Sam Romero, owner of Saint Teresa Catholic Gift Shop in Santa Ana for 21 years, says people buy Virg

Sam Romero, owner of Saint Teresa Catholic Gift Shop in Santa Ana for 21 years, says people buy Virgin de Guadalupe items in his store who are religious and inspired by the image. Photo taken Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2004. Companies like Virgins Saints & Angels, who make belt buckels, lighters, rings and necklaces, sell the image of the Virgin de Guadalupe for hundreds of dollars. To Mexican Americans, the image of the virgin is holy and sacreligious to place it on a commercial item not for religious reasons. To others, the virgin of guadalupe has become a commercial icon, more than a religious symbol. The image of the Virgin of Guadalupe has become a favorite among hipsters and kitsch collectors who spend millions each year on lamps, mouse pads, belt buckles, shower curtains and knick–knacks with her image, rankling devout Catholics who say the mass consumption and overexposure dilutes The Holy Mother's religious significance. (Photo by Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)