DES PLAINES - The faithful in the northwest suburbs are celebrating the arrival of the Pilgrim Mother, a life-sized sculpture brought from Mexico City.

The statue will be displayed at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe for the next month.

What we know:

The sculpture, kept under wraps until now, arrived late Wednesday afternoon. It will be assembled inside the Chapel of St. Joseph before visitors get their first look Wednesday night.

The Pilgrim Mother’s stop in Des Plaines marks the first stop on an international tour. The exhibit launches a series of celebrations leading up to the 500th anniversary in 2031 of the Virgin Mary’s appearance to Juan Diego.

Planning for the project has been underway for two to three years, but organizers said the timing is especially significant as imm

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