When Columbus sailed to the Americas his ships were (of course) the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria. I understand it means "the girl, Holy Mary, paints herself." And that is exactly what Our Lady did, she left us a painting of herself.
When the Indians were celebrating the miracluous image, one shot an arrow into the sky which killed another. The tilma was placed over the dead man and he was restored to life.
The images in the eyes of Our Lady have been studied for years. When eye doctors look into the eyes they say it is exactly like looking into a human eye. There are images of those people who were present when Juan Diego opened the tilma, including Bishop Zumarraga and Juan Diego, in the eyes on the image.
It is quite something to see.
The name Guadalupe, had a meaning for both the natives and the Spanish. To the natives it meant (Quatzalupe) "she who crushes the head of the serpent." The serpent god Quetzlcoatl. To the Spanish it was the name of a river in Spain, I believe it translates into 'river of light'. But a statue of Our Lady holding an infant Jesus was found buried in the mud of the river. So both cultures had a meaning.
Thanks Cap'n. I did not know that.
Our Lord will certainly thank you some day for so strongly defending his mother!