By Emily Chaffins -
Archbishop Thomas Wenski, left, crowns the image of Our Lady Guardian of the Faith at St. Martha Parish in Miami Shores Sept. 14, 2026, the anniversary of the Archdiocese of Miami's first crowning over a decade ago. At right, Father Agustin G. Estrada, priest secretary to the archbishop, assists.
Members of the Association of the Faithful Mary Mother Guardian of the Faith take a group photo with Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski (back row, fifth from right) at St. Martha Parish in Miami Shores. On Sept. 14, 2026, Archbishop Wenski crowned the image of Our Lady Guardian of the Faith. Present for the occasion was Patricia "Pachi" Talbot (standing near Archbishop Wenski's left shoulder with head tilted), the woman who is reported to have witnessed the apparitions of Our Lady Guardian of the Faith in Ecuador from 1988-90.
From left, members of the Association of the Faithful Mary Mother Guardian of the Faith process with the image of Our Lady Guardian of the Faith as attendees wave handkerchiefs at St. Martha Parish Sept. 14, 2026. Pictured carrying the statue are Carlos Silva, member of the men's cenacle in Coral Gables, and Tom Sheehan, men's cenacle of Lighthouse Point.
Monica Colucci, South Florida representative assistant of the Association of the Faithful Mary Mother Guardian of the Faith, speaks during Mass at St. Martha Parish in Miami Shores, where the image of Our Lady Guardian of the Faith was crowned by Archbishop Thomas Wenski Sept. 14, 2026.
The image of Our Lady Guardian of the Faith was crowned by Archbishop Thomas Wenski at St. Martha Parish in Miami Shores Sept. 14, 2026, the anniversary of the Archdiocese of Miami's first crowning over a decade ago.
From left, members of the Association of the Faithful Mary Mother Guardian of the Faith bring a candle to lay at the feet of the image of Our Lady Guardian of the Faith at St. Martha Parish in Miami Shores Sept. 14, 2026. Pictured from left are Mary Dickey, member of the Fort Meyers Cenacle, and Denise Gentile, Fort Lauderdale Cenacle.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski bows during Mass Sept. 14, 2026, at St. Martha Parish in Miami Shores, where the archbishop crowned the image of Our Lady Guardian of the Faith on the anniversary of the Archdiocese of Miami's first crowning over a decade ago.
Miami Auxiliary Bishop Enrique Delgado processes at the start of Mass at St. Martha Parish in Miami Shores Sept. 14, 2026, when Archbishop Thomas Wenski crowned the image of Our Lady Guardian of the Faith.
Attendees pray during Mass at St. Martha Parish Sept. 14, 2026, where Archbishop Thomas Wenski crowned the image of Our Lady Guardian of the Faith on the anniversary of the Archdiocese of Miami's first crowning over a decade ago.
Maria del Pilar, a member of the Association of the Faithful Mary Mother Guardian of the Faith who belongs to the Ave Maria Cenacle, brings a rosary to lay at the feet of the image of Our Lady Guardian of the Faith at St. Martha Parish in Miami Shores Sept. 14, 2026.
Now crowned, the image of Our Lady Guardian of the Faith is displayed at St. Martha Parish in Miami Shores on Sept. 14, 2026, after Archbishop Wenski crowned the image on the anniversary of the Archdiocese of Miami's first crowning over a decade ago.
Attendees pray during Mass at St. Martha Parish Sept. 14, 2026, where Archbishop Thomas Wenski crowned the image of Our Lady Guardian of the Faith on the anniversary of the Archdiocese of Miami's first crowning over a decade ago.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski, center, presides over Mass Sept. 14, 2026, at St. Martha Parish in Miami Shores, where the archbishop crowned the image of Our Lady Guardian of the Faith on the anniversary of the Archdiocese of Miami's first crowning over a decade ago.
From left, members of the Association of the Faithful Mary Mother Guardian of the Faith process with the image of Our Lady Guardian of the Faith at St. Martha Parish Sept. 14, 2026. Pictured carrying the statue are Carlos Silva, member of the men's cenacle in Coral Gables, and Tom Sheehan, men's cenacle of Lighthouse Point.
Photography: Emily Chaffins | FC
MIAMI SHORES | Facing the blue-robed statue of Our Lady Guardian of the Faith, Archbishop Thomas Wenski placed a glittering silver crown on top of the image’s head. For the second time, he was crowning the little-known Marian image on Sept. 14, 2026 – over a decade after the Archdiocese of Miami’s historic first coronation in 2014.
The archdioceses of Miami and Cuenca, Ecuador, are the only two in the world that have held official crownings of Our Lady Guardian of the Faith’s image, according to Vivian Tezanos, one of the event’s organizers. This year, Archbishop Wenski crowned the image at St. Martha Parish in Miami Shores, with attendees coming from as far as Alabama.
Vivian Tezanos and Paul and Darlene Ludwick serve as South Florida representatives for the Association of the Faithful Mary Mother Guardian of the Faith, part of an international community based in the Archdiocese of Cuenca, Ecuador, and with a presence in the U.S., Mexico, Peru, Colombia, and Europe.
Photographer: Emily Chaffins
Members of the Association of the Faithful Mary Mother Guardian of the Faith take a group photo with Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski (back row, fifth from right) at St. Martha Parish in Miami Shores. On Sept. 14, 2026, Archbishop Wenski crowned the image of Our Lady Guardian of the Faith. Present for the occasion was Patricia “Pachi” Talbot (standing near Archbishop Wenski’s left shoulder with head tilted), the woman who is reported to have witnessed the apparitions of Our Lady Guardian of the Faith in Ecuador from 1988-90.
Associations of the faithful are Catholic Church-endorsed groups of laypeople and/or clergy who are overseen by a bishop as they carry out a particular ministry in the Church. The Association of the Faithful Mary Mother Guardian of the Faith, which promotes prayer and charitable endeavors, was originally founded in Ecuador after the Virgin Mary reportedly appeared as Our Lady Guardian of the Faith to young Ecuadorian Patricia “Pachi” Talbot numerous times from 1988-90.
Talbot’s reported apparitions have not been officially recognized by the Vatican.
At the time of first reported apparition on Aug. 28, 1988, 16-year-old Pachi Talbot was a fashion model who had not been taking her faith too seriously. However, early in the morning of Aug. 28, Talbot described the Virgin Mary appearing in her room with a bright light.
“Do not be afraid. I am your Mother from Heaven,” she told Talbot. “I am the Holy Mary, ever Virgin, the Guardian of the Faith. Place your hands over your chest, daughter – I have come to ask you to pray for peace in the world, because it is now that it is most needed.”
Talbot is said to have experienced more than one hundred apparitions from Aug. 28, 1988 until March 3, 1990, most of which occurred in Ecuador. One of the most notable occurred in June 1989, when Talbot states the Virgin Mary directed her to a site called El Cajas in the Andes Mountains of Ecuador for people to come in pilgrimage.
Our Lady Guardian of the Faith’s call is about encouraging people to come to Mass regularly, to pray the rosary and consecrate themselves to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Merciful Heart of Jesus, and to engage in penance and fasting.
Photographer: Emily Chaffins
Archbishop Thomas Wenski, left, crowns the image of Our Lady Guardian of the Faith at St. Martha Parish in Miami Shores Sept. 14, 2026, the anniversary of the Archdiocese of Miami’s first crowning over a decade ago. At right, Father Agustin G. Estrada, priest secretary to the archbishop, assists.
As during Archbishop Wenski’s crowning of Our Lady Guardian of the Faith’s image in 2014, Pachi Talbot was present at this year’s Mass and crowning. The church was packed with members of the Association of the Faithful Mary Mother Guardian of the Faith, who have Cenacles of Prayer or prayer groups spread throughout Florida. Over 15 cenacles are present throughout the areas of Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Fort Myers, and Ave Maria.
Members of the association in Florida pray the rosary together, assist the Missionaries of Charity nuns’ Miami homeless ministry, donate food and gift cards to underserved communities at Christmastime, and more.
Monica Colucci, representative assistant of the South Florida association, said that Our Lady Guardian of the Faith “asked us to extend her mantel by creating prayer cenacles, because she wants the entire world to be covered in her mantel, under her protection and guidance, which is always to lead us to her son, Jesus.”
What does the Catholic Church say about the Virgin Mary?
- As Catholics, we respect and honor the Virgin Mary as the mother of Jesus and ask for her prayers to lead us closer to her Son. Contrary to a common misconception, Catholics do NOT worship Mary. As Pope Francis once said, “Mary is always the mother that brings us to Jesus… She points to Jesus.” For a deep dive into the basis for what the Church teaches about Mary, check out Catholic Answers’ “The Biblical Roots of the Marian Doctrines.”
