Performing Piety: Making Space Sacred With the Virgin of Guadalupe

Associate Professor of American Studies Elaine Peña's study examines three spaces considered sacred to the Virgin of Guadalupe—at Tepeyac in Mexico City, at its replica in Des Plaines, Illinois, and at a sidewalk shrine constructed by Mexican nationals in Chicago. Weaving together on-the-ground observations with insights drawn from performance studies, Peña demonstrates how devotees’ rituals develop, sustain and legitimize these sacred spaces.