Scenes from a "Super Bowl"

From across the country, the videos from overnight are beginning to trickle in... of 'em all, though, the sweetest of the early batch comes from Medianoche (Midnight) a Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Just watch:



Lest anyone's unaware, the tune being sung was the traditional mañanitas, the Mexican version of "Happy Birthday" universally rendered to La Morenita on this anniversary of her appearance on Juan Diego's tilma, now 478 years ago.

SVILUPPO: And here, another look-in -- this time from Sacramento...



...5am mañanitas -- seemingly after an early-morn procession -- in Camden, New Jersey...



...and from a choir loft in Walla Walla, Washington, midnight (or maybe 5am) matachines:



Sweet as it is, wherever it is, what it means can't be shirked, gang -- every 11-12 December is the "coming out" party for the emerging present and future of the Stateside church and, indeed, the seismic shift that it brings on practically every front.

And it only grows bigger with each passing year.

Que Viva la Virgen de Guadalupe... and every wish for a feliz fiesta to one and all.

-30-