Mexico · CATHOLIC PILGRIMAGE
Our Lady of Guadalupe pilgrimage guide: Mexico City
A mother's welcome in the Americas.
WHY PILGRIMS COME HERE
The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City is one of the great centers of Catholic devotion in the Americas. A pilgrimage centers on the image of Our Lady on St. Juan Diego's tilma and worship at the shrine, with time to understand the story of the apparitions of December 9–12, 1531, on Tepeyac hill.
Key facts
- Apparitions to St. Juan Diego: December 9–12, 1531, on Tepeyac hill. Feast: December 12, when several million pilgrims arrive on December 11–12, among the largest annual pilgrimages in the world.
- The New Basilica (1976) houses the tilma, holds about 10,000 people, and uses moving walkways beneath the image. The Old Basilica, completed in 1709, stands beside it, visibly tilted from subsidence.
- The sanctuary complex is open daily from about 6:00 a.m. to about 9:00 p.m., with Masses throughout the day.
- Juan Diego was canonized on July 31, 2002.
- Mexico City altitude: about 2,240 m (7,350 ft); mild year-round, cool nights November–February, rainy season June–September.
- Access: La Villa, north of the center, on Metro Line 6 (La Villa-Basílica). Nearest airport: Mexico City International (Benito Juárez), about 8 km from the basilica.
WHY PILGRIMS COME HERE
Pilgrim information: Mass, confession, hours and dates
Times are local and published by the sanctuary; verified October 4, 2026. Schedules change for feasts and seasons — confirm before you go.
Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Nueva Basílica), Mexico City
| Detail | Published information | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Opening hours | Open Monday to Sunday 6:00–21:00, 365 days a year. | Source |
| Masses, Monday–Saturday (main altar) | 6:00, 7:00, 8:30 (Lauds), 9:00 (Chapter Mass), 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 15:00, 16:00, 17:00 (with Rosary Mon–Thu), 18:00 (Novena), 19:00, 20:00. The sacristy page also lists 7:45, 13:00 and 14:00. | Source |
| Masses, Sunday | Same hourly schedule as weekdays per the horarios page; 12:00 Sunday Mass presided by Cardinal Carlos Aguiar Retes per the home page. | Source |
| English-language Mass | Not published; no English Mass is listed on the official schedule. Check the basilica's horarios page before you go. | Source |
| Confession | "Reconciliación: 17:00 a 19:00" in the Capilla de San Juan Diego, as listed on the horarios page. A fuller confession schedule is not published. | Source |
| Tilma viewing (moving walkways) | No separate hours are published; the image is inside the Basilica, open 6:00–21:00. | Source |
| Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament | Monday–Saturday 7:00–18:00. | Source |
| Guadalupan Crypt | Visits Mon–Sun 9:00–17:00 (max 8 per family); Mass daily 12:00. | Source |
| Daily devotions | Lauds 8:30; Rosary 17:00 (Mon–Thu); Novenario 18:00. | Source |
| Guided tours | Mon–Sat 11:00 and 15:00 in Spanish, English on request; 1.5–2 hours; by donation; prior booking mandatory (visitasguiadas@inbg.mx, 55-5518-0500 ext. 472 or 545). | Source |
| Mass intentions desk | Open Mon–Sun 8:00–18:00; dated Mass requests 9:00–16:30; misas@inbg.mx, (55) 5118-0500 ext. 405 or 406; subject to calendar availability. | Source |
| Visiting priests | Send ministerial licences to sacristia@inbg.mx at least 15 days ahead (by 6 December for 12 December); chapel Masses need 7 days' notice, no charge. | Source |
| Entry | No entry fee is published; dress code is not published online. | Source |
Old Basilica (Templo Expiatorio a Cristo Rey)
| Detail | Published information | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Masses and hours | Mon–Sat: 10:00 Mass, 12:00 communal penitential rite, 12:15 blessing of candles (Mon–Fri), 12:30 Mass, 17:00 Mass. Sunday: 17:00 Mass. Opening hours not published separately. | Source |
Capilla del Cerrito (Tepeyac hill)
| Detail | Published information | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Hours and Mass | Mon–Sun 7:00–18:00; community Mass daily 12:00. | Source |
Capilla del Pocito and Parroquia de Capuchinas / Capilla de Indios
| Detail | Published information | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Capilla del Pocito | Hours are not published separately; the chapel depends on the Parroquia de Capuchinas. Check the horarios page. | Source |
| Parroquia de Santa María de Guadalupe 'Capuchinas' | Open Mon–Sat 10:00–17:00; Sun 9:00–19:00. Sunday Masses 8:00, 10:30, 12:30, 18:00. | Source |
| Capilla de Indios (Antigua Parroquia de Indios) | Open Mon–Sun 10:00–17:00; Sunday Masses 8:00 and 17:00. | Source |
Key dates
| Date | What happens | Source |
|---|---|---|
| December 1–12 | Dozavario (12-day novena) with daily Masses leading to the feast | Source |
| December 11 | Solemn Vespers and the Serenata Guadalupana in the evening, with the Mañanitas at midnight into 12 December; the Solemnity of San Juan Diego is observed at the Antigua Parroquia de Indios. | Source |
| December 12 | Our Lady of Guadalupe: Mañanitas with Mass, then the Misa Solemne de las Rosas with the Cardinal's homily. | Source |
| December 9 | Memorial of St. Juan Diego (ninth day of the Dozavario); no separate program published | Source |
Sacred places to discover
The New Basilica
The principal worship space of 1976, holding about 10,000, where moving walkways pass beneath the tilma.
Tepeyac Hill
The site of the 1531 apparitions, with the Capilla del Cerrito at the top reached by stairs.
The Old Basilica
The church completed in 1709, visibly tilted, within the sanctuary complex.
Mexico City's cathedral
A separate visit in the historic center that adds the wider story of Catholic Mexico.
Make the journey your own
- Attend Mass at the shrine; Masses are celebrated throughout the day
- Pray before the image of Our Lady
- Climb Tepeyac at a comfortable pace
When to go
December 12 is the major feast, and December 11–12 bring several million pilgrims and intense crowds. The rainy season runs June–September, and nights are cool from November to February. Quieter dates outside December allow a gentler visit with the same daily Mass schedule.
Walking & practical expectations
Mexico City's elevation of about 2,240 m (7,350 ft), walking, and crowds all matter; plan a light first day and drink water. The basilica floor is level, but the Capilla del Cerrito on Tepeyac is reached by stairs. Choose accommodation and transport around your needs; Metro Line 6 reaches the sanctuary directly.
Suggested pacing is planning guidance. Specific access, liturgies, and services require confirmation.
Planning this pilgrimage
Planning overview
A Guadalupe pilgrimage centers on worship, the venerated image of Our Lady on the tilma, and the tradition of St. Juan Diego and Tepeyac, where the apparitions took place on December 9–12, 1531. Mexico City offers a wider Catholic context, but the main shrine deserves time that is not squeezed between unrelated attractions.
Understand the complex
The New Basilica (1976), which holds about 10,000 people and carries visitors beneath the tilma on moving walkways, the Old Basilica (completed 1709 and visibly tilted from subsidence), and the Capilla del Cerrito at the top of Tepeyac Hill are distinct places. The complex is open daily from about 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., with Masses throughout the day, and is reached by Metro Line 6 (La Villa-Basílica). A clear orientation makes movement easier, particularly when the site is busy. Ask where the group will meet and which parts of the visit involve steps or a longer walk; the hilltop chapel is reached by stairs.
Choose the atmosphere you want
December 12 is the feast, and several million pilgrims arrive on December 11–12, among the largest annual pilgrimages in the world. Another date offers a more manageable experience for someone seeking quiet or traveling with limited stamina: the same daily Mass schedule applies year-round, and Juan Diego's canonization anniversary (July 31, 2002) is a quieter alternative date. The best choice depends on whether the traveler wants the feast crowd or unhurried time before the image.
Plan for the city
Mexico City stands at about 2,240 m (7,350 ft). The climate is mild year-round, with cool nights from November to February and a rainy season from June to September. Transport times, hotel location, and the daily pace deserve attention; plan a light first day at altitude. Keep a full shrine day if possible and put the cathedral and wider city visits on another day. Discuss individual health concerns with your clinician and practical assistance needs with the organizer. Mexico requires no visa for U.S. citizens.
Traveling with your priest? Find his pilgrimage.
Official sources cover institutional information. Suggested pacing and itinerary choices are planning guidance. Check current arrangements for your travel dates.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Your questions, answered.
When is the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe?
Our Lady of GuadalupeHow much time should I allow at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City?
Our Lady of GuadalupeWhat should I wear at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City?
Our Lady of GuadalupeWhat are the Mass times at the Basilica of Guadalupe, and is there Mass in English?
Our Lady of GuadalupeIs it safe to visit the Basilica of Guadalupe independently?
Our Lady of GuadalupeHow and where can you see the tilma at the Basilica of Guadalupe?
Our Lady of GuadalupeIs it safe to walk around Mexico City as a pilgrim?
Our Lady of GuadalupeWhat are the opening hours of the Basilica of Guadalupe?
EVERY PILGRIMAGE BEGINS WITH A FIRST STEP
Where is your faith
calling you?
Tell us what you have in mind. A place, a prayer intention, a parish, or simply a desire to go.
Start planning