owes you." "I feel unworthy to receive any of your favours, Lord" "But with humility I beg of you" "To give to me in matrimony the richest jewel of your palace" "Your daughter Citlali" "You are worthy of this high honour" "For your courage and heroism" "But you must wait until after the grand celebration" "In which the gods will reveal your destiny" "It is my wish that prince Nanahuatzin" "Come into my presence" "Are you prince Nanahuatzin?" "Yes, Lord" "And now your slave" "I know of your courage in the arts of war" "But you should remember that to reach a star" "You must be an Aztec eagle" "Not a Huejotzinca ocelot" "Great lord" "It is the will of the gods and not mine" "That my destiny be fulfilled" "I was born of eagle lineage" "And my name informs you that I am the son of the Sun" "However, having become your prisoner" "I am ready to die" "Prince Nanahuatzin" "Should die in homage to our mother Coatlicue" "Father and Lord" "Don't light the fire of your anger" "But if it is your will" "That prince Nanahuatzin be sacrificed" "It is my destiny to follow him to the mansion of eternal shadows" "I have expressed my desire" "No, Nanahuatzin" "I can't explain" "But I know that these sacrifices are not right" "In Cuautitlan, where I was born" "We didn't make human sacrifices" "We offered to our gods flowers" "Fruit, escuincles" "I'm prisoner of Montezuma" "And as such, I must die" "If Huitzilopochtli wishes it so" "I know, Nanahuatzin" "But sometimes I wonder" "If it is really true" "That our gods desire" "The sacrifices we offer" "Be quiet" "I know that you doubt the orders of our gods" "And that you dare oppose them in words" "Not oppose" "I only wonder if our dear people" "Might have interpreted them wrong" "Why do you have to do die" "If the daughter of Montezuma loves you?" "Citlali" "No" "My destiny is to die" "And I am content with that" "Is it as you say?" "But, I don't know" "I feel that something" "Will make us change our minds" "You are a poor Mazeguachi" "And your strange ideas could cost you dearly" "That's why I'm here" "But I'm not afraid" "The Aztec people are not bloodthirsty for the sake of it" "And I foresee" "That very soon the blue sky of the Nahuas" "Will turn red" "Lord, powerful Lord" "A new sign has appeared in the heavens" "As a message from the gods" "Come and see the truth of what I say" "The goddess of night has painted herself the colour of anger" "Maybe the gods of the heavens are preparing their message" "You, Techotlala, who see the future through the mysteries of deep knowledge" "See if my decision to sacrifice Nanahuatzin" "Is against the wish of our gods" "My Lord" "Tloque Nahuaque, the all-powerful" "Who sees all that happens in the world" "Is the only one" "Who knows what should be" "And what shouldn't be" "Lord, order them to kill me" "That your soldiers tear apart my body" "But it is my duty to inform you of all the portents" "That have to do with you" "The days of your empire are numbered" "Very soon your reign will disappear" "And a white god" "Will come to reign over what is left of your domain" "A white god?" "Perhaps it is Quetzalcóatl" "Who comes as promised?" "No" "It won't be Quetzalcóatl" "The storm clouds don't leave my heart" "The heavens announce the coming of a white god" "Who will reign over my people" "A white god" "No, it wasn't Quetzalcóatl" "The white god" "Came with Hernan Cortez" "Nanahuatzin" "You've already gone through and suffered the labours of this life" "Our existence in this world" "Is not permanent, for we live only briefly" "Who can give us one more hour" "Or a day to add to our life?" "I give you this shield" "For you to protect yourself" "From the wind that blows in the region of shadows" "Noble Lord" "What great motive forces you to come to me?" "I have been consecrated to the god of battles" "And nobody should disturb my thoughts" "Your word is true" "But I am a prince" "And you, only a slave" "Yes, I am" "What do you want of me?" "I wish to invoke the nobility of your heart" "And of your lineage" "You are the grandson of Tecutlis" "And of brave Huejotzincas" "And you can still save yourself if you like" "How, Lord?" "By giving me the amulet that Citlali gave to you" "I want to place over her shoulders" "The cape embroidered with gold and pearls" "That signifies matrimony" "In a little time I will be dead" "Until then, you won't get the amulet from me" "You refuse to save your life?" "I could have had myself killed before becoming you prisoner" "But if I had, I wouldn't have been able to see Citlali again" "How can you ask me, therefore" "To hand over the pledge that links my life to hers" "Noble and faithful slaves" "Take" "Keep these mementoes, for I have loved you all" "Don't let sadness cloud your eyes" "You needn't follow me" "The sign of the gods united my fate" "To that of prince Nanahuatzín" "And I will follow him to the place" "Where there is no light" "Nor windows" "And which one cannot leave" "For you" "What do I have to live for if you aren't here?" "What good are these jewels?" "Look, nanny" "The moon isn't up yet" "How sad the roses in the garden must be" "Now that my hands will not touch them again" "Is everything ready?" "The containers of perfume?" "The jar of water?" "The red root that will help me cross the river?" "Everything" "Do you want them now?" "No, nanny" "That will be tomorrow" "Today I wish to be alone" "Our lives are linked by order of the gods" "There is no room for any other love in our hearts" "Noble people of Tenochtitlán" "The orders of our emperor Montezuma" "Are to be carried out" "The Huejotzinca prisoner" "Will be offered as a sacrifice" "To Coatlicue" "Mother of the gods" "To appease her anger, her just rage" "For the offenses we have committed" "He who will be sacrificed" "Is not an enemy to be eliminated" "But a messenger" "Whom we send to the gods" "Invested with the dignity that he has been granted" "By the will of our emperor Montezuma" "So lived the old inhabitants" "Of great Tenochtitlán" "Sunk in idolatry" "In the darkness of superstition" "Trying to calm what they called the anger of their gods" "The seeds of those roses" "Spread by the wind over all the soil of Mexico" "Flowered time and again" "Symbolising the memory of a pure love" "Of a human love" "Which is sublime when it is true" "Nevertheless, that sacrifice" "Was not useless" "The wars between the different tribes continued without cease" "With the objective of taking prisoners" "And offering them to the gods" "The repeat of those scenes" "Of those sacrifices" "Filled the missionary monks with pained amazement" "Who had, in part, managed to carry out their holy mission" "Of Christianizing the natives" "But who could not, with words alone" "Totally finish their task" "And Having to resort, from time to time" "To the troops of Hernan Cortez" "Captain Hernando de Cortez" "You have procured peace with the people of Tenochtitlán" "You are, in truth, a noteworthy warrior" "But you ought yet to do something more for our cause" "And for that of these natives" "New and worthy subjects of the crown of Spain" "Tell me, and I'll do it with pleasure" "Nothing could give me more pleasure" "Than to please Friar Pedro de Gante" "And you, Friar Toribio de Benavente" "The natives call me Motolinea" "Which in their language means 'the most poor'" "Well" "To you who fight for the cross" "Without anything more than the Gospels" "I am ready to listen" "Although it is true that you have stopped the natives" "From making war against your troops" "You haven't been able to stop them fighting among themselves" "They fight to take prisoners" "To sacrifice them to their gods" "We have seen, Captain Cortez" "How they remain sunk in idolatry" "How they fear their gods" "And offer sacrifices" "And what can we do so these horrendous practices cease, Father?" "In Tenochtitlán and its suburbs" "There exist more than 600 teocalis" "Which is what they call their temples" "The oratories of their pagan gods" "You could destroy them" "And fix the cross of Christ" "On the ruins of each" "And do you suppose, Friar Pedro de Gante" "That would be sufficient?" "At least they would stop making sacrifices" "Captain Gonzalo de Sandoval" "Go on foot and lay siege to the suburbs that lead to Tenochtitlán" "And if the teocalis get in the way" "Knock them down" "And one after the other those idols were destroyed" "And the ancient Aztec civilisation and religion" "Slowly died" "Cihuacoatl, the goddess of the earth" "Who governed over death" "Now had no roses in her oratory" "Roses would come to signify something else" "Some time afterwards" "In the year 1524" "Under the dominion of the Spanish in the city of Mexico" "And in the provinces of New Spain" "War having now been extinguished" "The open preaching of the Holy Gospel began" "What are the fathers of Castile doing?" "Baptising" "Go and kneel down and receive a Christian name" "Aren't you a believer in Christ?" "Yes, I am" "But my parents gave me the name of Cuauhtlatohuac" "That's not enough" "If you are Catholic but not baptised" "You are like a dead light before the grace of Father God" "Go, Cuauhtlatohuac" "Receive the sacrament" "You will be called Maria" "Do you give Christian names?" "You can go, my son" "You are now baptised" "You are a Christian" "I understand" "You want to know your name, right?" "Alright" "You are called Juan" "Juan Diego" "Juan Diego" "Juan Diego" "It was the morning of Saturday, the 9th of December, 1531" "Juan Diego was coming from Cuauhtitlán" "His city of birth" "Heading towards Tlatelolco" "For the purpose of divine worship and following its commandments" "He was passing the hill of Tepeyac" "In the same place where, in ancient times" "Existed the oratory of the goddess Cihuacoatl" "Juan Diego stopped suddenly" "Upon hearing soft and melodious music" "Which sounded to him like a great flock of birds" "He noticed" "That little by little it died away" "And after the last warble" "He heard with surprise" "That he was being called by name" "And in his own language" "Juan, Juanito" "Juan Diego" "My son, Juan Diego" "Whom I love tenderly" "Like one small and delicate" "Come closer" "Juan Diego, where are you going?" "Lady, my girl" "I have to go to your house in Mexico, in Tlatelolco" "To follow the divine things" "That our priests give us and teach us" "Delegates of our Lord" "Listen, dear little Indian" "The most humble of my sons" "I am the Ever Virgin Mary" "Mother of the God by Whom one lives" "Of the Creator of everything" "Lord of Heaven and Earth" "It is my wish that a temple to me be built here" "So that through it I may show and give all my love" "Compassion, help and protection" "For I am the merciful mother of all the natives of this earth" "And of all those who love and invoke me" "And trust in me to hear their laments" "And to alleviate their misery, their troubles and hurts" "And to carry out what my mercy intends" "Go to the palace of the bishop of Mexico" "Tell him that I send you" "And tell him what I desire" "That there be constructed here a temple to me" "Go, tell him all that you saw" "Wondered at and what you've heard" "Be sure that I'll be grateful" "And that I'll repay you well" "I will make you happy, for you will deserve much" "In compensation for the work and fatigue with which you will accomplish what I'm sending you to do" "You have heard my command, my son" "Oh, littlest one" "Go and try as hard as you can" "My Lady" "I go to carry out your order" "For now I take leave" "I, Your humble servant" "Excuse me" "I have a message to give to the bishop" "You've come very early" "I don't know what the time is" "But I must talk with the bishop" "On whose behalf?" "It's a long story" "But I can and must speak only to the bishop" "Come in" "You're going to have to wait a while" "I'll wait as long as necessary" "They didn't tell the bishop right away" "He was a Franciscan religious, Juan de Zumarraga" "Perhaps because it was so early in the morning" "Or because the Indian looked so poor and humble" "He was obliged to wait a long time" "Until, in reward for his patience" "He was admitted" "His Grace is waiting for you" "She must have known" "Thank you, Father" "Talk, son" "Say what you want to" "Tell me first if you are the bishop" "I am by the grace of God" "Alright then..." "Because, then..." "It's to you that I have to deliver my message" "You mean that you've been sent by someone?" "You be the judge" "I've been sent by the Holy Mother of God" "Who I saw and who talked to me this morning" "I was coming this morning to Tlatelolco" "To the holy house of God" "When I was passing a hill called Tepeyac" "I saw a woman who was standing there" "And who asked me to come closer" "Coming into her presence" "I marvelled at her grandeur" "Because her robes" "Were as radiant as the sun" "And the crag where she put her foot" "Sparkled with splendour" "So it looked like an arch of precious stones" "And lit up the earth like a rainbow" "I bowed down before her" "And heard her speak, gentle and courtly" "As from someone charming, who holds you in high regard" "She said:" "Go to the palace of the bishop" "And tell him how I have sent you" "To make known to him what I most desire" "That on this hill be erected a temple for me" "The prelate listened patiently" "To the message of Juan Diego" "But was not convinced" "He didn't esteem it highly, nor placed much trust in it" "Judging that it was just the Indian's imagination" "Or a dream" "Very good, my son" "Come again another time, and I will listen to you at greater length" "I will listen to you again at greater length" "And I'll consider the will and desire which have brought you here" "Lady" "The smallest of my daughters" "My girl" "I went where you commanded me to go" "Although with difficulty" "I went to see the bishop" "I met him and give him your message just as you told me to do" "He received me kindly" "And he listened to me attentively" "But when he replied" "It seemed he didn't believe me" "He must think that it isn't your command" "So I ask you dearly" "Lady, my girl" "That someone important" "Well-known and respected" "Be charged with carrying your message" "So he will be believed" "Because I am a nobody" "I am a piece of string" "A short ladder" "A tail, a leaf" "I'm a little person" "And you, my girl" "The smallest of my daughters" "Lady" "You send me to a place where I'm not used to going" "And where I don't belong" "Forgive me for causing you this great sorrow" "And put aside your anger, Lady, my girl" "Listen, my son" "Humblest one" "Understand that I have many servants and messengers" "To whom I can give my messages and who do my will" "But it's precisely you who I ask to help me" "That by means of you my will be done" "I ask much of you" "The most humble" "I bid you strictly" "To go again to see the bishop tomorrow" "Speak to him in my name and make known to him my request" "That the temple I'm asking for be constructed" "And tell him again that I, in person" "The Ever Virgin Mary, Mother of God, send you" "Lady and daughter" "Don't let me cause you sorrow" "I will gladly carry out your order" "Under no circumstances will I cease doing it" "Nor do I think it arduous" "Tomorrow afternoon" "When the sun goes down" "I'll come to give an account" "Now I take my leave of you" "My daughter" "The littlest" "My girl and lady" "I'm here, Uncle Bernardino." "You're back, Juan Diego." "Why did you take so long?" "You didn't go to Tlatelolco?" "I went, uncle" "And I was detained" "How lovely, my girl" "You sent me and the bishop didn't believe" "I said I had seen you" "Pretty, little one" "My little girl, the littlest" "Lady and my girl" "Could it be that you weren't..." "But I saw you clearly" "And that was what I told the bishop" "Why didn't he believe me?" "What's the matter, son?" "You're talking to yourself" "Nothing's the matter, Uncle Bernardino" "I was just thinking" "You again?" "Forgive the inconvenience" "But I have a message for the bishop" "I'll let him know" "Come in" "Wait here" "Excuse me, Your Grace" "Yes?" "There's a man waiting to see Your Grace;" "The same Indian as yesterday" "The same?" "Yes, sir" "Father José!" "Father Francisco!" "Tell him to come in" "I want you to hear what this Indian says" "Well?" "What is the matter that brings you here?" "Don't be afraid" "You can talk; they are my brothers" "You said to come back and tell it to you more slowly" "I wanted to wait for a little while" "But today was the second time I've seen and talked to" "The Holy Mother of God" "In the same place where I saw her the first time" "Waiting for the reply to the message she gave me before" "She ordered me to come to you" "To tell you her wish" "That a temple be erected there where I saw and talked with her" "Did you actually see her, son?" "It wasn't a dream?" "Or something you imagined?" "I saw her very well both times, sir bishop" "And I heard her say clearly what I've told you" "Just as I see and talk to Your Mercy" "And did she speak in your native language?" "The Virgin?" "As she is holy" "She knows all the words one needs to understand" "I believe you, son" "I believe all that you've told me" "But your speech and your request by themselves are not enough" "To get done what you are asking for" "Go and tell the Lady that I send you back to her" "And that some proof is necessary" "A sign that demonstrates" "That she is really Mary, the Mother of God" "Who has sent you to me" "Sir, think of the sign you require" "And I'll go look for the Lady of Heaven" "Who sent me here" "Tell her to choose whatever sign she thinks right" "I'm going;" "I'll take your message, sir bishop" "The Lady of Heaven must be waiting for me" "Go and follow that Indian" "See who he talks with" "Bring me news of all that has to do with him" "See brother, there's no one to be seen around here" "Nobody?" "But we were following the Indian closely" "It's as if the earth swallowed him up" "Let's go back, brother" "These places aren't very safe" "Yes, Juan Diego, I've been waiting for you" "Lady, my little girl" "How are you?" "I have carried out your order" "I went back to the palace of the bishop" "And after some questions, and then more questions" "He said that my account was not enough on its own" "To make a decision regarding such an important matter" "And he has sent me to ask you for a sure sign" "So he may know that it is really you who have sent me" "Fine, my son, little one" "Come back here tomorrow to the same place" "I will give a sure sign so the bishop will believe you" "What's the matter, Uncle Bernardino?" "You're all sweaty and pale" "A bad fever, son" "I feel like I'm burning up inside" "Everything's on fire" "When did it begin?" "The heat came on just after you left" "It's the cocolete, the evil fever" "He'll have to wait for dawn" "So we can bring the healer" "Is it night time again?" "Yes, Uncle Bernardino;" "the shadows have fallen" "Come, son, come closer" "The time has come for me to die" "Early tomorrow, before daybreak" "Go to Tlatelolco" "Bring a father" "Because I want to leave this world" "With the blessing of our God" "The sun was rising on Tuesday, the 12th of December" "Juan Diego was passing the hill when he remembered" "That he was supposed to meet the Virgin Mary" "There the day before" "And fearing that she would come out to meet him" "And upbraid him for not carrying out her orders" "He thought, in his simplicity" "That by going a different way he would avoid seeing her" "Nor would she detain him" "Where are you going, my son?" "By what route were you going?" "My girl" "The littlest of my daughters" "Lady" "I hope you are content" "How does the morning find you?" "Is your health alright?" "I'm going to cause you distress" "You know, my girl" "That a poor servant of yours is in very bad shape" "My Uncle Bernardino." "He's been stuck with illness and is about to die" "Now I'm hurrying to your house in Mexico, in Tlatelolco" "To call one of the beloved priests of Our Lord" "To attend to him" "Because from the day we are born" "We wait for the work of our death" "But I will do it;" "I'll come back here" "To take your message" "Lady, my girl" "Forgive me" "Be patient with me now" "I'll come back tomorrow as fast as I can" "Listen and understand, my son" "Most humble" "That what scares and afflicts you is nothing" "Don't let your heart be disturbed" "Don't fear this disease nor any other" "Am I not here?" "Am I not your mother?" "Aren't you under my protection?" "Am I not your health?" "Don't I hold you in my lap?" "What else could you want?" "Don't fear or be disturbed by anything else" "Don't be distressed by the illness of your uncle" "He won't die" "Be sure that he is cured" "Then, send me, my Lady" "To see the bishop, with the sign he seeks" "So he may believe me" "Go up, my son, to the top of the hill" "There, where you saw me and I gave you my command" "You will see that there are different flowers" "Cut them, gather them together, pick them up and bring them back down into my presence" "Juan Diego thought this strange" "Because it was not a place where flowers grew" "But rewarding his blind obedience and his faith" "He discovered at the top" "Various different kinds of roses of Castile" "Were they not, perhaps, the progeny of those roses" "Which symbolised the love of those two people" "Who even after death continue loving each other in eternity?" "Wouldn't those be the flowers" "Chosen by the Mother of America" "To work the miracle of the roses?" "This type of rose is the proof that you will take to the bishop" "Tell him in my name, that in them he sees" "My wish and how he should assent to it" "You are my ambassador, worthy of my confidence" "You should only unwrap your mantle before him" "I will tell him everything I've seen and marvelled at" "Lady, my girl" "The smallest" "Bernardino, my beloved child" "Your nephew, Juan Diego" "Has been sent by me to take a message for the bishop" "He knows you are better because I have cured you" "You, also, will go to see the bishop" "And tell him that it is my will" "That I be known as Santa Maria de Guadalupe." "How's it going, Your Mercy?" "You, yet again?" "I need to see the bishop quickly" "You are stubborn and obstinate" "Come in" "Wait" "Are you looking for His Grace again?" "Yes, sir" "And what do you want now?" "To show the bishop the sign he sent me for" "What have you got in that mantle?" "Some pretty flowers" "Roses?" "He's a deceiver, sir" "A liar or a lunatic" "Sorry, sir" "The Indian says he brings a sign" "And it looks like he has brought flowers" "That seem to be roses of Castile" "Which don't flower this time of year" "Much less in New Spain" "These natives, recent converts to our holy religion" "Haven't yet expelled the demons they have in their body" "Roses of Castile?" "Did you want to speak to me, son?" "Sir, I did what you asked me to" "That I go to tell my mistress" "The Lady of Heaven" "Holy Mary, precious Mother of God" "That you ask for proof in order to believe me" "And construct a temple where she is asking you to" "I also told her" "That I had given my word to bring back some sign of proof" "That you had charged me with this task" "When she received your message" "She happily accepted what you were asking" "Today, very early" "She sent me again to see you" "I asked for the sign so you would believe me" "She did just as she said she would do" "She sent me to the top of the hill" "Where I had seen her before" "To cut some roses of Castile" "After I cut them, I took them back down" "She touched them with her hands" "And asked me to take them to you in my mantle" "And hand them over to you personally" "And even though I knew that the top of the hill" "Was no place for flowers" "I did not doubt on that account" "And when I got to the top of the hill" "It smelled like I was in paradise" "All together there were different kinds" "Of exquisite roses of Castile" "Sparkling with dew" "And then I went to cut them" "She said this is the sign you asked for" "And that you should carry out her wish" "And, so that the truth of my words and message be plain" "Receive them" "And that request of the Virgin" "Using the Indian of Cuauhtitlan" "To make known to mankind her wish" "Resulted in this great basilica" "Where, as she said, she will show" "She will give all her love, compassion and help" "To all who invoke and trust in her" "It shines like the silence of a star" "Over the noise of the waves"