Cundebuff · CC BY-SA 4.0Itapé y el Santuario de la Virgen del Paso
Every December 18, tens of thousands of pilgrims converge on the shrine of the Virgen del Paso, beside the Tebicuarymí River.
What it is
Itapé is a riverside village of Franciscan origin that spends most of the year at a slow pace, between the Tebicuarymí River, the square and the small farms. Everything changes in December: after the novena, between the 17th and 18th, some 50,000 to 60,000 faithful arrive — according to police estimates, many of them walking from Villarrica — to venerate the Virgen del Paso at her open-air shrine, a 19-hectare green space beside the river. Outside the festival, the river invites canoe trips and a cooling dip at the Ysoró swimming area.
What to see and do
- Feast of the Virgen del Paso (December 17 and 18) and the novena leading up to it, from December 9
- The roughly 17 km pilgrimage on foot from Villarrica
- The Paso de la Virgen monument on the banks of the Tebicuarymí
- Canoe trips on the river and swimming at Ysoró
Did you know…?
The Virgen del Paso is a local devotion to the Virgin of Caacupé; in 2004, 50 years after the devotion began, the site was elevated to a diocesan shrine.
On March 7, 1956, in a time of scarcity, thousands of fish appeared in the river — an event the faithful attributed to the Virgin.
Many pilgrims take home water from the Tebicuarymí, which they believe has miraculous powers.
History
The municipality recognizes May 2, 1672, as its founding date, attributed to the Franciscan friar Buenaventura de Villasboa, although some historians place it on March 10, 1678. In 1674 Villarrica, during one of its many moves, settled in this area. Devotion to the Virgen del Paso began on December 18, 1954, when the image of the Virgin of Caacupé, on pilgrimage, crossed the Tebicuarymí at a spot called Paso Tuya: tradition says her mantle brushed the water, and ever since the river has been considered miraculous.
Tips
- The festival draws tens of thousands of people: bring water, a hat and sunscreen, and keep an eye on your belongings.
- If you're walking the pilgrimage from Villarrica, set out at night or before dawn to avoid the December heat.
- Check river conditions before swimming: after rain it rises and the current gets strong.
Best time: December 17 and 18 to experience the pilgrimage; the rest of the year, any quiet weekend. On May 15 the village celebrates San Isidro Labrador, its co-patron saint.
Activities
Where to stay
Festivals and events here
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Researched and reviewed in September 2026 with 6 sources. A second reviewer checked dates, coordinates and lodging. Hours and prices may change.