“This phenomenon of a return to the maternal womb . . . is without doubt one of the determining causes of the swift popularity of the cult of the Virgin. . . . The Catholic Virgin is also the Mother . . ., but her principal attribute is not to watch over the fertility of the earth but to provide refuge for the unfortunate. The situation has changed: the worshipers do not try to make sure of their harvests but to find a mother’s lap. The Virgin is the consolation of the poor, the shield of the weak, the help of the oppressed.” (Octavio Paz, “The Labyrinth of Solitude,” 84-85)

I served a Spanish speaking mission in Arizona and La Virgen de Guadalupe was everywhere:

shrines outside houses,

cars,

cakes,

bottle cap openers...

I knew she was important (being the mother of Jesus and all), but I never understood why Catholics worshipped and adored her so much. Paz sheds a great deal of light on this subject. He takes it back to their origin. They had formerly been worshiping male gods of all types. When the Spaniards came and took over they banned this kind of practice. They tore to shreds everything that the Mexican Indians had believed and everything they had done for the past years. I can imagine they were a little shaken up. So to make up for it they focused their adoration on a more motherly figure, whether consciously or unconsciously. We all have this innate knowledge since the time we are born that our mothers love us. As we grow they nurture us and somehow, magically make everything better. When we get hurt we go to our moms to bandage us up. When we are sick we go to our moms to make us all better. Paz describes how the Indians did this same thing. They went to the Virgin to find solace and peace.

“In sum, she is the Mother of orphans.” (Octavio Paz, “The Labyrinth of Solitude,” 85)

From what I said earlier I agree that the Virgin could be considered “the Mother of orphans” seeing as the Indians lost their first idol gods, or their first “parents.” Being an orphan wasn't all sunshine and roses for them, so  they looked to the Virgin as their newly acquired mother.