The fascinating story behind the appearance of the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe goes roughly as follows. In 1531, a Mexican peasant named Juan Diego saw a vision of the Virgin Mary. She instructed him to build a church on that spot. The Bishop would not believe him, instructing him to ask for proof. He saw Our Lady again the next day in the same place, and told her of his dilemma. She caused red roses to appear on that hillside in winter, and asked him to gather them up in his tilma, or cloak. When he presented them to the Bishop, the flowers fell out and the image was there! The tilma has remained well-preserved over 400 years, and still hangs today carefully framed in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. It is one of the most venerated religious artifacts in the world.