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Mary · saints · miracles · South America

Catholic South America,
a continent alive with pilgrimage.

Journey from the high Andes and national Marian sanctuaries to saints’ tombs, Eucharistic traditions, immense processions, and churches where Catholic faith has taken a distinct local form.

See the collection on the mapBuild a pilgrimage
70 pilgrimage places11 countries10 regional chapters
A continental gateway, not one continuous route

South America’s distances, altitude, climates, feast crowds, and border crossings require separate journeys. Use each chapter as a starting point and verify worship, access, and transportation locally.

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Country and regional chapters

Follow the sacred landscape without flattening it.

National patronesses, saints, Indigenous Catholic traditions, colonial histories, popular devotions, and living pilgrimage receive their own context rather than being reduced to a checklist of impressive churches.

10 places

Brazil — national devotion and vast pilgrimages

Aparecida, saints’ tombs, the Círio, cave sanctuaries, Congonhas, Canindé, and Juazeiro do Norte reveal Catholic life at continental scale.

  1. Stop 1Basilica of Our Lady of AparecidaShrine · Aparecida
  2. Stop 2Sanctuary of St. Dulce of the PoorSaint Tomb · Salvador
  3. Stop 3Monastery of Light and Tomb of St. Frei GalvãoSaint Tomb · São Paulo
  4. Stop 4Sanctuary of St. PaulinaShrine · Nova Trento
  5. Stop 5Basilica of the Divine Eternal FatherBasilica · Trindade
  6. Stop 6Basilica Sanctuary of Our Lady of NazarethShrine · Belém
  7. Stop 7Sanctuary of Bom Jesus da Lapa and Our Lady of SolitudeShrine · Bom Jesus da Lapa
  8. Stop 8Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do CongonhasShrine · Congonhas
  9. Stop 9Basilica Sanctuary of St. Francis of the WoundsShrine · Canindé
  10. Stop 10Horto do Padre Cícero Pilgrimage ComplexShrine · Juazeiro do Norte
6 places

Argentina

Luján, Itatí, San Nicolás, Catamarca, Eucharistic witness, and the Cura Brochero landscape.

  1. Stop 1Basilica of Our Lady of LujánBasilica · Luján
  2. Stop 2Sanctuary of St. José Gabriel del Rosario BrocheroSaint Tomb · Villa Cura Brochero
  3. Stop 3Basilica of Our Lady of ItatíBasilica · Itatí
  4. Stop 4Cathedral Basilica and Shrine of Our Lady of the ValleyShrine · San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca
  5. Stop 5Sanctuary of Mary of the Rosary of San NicolásApparition · San Nicolás de los Arroyos
  6. Stop 6Eucharistic Miracle of Buenos Aires (1992–1996)Eucharistic Miracle · Buenos Aires
7 places

Chile

Carmelite holiness, national Marian shrines, Santiago’s modern saints, Andacollo, and La Tirana.

  1. Stop 1Sanctuary of St. Teresa of Los AndesSaint Tomb · Auco
  2. Stop 2National Shrine of MaipúShrine · Maipú
  3. Stop 3Sanctuary of St. Alberto HurtadoSaint Tomb · Santiago
  4. Stop 4Sanctuary of the Immaculate Conception — Cerro San CristóbalShrine · Santiago
  5. Stop 5Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lo VásquezShrine · Casablanca
  6. Stop 6Sanctuary and Basilica of Our Lady of AndacolloShrine · Andacollo
  7. Stop 7Sanctuary of Our Lady of Mount Carmel of La TiranaShrine · La Tirana
7 places

Colombia

Chiquinquirá, Las Lajas, Monserrate, St. Peter Claver, Buga, and Eucharistic memory at Tumaco.

  1. Stop 1Basilica of Our Lady of ChiquinquiráBasilica · Chiquinquirá
  2. Stop 2Sanctuary of the Fallen Lord of MonserrateShrine · Bogotá
  3. Stop 3Sanctuary of the Divine Child Jesus — 20 de JulioShrine · Bogotá
  4. Stop 4Shrine and Tomb of St. Peter ClaverSaint Tomb · Cartagena de Indias
  5. Stop 5Basilica Shrine of the Lord of Miracles of BugaShrine · Guadalajara de Buga
  6. Stop 6Las Lajas SanctuaryShrine · Ipiales
  7. Stop 7Eucharistic Miracle of Tumaco (1906)Eucharistic Miracle · Tumaco
6 places

Venezuela

Coromoto, La Divina Pastora, La Chinita, the Nazarene of San Pablo, and the birthplace and tomb of St. José Gregorio Hernández.

  1. Stop 1National Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of CoromotoApparition · Guanare
  2. Stop 2Archdiocesan Shrine of La Divina Pastora at Santa RosaShrine · Barquisimeto
  3. Stop 3Sanctuary and Birthplace of St. José Gregorio HernándezShrine · Isnotú
  4. Stop 4Archdiocesan Shrine of La Candelaria and Tomb of St. José Gregorio HernándezSaint Tomb · Caracas
  5. Stop 5Basilica of Our Lady of Chiquinquirá and St. John of GodShrine · Maracaibo
  6. Stop 6Basilica of Santa Teresa and the Nazarene of San PabloShrine · Caracas
5 places

Bolivia — Mary and St. Nazaria Ignacia

Four major Marian pilgrimages and the tomb of Bolivia’s first canonized saint join the highlands, valleys, and Oruro.

  1. Stop 1Basilica of Our Lady of CopacabanaBasilica · Copacabana
  2. Stop 2Minor Basilica of Our Lady of the SocavónBasilica · Oruro
  3. Stop 3San Ildefonso Church and Sanctuary of Our Lady of UrkupiñaShrine · Quillacollo
  4. Stop 4Diocesan Sanctuary of Our Lady of ChaguayaShrine · Chaguaya
  5. Stop 5Casa de Santa Nazaria Ignacia, Chapel, Museum and TombSaint Tomb · Oruro
6 places

Bolivia — the living missions of Chiquitos

Six UNESCO-listed mission towns preserve Catholic churches, Indigenous artistry, music, and communities—not abandoned ruins.

  1. Stop 1Jesuit Mission Church of San Francisco JavierHistoric Church · San Javier
  2. Stop 2Cathedral and Jesuit Mission Church of ConcepciónCathedral · Concepción
  3. Stop 3Jesuit Mission Church of Santa Ana de VelascoHistoric Church · Santa Ana de Velasco
  4. Stop 4Jesuit Mission Church of San Miguel de VelascoHistoric Church · San Miguel de Velasco
  5. Stop 5Jesuit Mission Church of San Rafael de VelascoHistoric Church · San Rafael de Velasco
  6. Stop 6Jesuit Mission Church of San José de ChiquitosHistoric Church · San José de Chiquitos
5 places

Paraguay, Uruguay, and Suriname

Caacupé, Encarnación’s Rosa Mística oratory, Florida, Verdún, and Blessed Peter Donders’s tomb extend the collection across the continent’s smaller Catholic geographies.

  1. Stop 1Basilica of Our Lady of Miracles of CaacupéBasilica · Caacupé
  2. Stop 2Oratory of Our Lady of the Mystical RoseHermitage · Encarnación
  3. Stop 3Cathedral Basilica and National Shrine of the Virgin of the Thirty-ThreeCathedral · Florida
  4. Stop 4National Shrine of Our Lady of VerdúnShrine · Minas
  5. Stop 5Cathedral Basilica and Tomb of Blessed Peter DondersRelics · Paramaribo

The complete gateway

Every place in this collection

01
Basilica of Our Lady of AparecidaShrine · Aparecida, Brazil
→02
Las Lajas SanctuaryShrine · Ipiales, Colombia
→03
Sanctuary of Mary of the Rosary of San NicolásApparition · San Nicolás de los Arroyos, Argentina
→04
Eucharistic Miracle of Buenos Aires (1992–1996)Eucharistic Miracle · Buenos Aires, Argentina
→05
Eucharistic Miracle of Tumaco (1906)Eucharistic Miracle · Tumaco, Colombia
→06
Eucharistic Miracle of Eten (1649)Eucharistic Miracle · Eten, Peru
→07
Basilica and Convent of Santo DomingoSaint Tomb · Lima, Peru
→08
Sanctuary of St. Rose of LimaShrine · Lima, Peru
→09
Cathedral Basilica of LimaCathedral · Lima, Peru
→10
Sanctuary of Las NazarenasShrine · Lima, Peru
→11
Church of San SebastiánParish Church · Lima, Peru
→12
Basilica and Convent of San FranciscoMonastery · Lima, Peru
→13
Basilica and Convent of Our Lady of MercyBasilica · Lima, Peru
→14
Basilica of St. PeterBasilica · Lima, Peru
→15
Convent of the DescalzosMonastery · Lima, Peru
→16
Archdiocesan Marian Shrine of Our Lady of Good SuccessApparition · Quito, Ecuador
→17
Sanctuary of Our Lady of ChapiShrine · Polobaya, Peru
→18
Sanctuary of the Lord of Qoyllur Rit’iShrine · Ocongate, Peru
→19
Sanctuary of Our Lady of the GateShrine · Otuzco, Peru
→20
Sanctuary of Our Lady of CandelariaShrine · Puno, Peru
→21
Sanctuary of St. Dulce of the PoorSaint Tomb · Salvador, Brazil
→22
Monastery of Light and Tomb of St. Frei GalvãoSaint Tomb · São Paulo, Brazil
→23
Sanctuary of St. PaulinaShrine · Nova Trento, Brazil
→24
Basilica of the Divine Eternal FatherBasilica · Trindade, Brazil
→25
Basilica of Our Lady of LujánBasilica · Luján, Argentina
→26
Sanctuary of St. José Gabriel del Rosario BrocheroSaint Tomb · Villa Cura Brochero, Argentina
→27
Basilica of Our Lady of ItatíBasilica · Itatí, Argentina
→28
Sanctuary of St. Teresa of Los AndesSaint Tomb · Auco, Chile
→29
National Shrine of MaipúShrine · Maipú, Chile
→30
Sanctuary of St. Alberto HurtadoSaint Tomb · Santiago, Chile
→31
Sanctuary of the Immaculate Conception — Cerro San CristóbalShrine · Santiago, Chile
→32
Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lo VásquezShrine · Casablanca, Chile
→33
Basilica of Our Lady of ChiquinquiráBasilica · Chiquinquirá, Colombia
→34
Sanctuary of the Fallen Lord of MonserrateShrine · Bogotá, Colombia
→35
Sanctuary of the Divine Child Jesus — 20 de JulioShrine · Bogotá, Colombia
→36
Shrine and Tomb of St. Peter ClaverSaint Tomb · Cartagena de Indias, Colombia
→37
Basilica of Our Lady of Miracles of CaacupéBasilica · Caacupé, Paraguay
→38
Basilica of Our Lady of CopacabanaBasilica · Copacabana, Bolivia
→39
National Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of CoromotoApparition · Guanare, Venezuela
→40
Cathedral Basilica and National Shrine of the Virgin of the Thirty-ThreeCathedral · Florida, Uruguay
→41
Minor Basilica of Our Lady of the SocavónBasilica · Oruro, Bolivia
→42
San Ildefonso Church and Sanctuary of Our Lady of UrkupiñaShrine · Quillacollo, Bolivia
→43
Diocesan Sanctuary of Our Lady of ChaguayaShrine · Chaguaya, Bolivia
→44
Casa de Santa Nazaria Ignacia, Chapel, Museum and TombSaint Tomb · Oruro, Bolivia
→45
Jesuit Mission Church of San Francisco JavierHistoric Church · San Javier, Bolivia
→46
Cathedral and Jesuit Mission Church of ConcepciónCathedral · Concepción, Bolivia
→47
Jesuit Mission Church of Santa Ana de VelascoHistoric Church · Santa Ana de Velasco, Bolivia
→48
Jesuit Mission Church of San Miguel de VelascoHistoric Church · San Miguel de Velasco, Bolivia
→49
Jesuit Mission Church of San Rafael de VelascoHistoric Church · San Rafael de Velasco, Bolivia
→50
Jesuit Mission Church of San José de ChiquitosHistoric Church · San José de Chiquitos, Bolivia
→51
Basilica Sanctuary of Our Lady of NazarethShrine · Belém, Brazil
→52
Sanctuary of Bom Jesus da Lapa and Our Lady of SolitudeShrine · Bom Jesus da Lapa, Brazil
→53
Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do CongonhasShrine · Congonhas, Brazil
→54
Basilica Sanctuary of St. Francis of the WoundsShrine · Canindé, Brazil
→55
Horto do Padre Cícero Pilgrimage ComplexShrine · Juazeiro do Norte, Brazil
→56
Archdiocesan Shrine of La Divina Pastora at Santa RosaShrine · Barquisimeto, Venezuela
→57
Sanctuary and Birthplace of St. José Gregorio HernándezShrine · Isnotú, Venezuela
→58
Archdiocesan Shrine of La Candelaria and Tomb of St. José Gregorio HernándezSaint Tomb · Caracas, Venezuela
→59
Basilica of Our Lady of Chiquinquirá and St. John of GodShrine · Maracaibo, Venezuela
→60
Basilica of Santa Teresa and the Nazarene of San PabloShrine · Caracas, Venezuela
→61
National Shrine of Our Lady of the Presentation of El QuincheShrine · El Quinche, Ecuador
→62
Basilica Shrine of Our Lady of El CisneShrine · El Cisne, Ecuador
→63
Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Dew at BibliánShrine · Biblián, Ecuador
→64
Basilica Shrine of the Lord of Miracles of BugaShrine · Guadalajara de Buga, Colombia
→65
Sanctuary and Basilica of Our Lady of AndacolloShrine · Andacollo, Chile
→66
Sanctuary of Our Lady of Mount Carmel of La TiranaShrine · La Tirana, Chile
→67
Cathedral Basilica and Shrine of Our Lady of the ValleyShrine · San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca, Argentina
→68
National Shrine of Our Lady of VerdúnShrine · Minas, Uruguay
→69
Cathedral Basilica and Tomb of Blessed Peter DondersRelics · Paramaribo, Suriname
→70
Oratory of Our Lady of the Mystical RoseHermitage · Encarnación, Paraguay
→

Plan prayerfully

Altitude, crowds, distance, and local memory are part of the pilgrimage.

Qoyllur Rit’i, La Tirana, the Círio, and the continent’s saints’ shrines are not interchangeable attractions. Read each guide, consult the official custodian, respect local Catholic and Indigenous histories, and leave room for liturgy and prayer.

Start an itinerary →