This morning, make your way to your local airport for your flight(s) to Mexico City. Upon arrival, meet your tour escort and driver and transfer to Puebla. Enjoy the lunch is included en route. Arrive at the hotel and proceed to Mass either at the hotel or a church, depending on the time of your arrival. Dinner and overnight in Puebla.

After breakfast at hotel, we will depart for Tlaxcala, where we will visit the Shrine of San Miguel del Milagro. Celebrate Mass at the site where St Michael the Archangel appeared to Diego Lazaro in 1631, visit the church, and drink the healing water. Afterward, we continue to Ocotlan to see the beautiful Basilica and the image of Our Lady that was miraculously burned into the wood after her appearance in 1532 to Juan Diego Bernardino. We will continue to Puebla, to visit the fourth largest city packed with ornate churches, which is a showplace of Spanish colonial architecture; much of it is adorned with the beautiful hand-painted Talavera tiles for which the region is famous.

We will visit the cathedral dedicated to the Immaculate Conception and the Church of St. Dominic to admire the Chapel of Our Lady of the Rosary built in 1690. This is an outstanding example of Mexican Baroque, with dazzling use of gilded stucco and onyx stonework. Then we will see the Church of St. Francis of Assisi, where you will view the incorrupt body of Blessed Sebastian of Aparicio, patron saint of travelers. Born to Spanish peasants, this field worker is a model of simplicity and chastity. Though he grew to accumulate a lot of wealth as a farmer, he distributed his goods among the poor and became a Franciscan brother at the age of 72. He collected alms for the friary and was charitable to everyone he met for 25 years, earning him the name “Angel of Mexico”. You will have time to venerate his body, miraculously incorrupt since he died in 1600. This afternoon you will have time in Puebla’s largest traditional handcraft market, El Parián, to shop its colorful glazed pottery. Return to Hotel for dinner and overnight at Hotel Quinta Real Puebla.

After a delicious breakfast at the hotel, we will visit the town of Cholula, famous for having the largest pyramid in Latin America, larger than the Giza and Chichen Itza pyramids. Most of the Pirámide Tepanapa is shaded by the top of the mountain, next to the bright yellow Our Lady of Remedies Church.

Afterward, we will travel to Xochimilco, where the group will explore floating gardens and experience the boat trip on the Trajineras. After the boat trip, continue to Mexico City for dinner and overnight.

After breakfast, the group will go to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Patroness of the Americas. This Shrine was built in response to Our Lady’s request to the apparition’s seer, St. Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin. When St. Juan relayed her request to the bishop, he asked for a sign. Our Lady provided St. Juan with culturally significant flowers that miraculously bloomed in the middle of winter on Tepeyac Hill. When the seer returned to the bishop with his cloak (tilma) full of flowers, he poured the flowers on the floor, revealing a stunning image of Our Lady which many studies have proven could not have been made by human hand. Upon arrival at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, you will celebrate Mass as you marvel at the brilliantly colored basilica made in her honor. Following Mass, you will have the opportunity to kneel in front of St. Juan’s tilma, on which Our Lady’s image was miraculously imprinted. Lunch included. After lunch, we will continue to the Church of Santiago Tlatelolco, where St. Juan Diego was baptized. This area is important as it symbolizes the unique blend of pre-Hispanic and Hispanic cultures that make up Mexico. We will visit the oldest and largest Cathedral in all of Latin America, the Metropolitan Cathedral. Throughout your time in the Cathedral, you will be overwhelmed by the stunning paintings, altar pieces, and statues as well as the National Palace (from outside) which has been a building of the ruling class of Mexico since the Aztec Empire. Return to Hotel. Dinner and overnight at Hotel Barcelo Reforma.

This morning after breakfast you will depart for Holy Family Church, where you will view the tomb of the Jesuit martyr Blessed Miguel Agustin Pro. During the Mexican Revolution, Fr. Pro was exiled from Mexico due to the great religious persecution. He bravely returned to Mexico and was aided by a clandestine group that helped him hide from the authorities. He assisted many individuals with their spiritual and temporal needs during the persecution. Although he helped many, he was eventually arrested and killed. His final words before the firing squad were “Viva Cristo Rey!” which translates to “Long Live Christ the King!” At Holy Family Church, you can venerate this saint’s relics and ask for his intercession. We will also celebrate Mass here and visit the small yet inspiring museum dedicated to Fr. Pro’s life, mission, and sacrifice. We will continue to the Church of Santo Domingo, which stands on the same site where the first temple was built after the conquest of the Dominicans. Inside the church, you will see several chapels, and you will have the opportunity to pray the rosary in the chapel dedicated to the Virgin of the Rosary. Another chapel is dedicated to the Spanish Virgin of Covadonga (patroness of the Asturian Immigrants), and another is dedicated to the “Lord of the Rebozo.” This church is also significant for the historical characters buried here, such as Francisco Vazquez de Coronado. Next, we will have lunch near the city center before continuing to the Church of San José del Altillo to see the crypt where Blessed Conchita Cabrera is buried. Blessed María Concepción Cabrera Arias de Armida, known as Conchita, was a model of holiness as a wife, mother, widow, grandmother, and founder. Because of the depth of her writings, Conchita is recognized as a great mystic of the 20th century. In addition to her voluminous writings, Conchita founded several apostolates under the banner of “Works of the Cross.” Pope Saint John Paul II declared her Venerable on December 20, 1999, and Pope Francis confirmed a miracle that was attributed to Conchita on June 8, 2018. She was beatified in Mexico City on May 4, 2019. Time for prayers and personal devotions will be provided. Your day will conclude with another delicious dinner and overnight stay at your hotel.

Following breakfast we will return to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Upon arrival at the Shrine, you will join the other pilgrims to celebrate Our Lady of Guadalupe. Group will have lunch at nearby restaurant. You will have time for leisure and fun for our final afternoon before enjoying a fantastic farewell dinner with live Mariachi music. Return to Hotel. Overnight at Hotel Barcelo Reforma.

This morning, following breakfast you will be transferred to the airport for your return flight(s) home.

*206 Tours Disclaimer:
Though every effort will be made to follow the itinerary, it should be considered as an indication, rather than a contract of places to be visited. Occasionally local religious holidays, national days, weather, traffic conditions and other events may necessitate changes in the sequence of visits or the missing of certain visits.