At this church, many see a divine image of the Virgin of Guadalupe written in concrete

LOS ANGELES - The parishioners at Holy Family Catholic Church in Artesia walked out into the chilly morning darkness to gawk at the puddle on the sidewalk.

Just minutes before, they had witnessed the spectacle that is the mananitas Mass: plumed Aztec dancers and traditional hymns to celebrate the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mexico's beloved patron saint.

Now, they stared at la jefa herself - not in the flesh, but in the concrete. For the faithful at this church, la virgencita herself shone in the stain beneath their feet.

And she has, they believe, for a year now.

It was last December, just after this same Mass, that Holy Family members say Guadalupe first graced this sidewalk. Pilgrims came from across Southern California; reporters filed tongue-in-cheek