About This Pilgrimage
Mexico is a land profoundly marked by Marian devotion, missionary faith and the witness of martyrs.
This pilgrimage follows one of the most powerful chapters of modern Catholic history: the persecution of the Church in Mexico and the men, women, priests and lay faithful who remained loyal to Christ even when that fidelity placed their lives at risk.
Their cry became unforgettable:
“¡Viva Cristo Rey y Santa María de Guadalupe!”
The journey begins at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the spiritual heart of Catholic Mexico, where we place our pilgrimage under the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary and pray before the miraculous image imprinted on the tilma of St. Juan Diego.
From there, we travel through places that help us understand the much longer history of martyrdom and evangelization in Mexico. In Tlaxcala, we encounter the extraordinary witness of Sts. Cristóbal, Antonio and Juan, the Child Martyrs of Tlaxcala, killed in the 16th century for their newly embraced Christian faith.
We then enter the regions most deeply associated with the Cristero War and the persecution of the Church during the 1920s, particularly the Bajío and Los Altos de Jalisco.
At the Cerro del Cubilete, beneath the monumental image of Christ the King, we remember those who refused to abandon their Catholic faith.
At Santa Ana de Guadalupe, we pilgrimage to the shrine of St. Toribio Romo, priest and martyr, and pray before his relics.
At San Juan de los Lagos, we encounter the Marian devotion that sustained generations of Catholic families in one of the regions most deeply affected by the persecution.
Finally, in Guadalajara, we visit the great Sanctuary of the Mexican Martyrs, dedicated to the saints and blesseds who offered their lives for Christ and His Church.
This is not simply a historical tour.
It is a pilgrimage about courage, religious freedom, fidelity, forgiveness and the cost of discipleship.
The martyrs challenge every generation of Catholics with a simple question:
How deeply are we willing to live the faith we profess?
What Was the Cristero War?
The Cristero War, or Cristiada, of 1926–1929 emerged from a profound confrontation surrounding the public life and religious freedom of the Catholic Church in Mexico.
The conflict cannot be reduced to a simple story, but for Catholic pilgrims one reality is especially important: the period included severe restrictions upon Catholic worship and ministry, the closure or disruption of churches, the expulsion or persecution of clergy and the deaths of priests and lay Catholics.
Some Catholics responded through armed resistance.
Others offered a different witness: continuing to celebrate the sacraments, sheltering priests, teaching the faith, caring for communities or refusing to renounce Christ despite threats to their lives.
It is especially these martyrs — those killed out of hatred for the faith and subsequently recognized by the Church — whom we remember on this pilgrimage.
Their sanctity does not come from political violence.
It comes from fidelity to Christ even unto death.
St. Toribio Romo
Among the saints encountered on this journey, St. Toribio Romo occupies a special place.
He was a young priest serving during a period when openly exercising priestly ministry could be dangerous.
Rather than abandon his people, he continued his pastoral mission.
His martyrdom made him one of the best-known priestly witnesses of the persecution, but his devotion has taken on another remarkable dimension in more recent decades.
Many Mexican migrants and their families have developed a particular devotion to St. Toribio as an intercessor for migrants and those undertaking difficult journeys.
For Catholic groups traveling from the United States, this dimension of his story can make the pilgrimage especially meaningful.
Our Lady of Guadalupe & the Martyrs
There is a reason this pilgrimage begins at Guadalupe.
The cry associated with the Cristeros was not simply:
“Viva Cristo Rey.”
It was also often joined with devotion to Santa María de Guadalupe.
For the faithful who suffered during the persecution, Mary was not distant from their struggle.
She was their Mother.
Beginning at Tepeyac therefore gives the entire pilgrimage its proper spiritual orientation:
before encountering the martyrs, we entrust ourselves to the same Mother in whom generations of Mexican Catholics placed their confidence.
Who Is This Pilgrimage For?
This journey can be organized for parishes, dioceses, Hispanic Catholic communities, Knights of Columbus councils, Catholic schools, ministries, prayer groups, families and private Catholic organizations.
A priest may accompany the group as Spiritual Director, allowing for daily Holy Mass and a program of prayer and spiritual reflection tailored to the community.
The itinerary can also be adapted with additional destinations such as Morelia, Guadalajara’s historic center, the Shrine of St. José Sánchez del Río, Sahuayo, Cotija, Zamora, or additional sites related to the Mexican martyrs and saints.
Pilgrimage Highlights
- Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the original tilma of St. Juan Diego
- Holy Mass at the Guadalupe Shrine, subject to availability
- Visit the sacred sites of Tepeyac
- Child Martyrs of Tlaxcala — Sts. Cristóbal, Antonio and Juan
- Discover the history of the Cristero persecution
- Explore Querétaro and Guanajuato
- Pilgrimage to the National Shrine of Christ the King at Cerro del Cubilete
- Understand the meaning of the Cristero cry “¡Viva Cristo Rey!”
- Our Lady of San Juan de los Lagos
- Pilgrimage to Santa Ana de Guadalupe
- Pray before the relics of St. Toribio Romo
- Walk the Calzada de los Mártires Cristeros
- Visit Tepatitlán and Los Altos de Jalisco, heartland of the Cristero movement
- Visit the Sanctuary of the Mexican Martyrs in Guadalajara
- Daily opportunity for Holy Mass, according to ecclesiastical availability
- Spiritual accompaniment can be incorporated for parish and Catholic groups
Important Information and Terms and Conditions
The published program is a general description and may be adjusted due to availability, operational requirements, local conditions, or the group’s needs.
By registering, each traveler confirms that they have reviewed and accepted our Terms and Conditions.
Confirmed trip details, payment information, official meetings and presentations, updates, and final travel documentation will be provided through the official WeTravel page, the final itinerary, and other communications from Pilgrim Groups Travel. Travelers are responsible for reviewing all documents, insurance provisions, entry requirements, and travel instructions provided.
Proposed Itinerary
Day 1 — USA – Mexico City
Our Pilgrimage Begins
Departure from your selected U.S. airport for Mexico City.
Upon arrival, we will be welcomed by our local representative and transferred by private motorcoach to our hotel.
Time to settle in and prepare spiritually for the pilgrimage ahead.
Dinner and overnight in Mexico City.
Day 2 — Mexico City: Our Lady of Guadalupe
Under the Mantle of Our Lady
Our pilgrimage begins at the spiritual heart of Catholic Mexico: the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Here, in December 1531, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to St. Juan Diego on Tepeyac Hill, leaving her image upon his tilma.
For generations of Mexican Catholics, Our Lady of Guadalupe has represented far more than a devotion. She has been a Mother, protector and source of hope, including during some of the darkest periods of religious persecution.
We will visit the principal areas of the sanctuary complex, including the New Basilica, where the tilma is preserved, the Old Basilica, the Chapel of the Hill and other important devotional spaces.
Subject to ecclesiastical arrangements, we will celebrate Holy Mass at the sanctuary.
Time will also be available for personal prayer and to visit the Guadalupe Museum.
Later, we return toward central Mexico City for a panoramic introduction to the historic center, including the Zócalo and Metropolitan Cathedral.
Dinner and overnight in Mexico City.
Day 3 — Mexico City – Tlaxcala – Mexico City
The First Martyrs of Mexico
Today we travel to Tlaxcala, one of the key regions in the first evangelization of Mexico.
Our principal spiritual visit will be connected with Sts. Cristóbal, Antonio and Juan — the Child Martyrs of Tlaxcala.
These young converts embraced Christianity during the early years of evangelization in New Spain and were killed between 1527 and 1529 because of their commitment to their new faith.
They lived centuries before the Cristero War, but their witness provides an important spiritual introduction to our pilgrimage.
The martyrs of Mexico belong to different eras, but they share the same fundamental choice:
to remain faithful to Christ despite the cost.
We will visit the Franciscan heritage associated with their story, with time for prayer and, subject to arrangements, Holy Mass.
Return to Mexico City.
Dinner and overnight in Mexico City.
Day 4 — Mexico City – Querétaro – Guanajuato
Toward the Cristero Heartland
After breakfast, we leave Mexico City and travel toward central Mexico.
Our first destination will be Querétaro, one of the country’s great colonial cities and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
We will explore its historic streets, plazas, churches and Baroque architecture while beginning to place the Cristero conflict within its broader historical context.
During the years of religious persecution, public Catholic worship was restricted, churches were affected and many priests were forced to minister under increasingly difficult conditions.
We then continue into the Bajío, one of the regions where resistance to the anti-clerical policies of the period became particularly strong.
Arrival in Guanajuato, whose colorful streets, plazas and historic monuments make it one of Mexico’s most distinctive cities.
Subject to availability, Holy Mass may be celebrated at the Basilica.
Dinner and overnight in Guanajuato.
Day 5 — Guanajuato – Cerro del Cubilete – Guanajuato
Christ the King
Today is one of the central days of our pilgrimage.
We travel to Cerro del Cubilete, traditionally regarded as near the geographical heart of Mexico and today dominated by the monumental Shrine of Christ the King.
The title Cristo Rey — Christ the King — became inseparable from the memory of the Cristero resistance.
During the religious conflict of the 1920s, Catholics faced severe restrictions upon the public life of the Church. Priests, religious and laypeople were persecuted, and many ultimately gave their lives rather than renounce their faith.
The cry:
“¡Viva Cristo Rey!”
became a profession of faith.
At the National Votive Shrine of Christ the King, we will remember the men and women whose witness eventually led the Church to recognize numerous Mexican martyrs as saints and blesseds.
We will celebrate Holy Mass, subject to sanctuary arrangements, and have time for personal prayer and reflection.
Return to Guanajuato.
Dinner and overnight in Guanajuato.
Day 6 — Guanajuato – San Juan de los Lagos – Los Altos de Jalisco
Mary Beside a Persecuted People
After breakfast, we travel toward San Juan de los Lagos, one of Mexico’s great Marian pilgrimage destinations.
For centuries, pilgrims have come here seeking the intercession of Our Lady of San Juan de los Lagos.
During the period of religious persecution, devotion to the Virgin remained deeply rooted among the Catholic families of Los Altos de Jalisco, one of the regions most closely identified with the Cristero struggle.
We will visit the Basilica, have time for personal prayer and, subject to confirmation, celebrate Holy Mass.
Continuation to our hotel in the Los Altos region.
Dinner and overnight.
Day 7 — Santa Ana de Guadalupe – St. Toribio Romo – Tepatitlán – Guadalajara
A Priest Who Remained with His People
Today we pilgrimage to Santa Ana de Guadalupe, birthplace of St. Toribio Romo González, one of the most beloved Mexican martyrs of the 20th century.
St. Toribio continued exercising his priestly ministry during a period when doing so placed priests in serious danger.
In 1928, he was killed because of his priesthood and fidelity to the Church.
Today, thousands of pilgrims come to Santa Ana de Guadalupe to seek his intercession.
We will visit the sanctuary where his relics are venerated, learn about his life and have time to place our personal intentions before the saint.
We may also walk the Calzada de los Mártires Cristeros, reflecting upon the larger witness of priests, religious, laymen, women and young people who suffered during the persecution.
Subject to availability, we will celebrate Holy Mass at the Sanctuary of St. Toribio Romo.
We then continue toward Tepatitlán de Morelos, in the heart of Los Altos de Jalisco, a region particularly significant during the Cristero conflict.
Later, transfer to Guadalajara.
Dinner and overnight in Guadalajara.
Day 8 — Guadalajara: Sanctuary of the Mexican Martyrs
“Viva Cristo Rey”
Our final full day is dedicated to the memory of the Mexican Martyrs.
We will visit the great Sanctuary of the Mexican Martyrs, built as a place of prayer and remembrance for those who gave their lives during the religious persecutions of the 20th century.
Among them were priests and lay faithful whose martyrdom would later be officially recognized by the Church.
In 2000, St. John Paul II canonized a group of 25 Mexican martyrs, most associated with the persecution of the Cristero era, while other witnesses have subsequently been beatified or canonized.
Their stories are different, but the source of their courage was the same:
fidelity to Jesus Christ.
We will celebrate our final solemn Holy Mass, subject to sanctuary availability, entrusting ourselves to the intercession of Mexico’s martyrs.
The remainder of the day can be adapted to include additional Catholic or cultural visits in Guadalajara.
Farewell dinner and overnight in Guadalajara.
Day 9 — Guadalajara – USA
After breakfast or according to the selected flight schedule, transfer to Guadalajara International Airport for our return flight to the United States.
We return home after walking through a remarkable chapter of Catholic history.
The martyrs we encountered belonged to another generation.
But their question belongs to ours:
Is Christ truly King of my life?
Return flight and end of our pilgrimage services.
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