Thousands of Mexcanos woke up earlier than normal today and gathered at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church to honor The Virgin of Guadalupe, patron saint of Mexico.

Festivities for Virgin of Guadalupe Day, celebrated on Dec. 12 in both Napa and Mexico, began locally Sunday with a special mass and play at St. John's. The play told the story of how a Mexican Indian, Juan Diego, first encountered the Virgin of Guadalupe one morning on his way to church. Today at 4 a.m., celebrations continued as over 3,000 people gathered at the church to pray and sing "Las Maanitas," a special song proclaiming love for the mother of Jesus Christ.

"This has been a feast and tradition in Mexico that's in our roots," said Father Oscar Diaz, pastor at St. John's.

Diaz grew up in Mexico, spending Virgin of Guadalupe Day at church alongside his parents. In Mexico, Dec. 12 is declared a national holiday and is dedicated to remember the story of how Juan Diego managed to pull off a little miracle with the help of the virgin.

According to legend, Juan Diego was walking to church on the winter morning of Dec. 9, when he arrived at a small hill named Tepeyac and an image of the Virgin of Guadalupe appeared before him. The virgin encouraged Juan Diego to convince Bishop Juan de Zumrraga to construct a temple in her name.

At first Juan Diego was unsuccessful at convincing Zumrraga that he had seen and spoken with the virgin. He asked Juan Diego to bring him proof of his meeting with her and Juan Diego got it in the form of dozens of colorful roses that the virgin bloomed on the normally-barren Tepeyac. Diego carried the flowers in his cloak to Zumrraga and when he dropped them on the ground at Zumrraga's feet, a brilliant image of the Virgin of Guadalupe was revealed on his clothes.

On Sunday night, members of St. John's Matrimonios Jovenes group performed a play depicting the apparition of the virgin.

"This is our way to honor the virgin," said Octavio Chavez, club member. "It's our faith."

Chavez and his partners assembled three sets including Tepeyac Hill, Juan Diego's home and the church in Mexico City to tell the story. Hundreds of people packed St. John's hall to enjoy the play. Members of St. John's youth group, Grupo Jesed, and Matrimonios Jovenes have been putting the play on since 1992, Chavez said.

Early this morning, parishioners kept warm while attending the festivities with coffee, pan dulc and tamales. St. John's also has masses throughout the day honoring the virgin. Diaz said other countries in Central and South America celebrate the Virgin of Guadalupe in their own way, and in Napa the celebration has steadily increased in grandeur.

"I have seen it grow in the sense of more people participating, with a deeper sense of unity and religion," he said.