Despite ICE efforts, Indy churches plans to hold Our Lady of Guadalupe celebrations this year

Every year, hundreds of Mexican parishioners at Catholic churches around Indianapolis celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The Dec. 12 holiday honors the Virgin Mary as the patron saint of Mexico, who is seen as both a religious and cultural icon.

While some cities have rolled out extra safety measures, church leaders in Indianapolis said they are hosting their celebrations as planned, while still addressing fears about immigration enforcement.

Rev. Canon Monique Ellison at Christ Church Cathedral on Monument Circle said they have told members who feel any hesitation or who are undocumented to consider not attending. Latino parishioners represent about half of the church’s attendees.

“We have noticed that attendance at some of our events and worship is down because of concerns about ICE,” Ellison said. “We have plans for any security situation you can think of. We tell our people to ‘do what you feel comfortable doing and when you’re here we’ll do our best to keep everyone safe.’”

The Rev. Canon Monique Ellison, a senior associate pastor at Christ Church Cathedral, sits in the pews Dec. 8, 2025. Credit: G. Encarnacion for Mirror Indy

Our Lady of Guadalupe is a Catholic holiday, including traditions such as a novena, a nine-day prayer period before the feast day. The Virgin Mary is mostly known as the “Queen of Mexico” and her image is widely displayed in varying forms, from churches to spaces used in everyday life. She is often portrayed by contemporary artists as a symbol of female empowerment.

Some churches will start celebrations on Thursday, Dec. 11, and some will wait until the evening of Friday, Dec. 12. Mirror Indy reached out to five churches to find out their plans for this year’s events.

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The festival of Our Lady of Guadalupe happens every year on Dec. 12

December 5, 2024August 26, 2025

St. Mary Catholic Church is known for its public procession that includes drums and a large congregation in colorful Aztec costumes carrying images and figurines of the Mexican Virgin Guadalupe. They walk throughout downtown Indianapolis to Monument Circle.

The festival starts at 8 p.m. Thursday and leads to a special Mass where mariachis play music, parishioners sing “Las Mañanitas” (the Mexican birthday song) and Aztec dancers perform.

About a hundred people participate in the procession, said Flor De Los Santos, parish secretary for St. Mary, and a police escort always accompanies them.

After two successful summer celebrations without problems — including Fourth of July and Kermés — a Mexican Independence Day festival — De Los Santos said they have chosen to hold their annual Guadalupe festivities.

Christ Church Cathedral’s immigration advocacy extends beyond their pews. This year, Ellison said she and other faith leaders from around the country visited Miami Correctional Facility in Bunker Hill, Ind., to pray for immigrants detained there.

Also, a nativity designed by artist Kelly Latimore is displayed on the church’s lawn. The paintings depict the day-to-day reality of immigrants and families in the midst of war globally.

A nativity scene displays iconography by Kelly Latimore outside Christ Church Cathedral on Dec. 8, 2025, in downtown Indianapolis. Credit: G. Encarnacion for Mirror Indy

Viewers will see Jesus in the rubble, the Holy Family as fleeing refugees, Mary breastfeeding Jesus and the Holy Family as an unhoused family living in a tent.

Here’s where you can celebrate: