Elijah Rangel of Rapid City has a lot of growing up left to do.

On Friday, though, the 8-month-old cut a stunning figure in a mustache.

Dressing children in traditional Mexican peasant garb is just one part of the annual feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the patron saint of the Americas and mother of

Mexican Christianity. Little boys dress up like Juan Diego, the little girls in bright skirts and embroidered blouses, all in remembrance of the miracle of Our Lady.

For Latinos, the feast is the most important celebration of the year, and hundreds of people joined in a bilingual Mass and dinner Friday evening at Blessed

Sacrament Church in Rapid City.

"She's like a mother to all of us," Lucy Thomson of Rapid City said. "We pray to the Virgin Mary."

According to the Rev. Janusz Korban, associate pastor for Hispanic ministry, the feast celebrates the day - Dec. 12, 1531 - on which Mary appeared to a Mexican

peasant named Juan Diego.

When Juan Diego told the bishop, the bishop doubted and asked for a sign. Our Lady then commanded Juan Diego to bring the bishop some roses. When he

presented the roses, they all saw an image of Mary with the sun behind her and the moon at her feet on his cloak.

Friday's Mass was bilingual, with song verses and the sermon alternating between Spanish and English.

For Maria Munoz, who helps organize the annual service, using both languages is an important tool.

"We love to share our culture, because she's the mother of us all, not just Mexicans," Munoz said. "All of us are family in Christ as brothers and sisters."

Getting the children involved with an opening procession, bringing offerings to the altar and a final blessing also is an important part of the service, Korban said.

"Like Jesus always said, let the children come to me," Korban said.

After the Mass, parishioners shared a Mexican feast, with such traditional dishes as tamales and other, more American, options - fried chicken and pizza.

At a table with her family, another woman, Maria D. Munoz of Rapid City, said celebrating the feast is a way to pay respect to the Virgin Mary.

"She's like the queen of Mexico," Maria D. Munoz said. "It's a very important day. It's like the Fourth of July."