The
Shrine at Guadalupe is considered the holiest place in the Western
Hemisphere. President John F.Kennedy and French President Charles de
Gaulle testified to this during state visits to Mexico. Pope John
Paul II preached to millions of the faithful from this holy Shrine
during his 1979 visit to Mexico. The Basilica commemorates the
Virgin Mary’s appearance to a humble Indian and honors her request
that a Shrine be built in Her honor. In December of 1531, Juan Diego
informed a skeptical bishop of his encounter with Mary. A few days
later, Juan returned to the site of the vision and once again Our
Mother appeared. The humble man relayed the bishop's request for
proof of Her visitation, whereupon the Virgin instructed Juan to
gather roses from the frozen, rocky terrain and present them to the
bishop. Remarkably for the cool season, he found a great number of
roses strewn all around. Gathering the roses in a sackcloth, he
hurriedly took them to the bishop. When he opened the cloak to
present the roses to the cleric, it was not only the blooms that
amazed the bishop. Stamped on the humble cloth was an image of the
Virgin! The same miraculous image exists for you to see, hanging in
splendor above the main altar. |
Day 1 New
York - Mexico City
Depart from New York's JFK Airport or from your home town for
Caracas, Venezuela. Upon arrival we meet our local guide and
transfer to our hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 2
Mexico City
After breakfast, we leave by motor coach for Los Teques. After
celebrating Mass, see the Blessed Eucharist which began to bleed
just after the consecration in a Vigil Mass in Betania on December
8, 1991. Ample time will be provided to reflect upon the profound
Eucharistic Miracle and join your petitions with those of other
pilgrims. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight.
Days 3
Mexico City
After
breakfast, we’re off to the Museum for Anthropology, itself an
architectural wonder housing artifacts from Mexico's pre-Columbian
civilizations. After lunch, we travel to the Plaza of Santo Domingo,
the first church built by the Dominicans in 1576. Housed within is
the first rosary shrine in Mexico, Our Lady of the Rosary and a
second shrine, Our Lady of Covadonga (the headquarters of the
Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary founded in 1538). This evening
allows for an optional performance at the Palace of Fine Arts of the
acclaimed Mexican Folklore Ballet. Dinner and overnight.
Day 4
Mexico City
Day at leisure to relax, explore
the lively city, or take an optional full day tour to Tlaxcala
($70). Enjoy the ride through the mountains as we travel to Tlaxcala
and the Shrine of San Miguel Del Milagro. Celebrate Mass at the site
where St Michael the Archangel appeared to Diego Lazaro in 1631,
directing him to the Grotto and to a well of miraculous curative
waters. Then see the image of Our Lady burnt into a tree trunk after
she appeared to Juan Diego Bernardino in 1541. Pefectly preserved,
the image in a tree resides in the Basilica of Our Lady of Ocotland.
Lunch is included with this optional tour. Return to hotel for
dinner and overnight.
Day 5
Mexico City
After breakfast, we travel by way
of the Plaza of the Three Cultures to visit the baptismal place of
Juan Diego. As we drive you will be enchanted by the artful blending
of pre-Hispanic and Hispanic cultures. Our destination is the Shrine
of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the patroness of the Americas. Celebrate
Mass in the brilliantly colored, modern Basilica dedicated in 1976.
Join your prayers with those of other pilgrims as you kneel before
the altar displaying the astounding Tilma, the sackcloth bearing the
image of the Holy Virgin. In the afternoon we visit the pyramids of
Teoihuacan - the Place of Sun and Moon - the Temple of Quetzalcoatl,
and other ancient structures. Lunch is included at a restaurant at
the foot of the pyramids. Dinner and overnight.
Day 6
Mexico City - New York
Depart from Mexico City for our
return flight to the USA
Your
Trip Includes:
Round-trip flight from New York or Miami to Caracas
5 nights at five-star Hotel Euro Building (or similar)
Breakfast and dinner daily
Guided tours with trips to Los Teques and Betania
All transfers as per itinerary
Flight bag and portfolio of travel documents
Not
Included: Airport tax of $45. Travel insurance at $99. Tips to
guides & drivers ($5 per day). Items of a personal nature.
Departure
Dates & Prices
2001 |
Feb.
10 - 15
Mar. 21 - 26
Jun. 20 - 25
Sept. 12 - 18
Oct. 17 - 22
Dec. 9 - 14
Land Only
Single Supplement |
$1,099
1,099
1,099
1,099
1,099
1,099
$399
$849 |
If these
dates conflict with your schedule, with a minimum of two people, you
may choose
any Friday departure. With a minimum of 15, you may choose any day
of the week
Add-on airfare from your home
town.
Please see Air
Fare From Your Town
|