A 7 -day Catholic Pilgrimage Tour to Mexico

November 16, 2024 – Saturday
NEWARK / MEXICO CITY
Today we gather at Newark Liberty Airport to board our direct flight to Mexico. Upon our arrival in Mexico, we are met by our Pilgrimage Tours’ tour guide who will remain with us until the end of our tour. We celebrate Mass at the Church of San Bernardo before arriving at the Hotel Casa Blanca for check-in. Dinner and overnight in Mexico City.

November 17, 2024 – Sunday
OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE / TEPEYAC HILL
This morning we will visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Following Mass, we tour the grounds and visit the museum that houses a collection of paintings and colonial religious art by pilgrims in gratitude and thanks for miracles. We ascend Tepeyac Hill to visit the Capilla del Cerrito, the place of the apparitions of the Virgin Mary to the poor and humble Juan Diego (Cuauhtlatoatzin) in 1531. In the afternoon we will visit Tepeyac Garden and see its statues symbolizing the union of the Aztec people and the Spanish Christian mission. A stop at the Chapel of the Indians completes the tour. Later in the afternoon we drive to Chapultepec Park to visit the National Museum of Anthropology. We will also see other historical sites during the driving portion of our tour. Dinner and overnight in Mexico City.

November 18, 2024 – Monday
MEXICO CITY / ZOCALO PLAZA
Today we drive to the historical archaeological center of Mexico to celebrate Mass at Santo Domingo Church, which houses two shrines, Our Lady of the Rosary, and Our Lady of Cavadonga. Following Mass, we drive past the National Palace and arrive at Zocalo Plaza where we visit the largest cathedral in Latin America, the Metropolitan Cathedral, where Juan Diego’s Bishop, Juan Zumarraga is buried. We continue our walking tour passing by the site of the Palace of the Archbishop where Juan Diego unfurled his tilma and flowers fell to the ground and the miraculous image of the Virgin Mary appeared on the cloth. Our day concludes with a visit to Garibaldi Square, where we will enjoy the Mariachi Bands. Dinner and overnight in Mexico City.

November 19, 2024 – Tuesday
TLAXCALA / OUR LADY OF OCOTLAN / PUEBLA
This morning we depart for Tlaxcala, for a visit and celebration of Mass at the Shrine of San Miguel del Milagro, site of apparitions of St. Michael the Archangel and the spring of curative waters blessed by St. Michael. We will also visit Tlaxcala City for a visit the Shrine and Basilica of Our Lady of Ocotlan, where in 1541 another Juan Diego (Bernardino) witnessed a burning pine tree, which was not consumed by the fire. He then discovered inside the pine tree a statue of the Virgin Mary. In the afternoon we drive to Mexico’s most beautiful city Puebla, situated at an elevation of 7,000 feet near Mexico’s snow-capped peaks. Puebla is well known for its beautiful churches and its colorful hand-painted Talavera tiles. While in Puebla, we visit Santo Domingo Church, where we see its beautiful Chapel of the Rosazy, followed by a visit to Puebla Cathedral, dedicated to the Immaculate Conception. The remainder of our time before dinner is free for shopping the many merchants and shops in Puebla. Our day in Puebla concludes with dinner at a local restaurant. Following dinner, we return to Mexico City for overnight.

November 20, 2024 – Wednesday
CUERNAVACA / TAXCO
Today we enjoy a pleasant drive through the fertile Morelos Valley and the Sierra Madres, first stopping in the town of Cuernavaca or “City of Eternal Spring” due to its perfect climate. Here we visit the Cathedral of Our Lady of Assumption, a former Franciscan monastery. In the afternoon, we continue onto the town of Taxco, known as the “city in the clouds”. Taxco is famous for its rich source of silver and is a pearl of colonial Mexican art. Here we spend some leisurely time shopping for silver treasures and “bartering” with the local shop owners. Following our celebrations of Mass at the Church of Santa Prisca, we return to Mexico City for dinner and overnight.

November 21, 2024 – Thursday
TEOTIHUACAN / TULPETLAC
Today we drive to Teotihuacan where we will visit the incredible ruins of the Pyramid of the Sun and Moon. From here we drive to Tulpetlac for a visit to the Shrine of the Fifth Apparition, where Juan Diego’s uncle experienced his own apparition of the Virgin Mother and was cured of his terminal illness. Later in the afternoon, we drive to the Tlatelolco section of Mexico City and arrive at the Square of the Three Cultures, where we visit and celebrate Mass at St. James Church. It is here that Juan Diego was baptized as a child. We return to Mexico City for this evening’s “Fiesta Mexicana Folklorico Show” at El Lugar de Mariachi Restaurant. Overnight in Mexico City.

November 22, 2024 – Friday
MEXICO CITY / NEWARK
Following breakfast this morning, we bid farewell to the land of Our Lady of Guadalupe and arrive at the airport for our return flight home. Though our pilgrimage draws to a close, its blessings will last a lifetime and its graces are certain to draw us closer to the Lord.