Depart on your flights to Mexico arriving in Mexico City the same day. After passing through passport control and collecting our luggage, we will meet our pilgrimage escort and motorcoach driver in the arrivals hall. A brief transfer will take us to our hotel for check-in. We will gather together for a festive welcome dinner served with local cuisine. Overnight in Mexico City. (D)

Following breakfast, we journey to the most revered place of pilgrimage in the Americans, the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Each year several million people visit this holy place to see the tilma (or cloak) of St. Juan Diego, which has imprinted on it the miraculous image of Our Lady. We will have the blessed opportunity to celebrate a private Mass in the presence of the tilma followed by quiet time for prayer and reflection. After Mass, we will participate in a walking tour of the Shrine to explore the Basilica and other chapels on the campus, with incredible art and architecture spanning five centuries. There are also gardens to explore and a sidewalk pathway that leads up Tepeyac Hill. Following lunch, we continue to San Juan Teotihuacan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. While in San Juan Teotihuacan, you will enjoy lunch at a nearby restaurant, followed by a guided tour of the archaeological site. While on tour, we will view the pyramids of the Sun and Moon, the Temple of Quetzalcoatl, and local art markets. Dinner and overnight in Mexico City. (B, L, D)

Following breakfast, we will make our way to the church of the Holy Family (Sagrada Familia), the Jesuit church in Mexico City. We will celebrate Mass at the tomb of Blessed Miguel Pro, a Jesuit priest who was executed by order of Calles, the anti-Catholic President of Mexico in 1927. We will include a special visit to the museum dedicated in honor of Blessed Miguel Pro, highlighting the life and brave martyrdom of this valiant man of God. Next we drive to see the location of his martyrdom on a side street in the city center, where he died with the words: “Viva Cristo Rey” (long live Christ the King). We will continue to the Historic Center and visit the oldest and largest Cathedral in all Latin America. We will also visit the National Palace (exterior views) which has been a building of the ruling class of Mexico since the government of the Aztec Empire. We will see the Zocalo (main square) and conclude with a walk along the pedestrian street of Francisco I Madero with its magnificent churches and old stately buildings. Following lunch, there will be free time for shopping and exploration. Dinner and overnight in Mexico City. (B, L, D)

Following breakfast, we make our way outside the city into the picturesque countryside destined for the enchanting Spanish colonial town of Puebla, an opulent creation of “New Spain.” On our way, we will make a stop at the Sanctuary of San Miguel del Milagro, an enchanting little shrine in the countryside that celebrates an apparition of St. Michael the Archangel in the year 1631. Afterwards we will continue to Puebla, considered to be the cradle of “Mexican Baroque.” Hotel check-in and lunch in the historic city center. The historical and cultural value of Puebla’s stunning architecture and splashing fountains comes alive as we visit the enchanting Cathedral. Afterwards, we will celebrate Mass in the exquisite golden chapel of the Rosary at the Dominican church of Santo Domingo. Celebratory group dinner served with local cuisine. Overnight in Puebla. (B, L, D)

Following breakfast, we will transfer to the majestic Cathedral for Mass. After Mass, we board our motorcoach destined for a memorable day trip to Cholula where we will see the Nuestra Señora de los Remedios Shrine built atop the ruins of a pagan pyramid. Here we will pray before the exquisite statue and admire the view of Cholula, with its countless church domes of varied colors made of “talavera” terracotta tiles. We will also visit the San Gabriel church and friary, one of the largest Franciscan friaries in Mexico. It was established in 1529 by the Franciscans atop the remains of a destroyed pagan temple. Late afternoon return to Puebla for a relaxed group dinner. Overnight in Puebla. (B, L, D)

Following breakfast, we will check out from our hotel and depart early for Queretaro City. We will first celebrate Mass at the Church of the Cross and have a short visit to the Franciscan Monastery where Fr. Junipero Serra started his ministry and founded the Franciscan Missions. We will also learn more about the life of Fr. Antonio Margil de Jesus who was stationed at the missionary college of Santa Cruz Queretaro. Following a late lunch, we will depart for San Miguel de Allende. Upon arrival, we will visit the charming city center before checking into our hotel and meeting for dinner. Dinner and overnight in San Miguel de Allende. (B, L, D)

Following breakfast, we will check out from our hotel and depart early for the Cerro del Cubilete to celebrate Mass. The Cerro of Cubilete is a special emblematic site for the Cristeros. It was bombed in 1928 by the Mexican government which led to the famous refrain of the Cristero Revolution: “Viva Cristo Rey!” It was reconstructed after the Cristero revolution in 1944 and finished in 1950. The monument of Christ the King weighs 80 tons and is 120 feet high. At the base of El Cerro del Cubilete is the Shrine of Santa Maria de los Martires where we will see the relics of three Cristeros: Fr. Jose Trinidad Rangel Montano, Fr. Andres Sola y Molist, and Sr. Leonardo Perez Larios. Following lunch, we will visit Guanajuato and be immersed in its unique atmosphere, walking through the colorful narrow streets, admiring the architecture of the Juarez Theater, Plaza Baratillo, and Guanajuato University. We will also see the Templo de la Compañia de Jesus, one of the largest constructions completed by the Jesuits in Mexico. Another jewel of Guanajuato is the Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Guanajuato, which contains a striking image of the Virgin, patroness of the city. We will also see beautiful San Fernando square and the Church of Belen. Overnight and dinner in Guanajuato. (B, L, D)

Following breakfast, we depart for an excursion to Sahuayo. We will dedicate this morning to St. Jose Sanchez del Rio, the youngest of the Cristero martyrs. He was canonized on October 14, 2016. We will celebrate Mass at the Church of St. James where St. Jose (Joselito) was taken prisoner by the federal troops. We will have time to pray in front of his relics. Next, we visit the cemetery where St. Joselito bravely declared his loyalty to Christ. As he was being tortured, he cried out “Viva Cristo Rey!” Following lunch, we will board our motorcoach for our transfer back to Guadalajara. In Guadalajara, we will visit the Cathedral with the ossuary consisting of a glass cabinet that exhibits the bones of 23 of the martyred saints of the Cristero Revolution, followed by a visit to the city center with its historical buildings and government palaces including the elegant Degollado Theater. Dinner and overnight in Guadalajara. (B, L, D)

Following breakfast, we board our group transfer to the Guadalajara airport for our return flights home. (B)