Hundreds of Local Pilgrims Head to Mexico City to honor Our Lady of Guadalupe

Nearly 300 pilgrims from across the Archdiocese of Los Angeles will join Archbishop José H. Gomez on the sixth annual Archdiocesan pilgrimage to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. The pilgrims range from a family of seven to those celebrating milestone anniversaries and birthdays and 12 men discerning the priesthood. This year’s pilgrimage is especially significant as it’s during the 2025 Jubilee Year which occurs every 25 years as a time of prayer, pilgrimage, and pardon and this year was designated by Pope Francis as a time for Catholics throughout the world to renew as “Pilgrims of Hope.”

“It has been almost 495 years since the visitation of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and she came bearing the greatest of gifts,” said Archbishop Gomez. “Our Lady of Guadalupe came to be the Mother of the Americas. Our country, the United States, like all other countries in North America, Central America, and South America are born ‘from the Creator of everything; the Lord of heaven and earth’ and under the mantel of Mary. Every nation and every person under his loving protection and care.”

Archbishop Gomez will celebrate a special Mass at the Basilica on Saturday, July 5, at 11 a.m. (pacific) which will be livestreamed on lacatholics.org/pilgrimage. The Basilica houses the original tilma (or cloak) of St. Juan Diego, which holds the miraculous image of Our Lady of Guadalupe that appeared in 1531.The image has been a symbol of hope, peace and love, uniting peoples around the world.

During the Mass, hundreds of prayer petitions will be offered to Our Lady of Guadalupe which have been collected from the faithful throughout the Archdiocese since May – which were collected at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels’ Chapel of the Relic of the Tilma of St. Juan Diego, all 11 locations of the Catholic Cemeteries & Mortuaries, and online.

“In a special way, we bring the petitions and prayer requests of many people from Los Angeles in this time of uncertainty and fear,” said Archbishop Gomez. “We lay all our cares at the foot of the virgin and we ask for her intercession for all our needs.”

Archbishop Gomez will also celebrate Mass for the pilgrims at Mexico City’s Metropolitan Cathedral. Pilgrims represent several parish communities including Blessed Sacrament in West Hollywood, Presentation of Mary in Los Angeles, St. Bernard in Bellflower, St. John of God in Norwalk, St. Junipero Serra in Lancaster, St. Mary of the Assumption in Whittier, and St. Rosa of Lima in Maywood. With 14 priests and 25 pilgrims from as far as New York City, many will visit historic sites including pyramids, Puebla Cathedral and Santa Prisca and San Sebastian churches in Taxco.

For nearly 500 years, the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe has been the symbol of hope, peace and love, uniting peoples around the world as one family of God. The Basilica at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe is the most visited Catholic pilgrimage site in the world.

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