A somber closing mass was held at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in suburban Des Plaines Thursday, with thousands of Roman Catholics attending the annual event.
Personal stories and traditions among countless families inspire the yearly pilgrimage, the largest gathering of its kind outside of Mexico.
"My grandma was real religious. This was a real tradition for her. We try to keep it alive. Not only that, my grandma passed away on this day, so [it] means a lot to me and my family," visitor Jose Escobar told NBC Chicago.
The emotional mass honors the Virgin Mary, bringing practicing Roman Catholics to the northwest suburb every year.
As is a common occurrence for the annual event, those attending braved blisteringly cold temperatures.
"It's never too cold to see our Virgin Mary. Never an excuse not to see her," visitor Jisselle Murillo said.
Escobar agreed with that sentiment.
Local
"When it means something, the cold is not a factor," he said.
A ceremonial series of events began Wednesday, with hundreds of thousands expected to have arrived at the sacred space this year.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly> Chicago Catch-Up newsletter.
