Our Lady of Guadalupe & the Cristero Martyrs with St. Mary’s of the Annunciation 2027
Seven days from Mexico City to Guadalajara, by way of the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the tomb of Bl. Miguel Pro, Guanajuato, the Cerro del Cubilete and Sahuayo, with Fr. Matthew O’Donnell and Fr. Saul Perez, and daily Mass.
Your chaplains
Fr. Matthew O’Donnell
Pastor, St. Mary’s of the Annunciation Catholic Church, Oakdale, California
Fr. Saul Perez
Parochial Vicar, St. Mary’s of the Annunciation Catholic Church, Oakdale, California
“Am I not here, I who am your mother?”
Our Lady to St. Juan Diego, Tepeyac, December 1531
Our Lady’s words to St. Juan Diego, as the Nican Mopohua records them. On our second day we kneel before the tilma and celebrate a private Mass in one of the upper chapels of the Basilica.
Day two · Monday, April 12 · The tilma of St. Juan Diego, Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Mexico, April 11 to 17, 2027
Seven days, six nights in Mexico City, Guanajuato and Guadalajara, with Tepeyac, Tulpetlac, Xochimilco, the Cerro del Cubilete, San Juan de los Lagos, Santa Ana de Guadalupe and Sahuayo along the way, and Mass each day.
Begins in Mexico City and ends in Guadalajara
OvernightVisit
Nights: 3 Mexico City, 1 Guanajuato, 2 Guadalajara.
Departure & arrival in Mexico City
Our pilgrimage begins as we depart for our flight to Mexico City. Upon arrival, our Canterbury tour manager greets us as we collect our bags and accompanies us by motorcoach to our hotel. We gather this evening for a welcome dinner to begin our pilgrimage together.
Tulpetlac, Tlatelolco & the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe
After breakfast we travel to the Church of the Fifth Apparition in Tulpetlac, where the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Juan Bernardino, the uncle of St. Juan Diego, and restored him to health; here we find a well of healing water still used by locals today. On the way to the Basilica we stop at the Plaza of the Three Cultures in Tlatelolco, where Aztec ruins, the colonial Church of Santiago Tlatelolco, and modern Mexico City stand side by side. It was to this church that St. Juan Diego was walking for Mass and catechism when Our Lady first appeared to him on the hill of Tepeyac, and here, by tradition, that he was baptized. We continue to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas, built at Our Lady’s request to St. Juan Diego. We join the pilgrims from every nation in kneeling before the centuries-old tilma bearing Our Lady’s miraculously imprinted image, and we celebrate a private Mass in one of the upper chapels. We then climb Tepeyac Hill to visit the Old Basilica, the Chapel of the Indians, and the Chapel of the Well. After lunch nearby, we have time for prayer and shopping before returning to our hotel in the late afternoon.
Blessed Miguel Pro, Historic Centre & Xochimilco
After breakfast we visit Holy Family Church and the tomb of Bl. Miguel Agustín Pro, the Jesuit martyr. During the religious persecution that followed the Mexican Revolution, Fr. Pro was hidden by a clandestine network of the faithful as he brought the sacraments to many in secret. Arrested and condemned without trial, he faced the firing squad with his arms outstretched in the form of a cross, his final words “¡Viva Cristo Rey!” (“Long live Christ the King!”). Here we pray before this great martyr, venerate his relics, and celebrate Mass, and we visit the small museum dedicated to him. We continue to the historic centre and the Plaza of Santo Domingo, with its corridor of public scribes who once wrote letters for those who could not. Inside the 18th-century Church of Santo Domingo, designed by Pedro de Arrieta, the architect of the Old Basilica at Tepeyac, we pray the Rosary together in the chapel of Our Lady of the Rosary. We visit the Metropolitan Cathedral, the oldest and largest cathedral in Latin America, and view the National Palace from outside. After lunch we travel south to Xochimilco, where we board the colorful trajineras for a relaxing ride along the ancient canals and floating gardens, a living remnant of the Aztec waterways.
Mexico City & Guanajuato
After breakfast we check out of our hotel and travel by motorcoach to Guanajuato, arriving in time for lunch. We spend the afternoon immersed in the city’s unique atmosphere, walking its colorful narrow streets and admiring from outside the Juárez Theater, Plaza Baratillo, and the University of Guanajuato. We see the Templo de la Compañía de Jesús, one of the largest churches built by the Jesuits in Mexico, completed in 1765 only two years before the Jesuits were expelled from the country. Another jewel of Guanajuato is the orange-and-yellow Basilica of Our Lady of Guanajuato, home to an image of the Virgin venerated as patroness of the city, and we also see the beautiful San Fernando Square and the Church of Belén.
Cerro del Cubilete, San Juan de los Lagos, Santa Ana de Guadalupe & Guadalajara
After breakfast we depart early for the Cerro del Cubilete to celebrate Mass. The Cerro del Cubilete is an emblematic site for the Cristeros: its original monument was dynamited by the Mexican government in 1928, and the mountain became bound to the rallying cry of the Cristero War, “¡Viva Cristo Rey!” The monument was rebuilt between 1944 and 1950, and the present statue of Christ the King weighs 80 tons and stands roughly 65 feet tall. At its base, the Shrine of Santa María de los Mártires holds the relics of three Cristero martyrs: Fr. José Trinidad Rangel Montaño, Fr. Andrés Sola y Molist, and the layman Leonardo Pérez Larios. We continue to San Juan de los Lagos and the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan de los Lagos, the second most visited Catholic shrine in Mexico. The small image of the Immaculate Conception venerated here, just over a foot tall and made of corn-cane paste, was brought from Michoacán in the early 1500s; its first recorded miracle dates to 1623, when a young acrobat who fell fatally onto spear points was revived after local women brought the image to her and prayed. We continue to Santa Ana de Guadalupe to visit the house and shrine of St. Toribio Romo, patron of migrants, and pray before his relics.
Sahuayo & Guadalajara
After breakfast we depart for Sahuayo, dedicating the morning to St. José Sánchez del Río, the youngest of the Cristero martyrs, canonized on October 16, 2016. We celebrate Mass at the Church of St. James, where young Joselito was held prisoner by federal troops, and pray before his relics. We continue to the cemetery where, at just fourteen, he bravely declared his loyalty to Christ, crying out “¡Viva Cristo Rey!” to the end. After lunch we return to Guadalajara to visit the Cathedral and its ossuary, where the relics of martyred saints of the Cristero War are kept, followed by the city centre with its historic buildings, government palaces, and the elegant Degollado Theater. We gather this evening for our farewell dinner.
Guadalajara, return home
With hearts renewed by the grace of pilgrimage and the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Bl. Miguel Pro, and the martyrs of the Cristero War, we transfer to Guadalajara’s airport for our return flight home.
What’s included
Everything below is covered by the package price.
Your hotels in Mexico
Four-star hotels throughout: three nights in Mexico City, one in Guanajuato and two in Guadalajara. Hotels are subject to final confirmation; if a hotel changes, it is replaced with one of the same standard.
“Incredible experience from boarding the plane to the very end of this pilgrimage.”
“Everything was on time and well done, from the hotels to the food, to the places we visited, everything went off without a hitch.”
“The entire trip from start to finish went smoothly.”
Questions pilgrims ask
Short answers to what most people want to know before they put down a deposit.
Expect about 1 to 2 miles of walking on a typical day, at an easy pace with stops. The main climbs are the stairs up Tepeyac Hill to the Old Basilica and the Chapel of the Well on Day 2, and the steep, narrow cobbled streets of Guanajuato on Day 4. Days 4, 5 and 6 include long stretches by motorcoach between cities.
You can have a room to yourself with the single room supplement of $599, or share a room. If you would like to share, we will do our best to match you with a roommate; if we cannot find a match by the final payment date of January 11, 2027, the single room supplement applies. Couples, families, friends and singles are all welcome, and plenty of pilgrims come on their own.
Lunches, checked bag fees, donations at Masses, souvenirs and laundry. Tips for your guides, drivers and hotel and restaurant staff are already included. Add travel insurance if you choose it, and the 3% fee if you pay by credit card. A typical lunch costs about $15 to $20. Abroad, we recommend paying for most things by credit card, which is accepted almost everywhere and comes with protection that cash does not; bring a couple hundred US dollars in cash for emergencies. When a card machine or ATM asks whether to pay in dollars or in the local currency (Mexican pesos), choose the local currency; it is almost always cheaper.
Let us know in writing. Up to January 11, 2027, everything you have paid is returned except $200. The final payment, due on January 11, 2027, is non-refundable, so cancellations after that date receive no refund. Travel insurance may cover a cancellation, depending on the reason.
Pilgrims from St. Mary’s of the Annunciation Catholic Church in Oakdale, California, marking the parish’s 125th anniversary, with Fr. Matthew O’Donnell, pastor, and Fr. Saul Perez, parochial vicar, who celebrate Mass for the group, and a Canterbury tour manager who travels with the group from arrival in Mexico City.
More answers in the FAQ below and in our Support Center, or call us at +1 (800) 653-0017.
Price per person
Per person, including roundtrip group airfare from San Francisco (SFO). Flying from another city? We can arrange air from your airport; call or email us for a quote.
Shared rooms are always doubles with two beds. If you would like us to match you with a roommate, tell us when you book and we will do our best. Please note that if we cannot find you a match by the final payment date of January 11, 2027, the single room supplement will apply.
$200 per person is non-refundable.
Final payment is due 90 days before departure. Payment plans are available if you would like to make smaller payments before then.
Check
ACH bank transfer
Zelle
Cash, money order or cashier’s check
Protect your pilgrimage
Your pilgrimage is paid for long before you leave. Travel insurance is added as part of your booking: when you reserve, choose an Allianz plan on the insurance step. There is no separate quote to get. Classic is the plan we recommend for most pilgrims.
- Covers your trip cost. Classic reimburses 100% of the trip cost you insured if you cancel for a covered reason, and adds emergency medical care and baggage cover.
- Buy within 14 days of your first deposit to keep Cancel Anytime and pre-existing condition cover. The plans stay available until departure.
- Buy it in the same checkout as your pilgrimage. Prefer to add it by phone? Call us at +1 (800) 653-0017.
Frequently asked questions
April is in the dry season in central Mexico, with warm, sunny afternoons and cool mornings and evenings. Mexico City sits at about 7,350 feet, so take the first day gently, drink plenty of water and bring sunscreen, a hat, a light layer for the evenings and comfortable walking shoes.
Yes. You need a passport book; passport cards are not accepted for flights to Mexico. We recommend a passport valid for at least six months beyond the return date, and we need your passport details at least 90 days before departure.
The group airfare includes one carry-on bag and one personal item per pilgrim. Checked bags can be added and are paid to the airline.
Yes. The price includes roundtrip group airfare from San Francisco (SFO), flying into Mexico City and home from Guadalajara; if you book your own flights, the ground-only price is $2,296 per person, two sharing (choose “Book my own” on the flights step when you reserve). Send us your flight details once booked, so we can line up your arrival with the group’s in Mexico City on April 11 and your departure from Guadalajara on April 17. Group air from other airports can be arranged; call or email us for a quote.
Final payment is due on January 11, 2027, 90 days before departure. Payment plans are available if you would like to make smaller payments before then.
We strongly encourage travel insurance for all of our pilgrims, and we partner with Allianz Travel Insurance to offer affordable coverage. Most of our pilgrims choose the Classic Plan. You add it as part of your booking: choose a plan on the insurance step when you reserve, or call us at +1 (800) 653-0017. Buy within 14 days of your first deposit to keep Cancel Anytime and pre-existing condition cover.
A pilgrimage is not a vacation or excursion but a unique spiritual journey that provides many opportunities to deepen your relationship with God and enrich your Catholic faith by bringing Scripture to life. Pilgrimages offer the opportunity to let Christ draw you near.
More questions are answered in our Support Center, covering booking, payments, travel insurance, passports and what to expect on pilgrimage.
Couples, families, friends, singles, all are welcome!
Some pilgrims come as a couple, some bring the whole family, some come with a friend from the parish, and plenty come on their own. Everyone is welcome.
Guadalupe, Guanajuato and the Cristero martyrs
April 11 to 17, 2027, celebrating the 125th anniversary of St. Mary’s of the Annunciation Catholic Church, Oakdale, California, with Fr. Matthew O’Donnell and Fr. Saul Perez. Reserve today with a $450 deposit per pilgrim.
Questions? Call +1 (800) 653-0017 or email hello@canterburypilgrimages.com.
Secure your spot today with a $450 deposit per pilgrim.