Mexico City is the world's top religious tourist destination
Mexico City finished first in a list of the world's most visited religious tourism destinations, ahead of the Vatican and Lourdes in France, reports Milenio.
A study carried out by the Spanish Office of Tourism found that Mexico's capital is the preferred destination of tourists seeking religious sites, largely because of its Basilica de Guadalupe, which receives millions of pilgrims each year.
The site of the basilica marks the spot where, according to Catholic tradition, the Virgin de Guadalupe -- Mexico's most revered saint -- appeared to indigenous farmer Juan Diego in 1531. Every year, millions of pilgrims make their way to the shrine -- arriving in their biggest numbers around Dec. 12, the Dia de la Virgin. See La Plaza's video report on last year's pilgrims here.
Second place on the list of top religious destinations was claimed by Lourdes.
-- Deborah Bonello in Mexico City
Photo, top: One of the basilicas on the site where the Virgin de Guadalupe -- Mexico's most revered saint -- is believed to have appeared to Juan Diego in 1531. Credit: Deborah Bonello / Los Angeles Times.
Photo, bottom: Millions of pilgrims descend on the Basilica de Guadalupe each year, many of them carrying statues of the Virgin or walking with heavy pictures of the icon tied to their backs. Credit: Deborah Bonello / Los Angeles Times. See more photos here on Flickr.
For Tim Peters: The spaniards didn't bring the virgin from Spain.
Posted by: Gabriel | January 24, 2009 at 09:51 AM
Mexico adopted the religion of its conquerors and now is more passionate about it than those who enslaved them in its name,
Odd.
Posted by: Tim Peters | January 23, 2009 at 09:08 AM
our lady brings us closer to her son. she helps us in our darkest moments.
Posted by: faith heals | January 23, 2009 at 09:02 AM
CHICHARRONE,
Mary is not a divinity. She is the mother of Jesus, Who is God the Son, the 2nd Person of the Holy Trinity. Therefore, Mary is the mother of God. We honor our mothers on Mothers Day. Jesus' mother should even more be honored.
Posted by: Jason | January 23, 2009 at 06:13 AM
The inside of that new basilica (in the 1st picture above) looks more like the U.N. than a church. The original basilica is undoubtably a church.
Posted by: Jason | January 23, 2009 at 06:09 AM
Mexican Mecca?
Posted by: SUNofMAN | January 23, 2009 at 01:47 AM
How many are Mexicans?
Posted by: john | January 22, 2009 at 07:14 PM
so, the most visited religious shrines in the world are STILL dedicated to a female divinity after over two-thousand-years of patriarchal claptrap?!?
"in the final analysis, the will of the people cannot be denied." che
Posted by: chicharrone | January 22, 2009 at 04:39 PM
not Mecca??
Posted by: barb | January 22, 2009 at 02:34 PM