DAY 1: DEPART USA / MEXICO CITY
We depart en route to Mexico City. Upon arrival we are met by our representative who will be escort us to our private motor coach for transfer & check-in to our hotel. Dinner is at the hotel. (D)
DAY 2: MEXICO CITY: PUEBLA & TLAXCALA
We board our motor coach for the colonial town of Puebla. At St. Francis of Assisi Church we view the uncorrupted body of Blessed Sebastian de Aparicio, a famous local figure through whose intercessory prayers many miracles have been reported. We visit as well the Church of Santo Domingo whose chapel of Our Lady of the Rosary is one of the most exquisite in all of Mexico. A hearty lunch awaits us at a traditional restaurant in Puebla.
After lunch we make our way back to Mexico City, with a stop in Tlaxcala en route. In Tlaxcala is the Shrine of Our Lady of Ocotlan, popularly known as a ‘Mexico’s Lourdes.’ Tradition says that in the 16th century, prayers to the Virgin during a drought led to discovery of the miraculous well. The Shrine was built in gratitude for the answered prayers. Today the well draws pilgrims from miles around. Here we celebrate Mass. We return to Mexico City for the evening and dinner on our own. (B, L)
DAY 3: MEXICO CITY: SHRINE OF OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE
This morning we visit Tlatelolco and the Plaza of the Three Cultures. The Church of Santiago nearby dons a plaque offering a memorable message to the passing of the Aztec nation and the birth of the ‘mestizo’ nation. It is an interesting point to note that on December 12, 1531, Juan Diego, an Indian convert to Catholicism, was walking across a hill on his way to the Franciscan Monastery at Tlatelolco when the Blessed Virgin appeared to him.
We continue on to the Basilica Our Lady of Guadalupe for Mass and a visit to the various points of interest in the Tepeyac area surrounding the Basilica, each associated with the story of the apparitions of Our Lady.
Juan Diego’s tilma is exhibited in the main Basilica. One special stop is La Capilla del Pocito (Chapel of the Little Well) – a well which reputedly opened under the feet of the Virgin. The balance of the afternoon is at leisure for our own visits and devotions. Dinner is at the hotel. (B, D)
Tonight we have the option of attending the Folklore Ballet (Cost: TBA – based on 20 persons minimum, including round-trip motor coach transfer from the hotel. Information will be available from your local guide in Mexico City.)
DAY 4: MEXICO CITY: TULPETLAC & TEOTIHUACAN
We depart today to Tulpetlac where Juan Diego’s uncle, Juan Bernardino, was cured. This is the church of the fifth apparition where we celebrate Mass. From here we proceed to the world-famous Pyramids of Teotihuacan. In the year 600 A.D., Teotihuacan was one of the largest cities in the world housing more than 75 temples to the Aztec gods. Teotihuacan translated means: Place Where Gods Were Made. We will have lunch together nearby prior to visiting the Pyramids. After our visit, we return to our hotel for the balance of the day at leisure, and dinner is on our own. (B, L)
DAY 5: MEXICO CITY: CITY VISIT WITH METROPOLITAN CATHEDRAL
Our city tour will include the Metropolitan Cathedral (where we celebrate Mass), the Great Temple of the Aztecs (the most sacred site of the ancient Aztec empire) and St. Francis of Assisi Church (once the headquarters for the Franciscan Order in Mexico).
This afternoon we will visit the Anthropology Museum, one of the best of that kind in the world. Tonight we enjoy a festive farewell dinner at a local restaurant. (B, D)
DAY 6: RETURN USA
We transfer to the Mexico City airport for our return flight to USA. (B)
NOTE: While no changes are anticipated, there might be occasions when certain alterations become necessary to this itinerary due to changes in airline schedules or for other reasons. All Masses are subject to final church schedules.
