The Catholic Pilgrim's Guide to Quito, Ecuador

First UNESCO World Heritage city with 17th-century apparitions of Our Lady of Good Success, the incorrupt Lily of Quito at the golden Jesuit church, and the Americas' largest neo-Gothic basilica.

In a cloistered convent high in the Andes, a Spanish nun named Mariana de Jesús Torres knelt before an extraordinary sight. The Blessed Virgin Mary had appeared to her, holding the Infant Jesus and carrying the crozier and keys of an abbess. Between 1594 and 1634, these apparitions would continue, bearing prophecies and promises that remained hidden for three centuries until Our Lady said the world would be ready to receive them. Today, pilgrims from across the globe climb to this city perched at 2,850 meters above sea level to venerate the miraculous statue of Our Lady of Good Success—reportedly completed by angels—and to witness a faith that has endured since the first Spanish missionaries arrived in the sixteenth century. Quito, the capital of Ecuador, sits in a narrow valley flanked by towering Andean peaks including the active volcano Pichincha. Founded by the Spanish in 1534 on the ruins of an Inca city, Quito became a center of evangelization and Catholic culture. The city's historic center—declared the first UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978—preserves one of the largest and best-maintained colonial cores in the Americas, with over forty churches and convents dating from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Within a single square mile, pilgrims can visit Franciscan, Dominican, Augustinian, Mercedarian, Jesuit, Carmelite, and Conceptionist churches, each filled with extraordinary examples of the renowned Escuela Quiteña (Quito School) of colonial art. But Quito is more than architecture—it is a city shaped by saints, mystics, and martyrs. Here, two women named Mariana de Jesús lived in the same era: Mother Mariana de Jesús Torres, who received the apparitions of Our Lady of Good Success, and Mariana de Jesús Paredes y Flores, the hermit-saint known as the Lily of Quito, whose incorrupt body lies in the golden Church of the Society of Jesus. Here, President Gabriel García Moreno consecrated Ecuador to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and was assassinated for his faith, his last words echoing through history: "¡Dios no muere!" (God does not die!). Whether you are a devout pilgrim seeking the intercession of Our Lady of Good Success or a curious traveler drawn by baroque splendor, Quito offers an encounter with living faith rooted in five centuries of Catholic tradition.

📜 History & Spiritual Significance

The Catholic history of Quito began with the arrival of the first Franciscan missionaries in 1534, the same year the Spanish founded the city. Within decades, religious orders had established churches and convents that would transform the city into what locals call El Santuario de Milagros de Sudamérica—the Sanctuary of Miracles of South America. Beneath nearly every church, it is said, lie the ruins of pre-Columbian sacred sites, as the missionaries built upon places the indigenous people already considered holy. The Conceptionist convent was established in 1577 when five Spanish nuns, including young Mariana de Jesús Torres, arrived from Spain at the invitation of King Philip II. Mariana took perpetual vows on September 21, 1579, and eventually succeeded her aunt as abbess. Beginning on February 2, 1594—the Feast of the Purification—and continuing through 1634, Mother Mariana received seven major apparitions from the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of Nuestra Señora del Buen Suceso (Our Lady of Good Success). Our Lady requested that a statue be made in her likeness and placed in the upper choir, declaring, "I will rule this convent." According to tradition, Mother Mariana began sculpting the statue but could not complete the face; one morning, she found it miraculously finished, reportedly by St. Francis of Assisi and the Archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. Bishop Salvador de Ribera of Quito approved the devotion in 1611, making it one of the earliest Church-approved Marian apparitions in the Americas. Just four years after Mother Mariana took her vows, another Mariana was born in Quito—Mariana de Jesús Paredes y Flores, on the Eve of All Saints' Day in 1618. Legend tells that her birth was heralded by a cascade of stars in the shape of a palm leaf above her family's home. Orphaned at seven, she was raised by her elder sister and made private vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience at age ten. Though she longed to enter religious life, her spiritual directors discerned that God willed her to remain in the world. She lived as a recluse in her family home near the Jesuit church, spending most hours in prayer and penance, sustained almost entirely by the Holy Eucharist. She established Quito's first free clinic and a school for indigenous children, teaching them to read, sing, and pray. In 1645, earthquakes and epidemics ravaged Quito. During a public sermon at the Jesuit church, Mariana stood and offered herself as a victim soul for the city's sins. The disasters subsided, but Mariana fell gravely ill and died on May 26, 1645, at age twenty-six. According to witnesses, a pure white lily sprouted from her blood, giving her the title La Azucena de Quito—the Lily of Quito. When Mother Mariana de Jesús Torres attended the young hermit's funeral, she declared that Marianita was a saint. Pope Pius XII made it official in 1950, canonizing her as Ecuador's first saint. The late nineteenth century brought another figure who would shape Quito's Catholic identity: Gabriel García Moreno. Elected president in 1861, García Moreno was a devout Catholic who negotiated a concordat with the Vatican, invited the Jesuits to return after their expulsion, and placed education under Church direction. In 1873, he fulfilled a prophecy attributed to Our Lady of Good Success by consecrating Ecuador to the Sacred Heart of Jesus—the only head of state in the world to do so. On August 6, 1875, after attending Mass at the cathedral, García Moreno was assassinated on the steps of the presidential palace. As he lay dying, he reportedly cried out "¡Dios no muere!"—God does not die! Pope Pius IX eulogized him as one who "fell under the steel of the wicked for the Church." His cause for beatification, opened in 1939, remains ongoing.

☩ Pilgrimage Sites in Quito

Quito's historic center is remarkably compact, allowing pilgrims to visit its major sacred sites on foot within a few hours. The churches are concentrated around the Plaza Grande and along the Calle de las Siete Cruces (Street of the Seven Crosses)—today called García Moreno—which once featured seven stone crosses marking a processional route. From the gilded grandeur of La Compañía to the cloistered serenity of the Conceptionist convent, each site tells a story of faith that has flourished here for nearly five hundred years.

Convento de la Inmaculada Concepción (Our Lady of Good Success)

Local Name: Real Monasterio de la Inmaculada Concepción de Quito Address: García Moreno N3-117 y Mejía, Centro Histórico, Quito GPS Coordinates: -0.2206, -78.5142 Google Maps: View on Google Maps Website: www.ourladyofgoodsuccess.com Dedication: Our Lady of Good Success (Nuestra Señora del Buen Suceso) Historical Note: Founded in 1577, this Conceptionist convent is the custodian of the miraculous statue of Our Lady of Good Success. The statue, which tradition holds was miraculously completed by heavenly hands, normally resides in the upper choir, visible only to the cloistered nuns. However, during the novena preceding February 2 (Candlemas) and during May and October, the statue is displayed above the high altar for public veneration. The incorrupt body of Mother Mariana de Jesús Torres, discovered in 1906, rests within the cloister. Spiritual Importance: The apparitions of Our Lady of Good Success include prophecies regarding future crises in the Church and the world, which devotees believe speak directly to our times. Our Lady promised that devotion to her under this title would bring "good success" in one's endeavors and would be instrumental in a great restoration of the Church. The annual Rosario del Alba (Rosary of the Dawn) procession, revived in 2001, draws thousands of faithful who accompany a small replica of the statue through the darkened streets before dawn on February 2.

Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús

Local Name: La Compañía Address: García Moreno N10-43 y Sucre, Centro Histórico, Quito GPS Coordinates: -0.2200, -78.5148 Google Maps: View on Google Maps Website: www.fundacioniglesiadelacompania.org.ec Dedication: St. Ignatius of Loyola; St. Mariana de Jesús Paredes y Flores Historical Note: Construction began in 1605, the first stone laid by Italian Jesuit Nicolás Durán Mastrilli, and was completed 160 years later in 1765. Inspired by the Gesù and Sant'Ignazio churches in Rome, La Compañía incorporates Baroque, Moorish, Churrigueresque, and Neoclassical elements. The interior is covered with approximately seven tons of gold leaf, earning it the nickname Ascua de Oro—Golden Ember. The facade, carved entirely from volcanic stone, features sun symbols—a nod to the Inca sun god Inti, intended to welcome indigenous converts. President Gabriel García Moreno is buried here. Spiritual Importance: The incorrupt body of St. Mariana de Jesús, the Lily of Quito, is enshrined in a side chapel, drawing pilgrims who seek her intercession. The church houses masterpieces of the Quito School, including the Sixteen Prophets by Nicolás Javier de Goríbar and sculptures of the Holy Trinity by Bernardo de Legarda. Quiteños consider it the most beautiful church in Ecuador.

Basílica del Voto Nacional

Local Name: La Basílica Address: Calle Carchi E4-122 y Venezuela, Centro Histórico, Quito GPS Coordinates: -0.2150, -78.5077 Google Maps: View on Google Maps Website: basilicaquito.com Dedication: Sacred Heart of Jesus Historical Note: Father Julio Matovelle proposed this monument in 1883 to honor Ecuador's consecration to the Sacred Heart. President José María Plácido Caamaño issued the construction decree in 1884, and French architect Emilio Tarlier designed the church, drawing inspiration from Notre-Dame de Paris and Bourges Cathedral. The first stone was laid on July 10, 1892. Pope John Paul II blessed the basilica during his 1985 visit, and it was consecrated in 1988. Standing 115 meters tall, it is the largest neo-Gothic basilica in the Americas. A local legend holds that when construction is finally completed, the world will end—which may explain why it remains technically "unfinished." Spiritual Importance: The basilica's gargoyles uniquely feature Ecuadorian animals—condors, iguanas, Galápagos tortoises, and armadillos—rather than European monsters, making it a tribute to Ecuador's biodiversity. Inside, statues of Ecuadorian saints including St. Mariana de Jesús and St. Narcisa de Jesús adorn the nave. Pilgrims can climb the towers for panoramic views of Quito and, on clear days, the snow-capped volcanoes Cotopaxi and Cayambe.

Monasterio y Museo Carmen Alto

Local Name: El Carmen Alto Address: García Moreno N4-39 y Rocafuerte, Centro Histórico, Quito GPS Coordinates: -0.2217, -78.5144 Google Maps: View on Google Maps Dedication: St. Mariana de Jesús Paredes y Flores Historical Note: This building was the childhood home of St. Mariana de Jesús, where she lived as a recluse from age twelve until her death in 1645. She prophesied that her home would one day house religious, and in 1653, Discalced Carmelite nuns from Lima established their monastery here. The convent has been in continuous use since then. Since 2013, the oldest cloisters have been opened as a museum displaying religious art, artifacts from St. Mariana's life, and the Rincón de la Azucena (Corner of the Lily) where, according to tradition, the miraculous lily sprouted from her blood. Spiritual Importance: Visitors can see St. Mariana's room, now the upper choir of the church, where her life-sized statue stands holding a lily. The Carmelite nuns prepare approximately 65,000 communion hosts annually—they supplied all the hosts for the International Eucharistic Congress held in Quito in 2014. The museum offers a rare glimpse into cloistered religious life.

Catedral Metropolitana de Quito

Local Name: La Catedral Address: Plaza Grande, Espejo y García Moreno, Centro Histórico, Quito GPS Coordinates: -0.2205, -78.5125 Google Maps: View on Google Maps Dedication: Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Historical Note: Quito's cathedral was begun in 1562, making it one of the oldest in South America. It houses the tomb of President Gabriel García Moreno, who lies at the feet of Our Lady of Sorrows—a devotion for which he had profound affection. His tomb bears the inscription: "Here lies Gabriel García Moreno, President of the Republic, who was killed for loving his Fatherland and Religion." The cathedral also contains a painting of Our Lady of Sorrows whose eyes, according to witnesses in 1906, miraculously moved and opened, prompting many conversions. Spiritual Importance: On August 6, 1875, García Moreno attended Mass at the cathedral before his assassination. After being struck down on the steps of the Presidential Palace, he dragged himself toward the cathedral, dying at the threshold. The cathedral thus marks both the beginning and end of his final earthly journey.

🕯️ Annual Feast Days & Celebrations

February 2 – Feast of Our Lady of Good Success (Candlemas) Convento de la Inmaculada Concepción. The Rosario del Alba (Rosary of the Dawn) procession begins before 4:30 a.m., when thousands of faithful carry a replica of the statue through the streets of Quito by candlelight, praying the rosary and singing Marian hymns in Spanish. The procession returns to the convent at dawn, followed by Mass. The miraculous statue is exposed above the high altar throughout the day. May 26 – Feast of St. Mariana de Jesús Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús. Quiteños honor their patroness with Masses and devotions throughout the city. Pilgrims venerate her incorrupt remains at La Compañía and visit her former home at Carmen Alto.

🛏️ Where to Stay

Casa Gangotena ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 📍 Address: Bolívar Oe6-41 y Cuenca, Plaza San Francisco, Quito, Ecuador 🌐 Website: www.casagangotena.com 🔗 Booking: Book on Booking.com Boutique hotel in a restored 1920s mansion overlooking Plaza San Francisco, within walking distance of all pilgrimage sites. Hotel Patio Andaluz ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 📍 Address: García Moreno N6-52 y Olmedo, Centro Histórico, Quito, Ecuador 🌐 Website: www.hotelpatioandaluz.com Colonial-style hotel in a 16th-century house with traditional Andalusian patios, located on the Street of the Seven Crosses. Hotel San Francisco de Quito ⭐⭐⭐ 📍 Address: Sucre Oe3-17 y Guayaquil, Centro Histórico, Quito, Ecuador 🌐 Website: www.sanfranciscodequito.com.ec Modest hotel in a restored colonial building, steps from the Monastery of San Francisco. Note: Accommodations in the historic center fill quickly during February (Our Lady of Good Success feast) and around Ecuadorian national holidays. Book well in advance.

🚗 Getting There

By Air: Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO), located about 40 km northeast of the city center in Tababela. Taxis and shuttle buses connect the airport to the historic center (approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on traffic). By Bus: Terminal Terrestre de Quitumbe (southern Quito) and Terminal Terrestre Carcelen (northern Quito) serve long-distance buses from throughout Ecuador and neighboring countries. Local Transport: The historic center is best explored on foot. The Trole (trolleybus), Ecovía, and Metrobus-Q integrated transit system connects the historic center to other parts of the city. Quito's Metro Line 1 opened in late 2023, linking the north and south of the city with a station at San Francisco in the historic center. By Car: Driving in Quito's historic center is challenging due to narrow streets and limited parking. It's advisable to park outside the center and walk or take public transportation.

📚 Further Reading

Books:

  • Marian Horvat, Our Lady of Good Success: Prophecies for Our Times – Comprehensive account of the apparitions to Mother Mariana de Jesús Torres and their relevance today.
  • Marian Horvat, Stories and Miracles of Our Lady of Good Success – Collection of testimonies and miraculous interventions attributed to Our Lady of Good Success.
  • Fr. Augustine Berthe, Garcia Moreno, President of Ecuador – Classic biography of the Catholic statesman who consecrated Ecuador to the Sacred Heart.

Articles & Online Resources:

🎥 Recommended Videos

🔗 Useful Links

✝️ Closing Reflection

"If one day you see that this lamp has been extinguished, know that the sanctuary lamp has not been put out by any natural cause. It is the sign that God wishes to free these souls from their exile and give them eternal rest."

— Our Lady of Good Success to Mother Mariana de Jesús Torres, February 2, 1634

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For the most current visiting hours and schedules, please contact the individual churches and shrines directly. Pilgrims visiting the Conceptionist Convent should note that the miraculous statue is only displayed publicly during the novena before February 2, and during May and October. Private pilgrimages and group visits can sometimes be arranged through the Apostolate of Our Lady of Good Success.