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Mexico City at dusk

In the Footsteps of the Cristero Martyrs

Cristo Rey, San Juan de los Lagos and St. Toribio Romo

Eight days from Mexico City to Guadalajara, beginning at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the tomb of Blessed Miguel Pro, then west through Querétaro to Cristo Rey, San Juan de los Lagos, St. Toribio Romo and St. José Sánchez del Río.

Departures

Current Tours to Mexico

Upcoming departures to Mexico. Each group has its own host, dates, and itinerary. The route below is our standard.

All current pilgrimages
The Route

Seven stops across Mexico

Mexico City, Querétaro, Guanajuato, San Juan de los Lagos, Santa Ana de Guadalupe, Sahuayo and Guadalajara, one way by motorcoach across the highlands.

Itinerary · AM_MX-8D-01

The Cristero Martyrs Itinerary

Three nights in Mexico City, two at Guanajuato for Cristo Rey, and two at Guadalajara with a day out to Sahuayo. The route arrives at one airport and departs from another. Your group travels on its own dates, and the itinerary can be adjusted to fit the time you have and the places that matter most to your pilgrims.

Day 1 – 3

Mexico City

The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City
The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Day 1

Arrival in Mexico City

Our flight brings us to Mexico City, where our guide and driver meet us and accompany us to our hotel. We gather this evening for a welcome dinner to begin the pilgrimage together.Overnight in Mexico City.
Day 2

The Historic Centre and Blessed Miguel Pro

We begin at the Plaza of Santo Domingo and the church the Dominicans raised on the site of their first temple after the conquest, praying the Rosary in the Chapel of Our Lady of the Rosary. We continue to the Metropolitan Cathedral, the oldest and largest in Latin America. In the afternoon we celebrate Mass at Holy Family Church, venerate the relics of Blessed Miguel Pro and visit the place of his martyrdom.Overnight in Mexico City.
Day 3

Tulpetlac and the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe

We drive to the Church of the Fifth Apparition at Tulpetlac, where Our Lady appeared to Juan Bernardino and healed him, where a well of healing water is still in use. On the way to the shrine we stop at the Plaza de las Tres Culturas in Tlatelolco, where St. Juan Diego was baptized. We celebrate Mass at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, then climb Tepeyac Hill to the Old Basilica and the Chapel of the Well.Overnight in Mexico City.
Day 4 – 5

Querétaro and Guanajuato

The Zocalo in Mexico City
Cristo Rey on the Cerro del Cubilete
Day 4

Querétaro and Guanajuato

We celebrate Mass at the Church of the Cross in Querétaro and visit the Franciscan monastery where Fr. Junípero Serra began the work that carried him to the missions of California, and where the thorn tree grown from Fr. Antonio Margil’s walking cane still stands. The afternoon takes in Santa Clara and the Temple of Santa Rosa de Viterbo before we drive on to Guanajuato.Overnight in Guanajuato.
Day 5

Cristo Rey and Guanajuato

We drive early to the Cerro del Cubilete for Mass beneath the statue of Christ the King, eighty tons and some sixty five feet tall, rebuilt after the government dynamited the original in 1928. At its base the Shrine of Santa María de los Mártires holds the relics of three Cristero martyrs. The afternoon is given to Guanajuato, its narrow coloured streets, the Templo de la Compañía and the basilica of the city’s patroness.Overnight in Guanajuato.
Day 6

San Juan de los Lagos and Santa Ana de Guadalupe

The Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan de los Lagos
Day 6

San Juan de los Lagos and Santa Ana de Guadalupe

We celebrate Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan de los Lagos, the second most visited shrine in Mexico, before an image of the Immaculate Conception just over a foot tall and made of corn cane paste, whose first recorded miracle dates to 1623. We continue to Santa Ana de Guadalupe for the house and shrine of St. Toribio Romo, patron of migrants, and pray before his relics.Overnight in Guadalajara.
Day 7 – 8

Sahuayo and Guadalajara

Guadalajara Cathedral and the ossuary of the martyrs
Day 7

Sahuayo and Guadalajara

The morning belongs to St. José Sánchez del Río, the youngest of the Cristero martyrs, canonized in 2016. We celebrate Mass at the Church of St. James, where he was taken prisoner, and go on to the cemetery where he declared his loyalty to Christ the King as he was tortured. We return to Guadalajara for the cathedral and its ossuary, which holds the bones of twenty three martyred saints of the Cristero War.Overnight in Guadalajara.
Day 8

Return Home

We transfer to Guadalajara airport for our return flight home, with hearts renewed by the grace of pilgrimage and the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Blessed Miguel Pro and the martyrs of the Cristero War.

Why leaders choose Canterbury

“Canterbury treats you like family! They handle everything, from creating exciting itineraries to managing calls, registrations, and payments.”

Patrick MadridPatrick Madrid
Catholic Speaker, Author & Host of The Patrick Madrid Show on Relevant Radio®
The old and new basilicas of Our Lady of Guadalupe below Tepeyac Hill
TepeyacThe hill where Our Lady appeared to St. Juan Diego, above the basilica that holds his tilma.
Dates

Your group travels on its own dates.

Tell us the window you have in mind and we will build the itinerary around it: the time you have, and the places that matter most to your pilgrims.

Your pilgrimage includes

Tour Package Includes

These inclusions can be easily tailored to the individual needs of your group

  • Daily Mass at the churches we visit
  • Round-trip group airfare
  • Airport transfers on arrival & departure
  • 4-Star hotel accommodations
  • Private motorcoach transportation
  • Breakfast & dinner served daily
  • Wine served with some dinners
  • Dedicated tour manager
  • Licensed guiding & admission fees
  • Porterage service at hotels
  • Whisper headsets when touring
  • Tips for hotel & restaurant staff
  • 9 – 5 PM (EST) reservation support
  • 24/7 travel emergency support
  • Canterbury Mobile App
For the group leader

What you get as the group leader

You travel free.

Every group earns complimentary places. The more pilgrims you bring, the more you earn. How complimentary places work

No financial risk.

If the group does not fill, deposits are returned. You owe nothing and neither do your pilgrims. What happens if a group does not fill

We produce the promotional materials.

Flyers, a registration page, and what you need to invite your people. Our guide to promoting a pilgrimage

We handle your pilgrims.

Registrations, rooming lists, payment plans and the phone calls. How leading a pilgrimage works

In your pocket

The Canterbury Mobile App

Every pilgrim in your group gets the app. Their itinerary, hotels and flights, the prayers of the day and a way to reach one another, all in one place and kept current as the pilgrimage unfolds.

  • Group chat

    Your whole group in one thread, so a change of plan reaches everyone at once.

  • Their itinerary

    The full day-by-day schedule, always current, in every pilgrim’s pocket.

  • Hotels

    Where the group is staying each night, with addresses and dates.

  • Flights

    Flight details kept alongside everything else, not in a separate email.

  • Daily prayers

    The prayers of the day, including the Liturgy of the Hours.

  • Shrine passport

    A keepsake record of the shrines your group visits along the way.

  • Live updates

    Times and meeting points pushed to everyone the moment they change.

Photographs
The tilma of St. Juan Diego bearing the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe
The tilma of St. Juan Diego
The Palacio de Bellas Artes, Mexico City
Mexico City by night
The Metropolitan Cathedral of Mexico City on the Zocalo
The Metropolitan Cathedral on the Zócalo
The shrine of St. Toribio Romo at Santa Ana de Guadalupe
The Church of St. James at Sahuayo
Pilgrims on a Canterbury pilgrimage to Our Lady of Guadalupe
Pilgrims on a Canterbury pilgrimage to Guadalupe

What group leaders say

“They’re big enough to handle any problem that arises, and small enough to craft truly unique experiences.”

Chris StefanickChris Stefanick
Founder & President of Real Life Catholic
Before you ask

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the best time to travel to Mexico?

November through April is the dry season and suits this route best, since it crosses the highlands by road and the summer rains slow the drives. December 12, the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, fills Tepeyac with millions of pilgrims. The feast of Christ the King in late November is the natural date for the Cerro del Cubilete, and it books early.

How physically demanding is this pilgrimage?

Moderate. Most days involve two to four hours on your feet, with walking on uneven ground, ancient stone, and steps at archaeological sites. Pilgrims who can manage a full day of sightseeing at their own pace do well. If anyone in your group has mobility limitations, tell us early and we will adapt the days around them. What activity level means.

What is generally not included?

Travel insurance, lunches, drinks beyond those served with included meals, personal expenses, and gratuities for your tour manager and driver. Any of these can be built into your package on request, so tell us what you would like covered and we will arrange it. Passports and visa fees are the one exception and remain the responsibility of each pilgrim.

Do I need a passport or visa for Mexico?

A US passport valid for the length of your stay is required. No visa is needed for tourism, and an entry permit is issued on arrival. This route arrives in Mexico City and departs from Guadalajara, so we book the flights accordingly and confirm the detail with your group before you travel.

Can our priest celebrate Mass at the churches?

Yes. Daily Mass is built into the itinerary, and we arrange times and locations in advance with each church. Your priest should travel with a celebret or letter of good standing from his bishop or superior. We handle the scheduling.

How many pilgrims do you need for a group?

Most of our groups are between 20 and 50 pilgrims, and we can arrange smaller tours as well. We have also organized pilgrimages for groups as large as 2,500, so whatever size your group turns out to be, we can build for it. Minimum group size for a group flight.

Enquire

Interested in Leading a Pilgrimage to Mexico?

A pilgrimage consultant replies within one business day. No deposit or commitment.

    Your Information

    Your Group

    First time? You are in good company. Many of our group leaders start right here, and we guide you through every step.

    Where You Would Like to Go

    Destinations of interest (check all that apply)

    These are some of our most popular destinations, but we build CUSTOM ITINERARIES anywhere in the world. If you do not see your destination, tell us below.

    Italy, Rome and AssisiFrance, Lourdes and ParisPortugal and FátimaSpain and the Camino de SantiagoPortugal, Spain and France togetherGreece and TurkeyThe Holy LandEgypt and Mount SinaiPoland, Prague and Central EuropeMedjugorje and the BalkansIreland and the United KingdomMexico and Our Lady of GuadalupeArgentinaPeruJapan, Nagasaki and AkitaUnited States and Canada shrinesA pilgrimage cruiseSomewhere else, or not sure yet

    When

    Group Size and Budget

    Complimentary places are arranged based on the size of your group. Let us know how many you expect so we can request them from our suppliers from the start.

    A Few Last Details

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