During the Catholic holiday of Palm Sunday, bird vendors known as pajareros from across Mexico travel to the capital, Mexico City. They carry 10-foot-tall stacks of cages decorated with flowers, tinsel and images of the Virgin of Guadalupe, the country's patron saint.
The vendors walk miles through the streets with their birds and families to the city's iconic basilica. This annual pilgrimage is a tradition that combines religious devotion with the trade of selling birds.
The Basilica of Guadalupe is one of the most important Catholic pilgrimage sites in the world, drawing millions of visitors each year. The pajareros' journey adds a unique cultural element to the Palm Sunday celebrations.
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