DAY 1: U.S.A. - EUROPE – Wednesday October 15

Tour members will depart to Rome. Dinner and breakfast will be served aboard the flight.

DAY 2: ROME – ORVIETO - FLORENCE –Thursday October 16

Upon arrival, meeting with our driver and tour leader. We will transfer to Florence. Along the way, we will make a stop in Orvieto to visit the Cathedral of Orvieto where is conserved the Eucharistic Miracle of Bolsena. This miracle led to the Feast of Corpus Christi. Situated in a position dominating the town of Orvieto which sits perched on a volcanic plug, the cathedral’s façade is a classic piece of religious construction, containing elements of design from the 14th to the 20th century, with a large rose window, golden mosaics and three huge bronze doors, while inside resides two frescoed chapels decorated by some of the best Italian painters of the period with images of “Judgment Day”. After the visit, we will celebrate a Holy Mass in one of the chapels of the Cathedral and proceed to Florence. Check-in to our accommodations for dinner and overnight.

DAY 3: FLORENCE – Friday October 17

Breakfast in hotel. We will enjoy a full day visit of Florence: Piazza del Duomo, Santa Maria del Fiore, the St. John Battistero, and the Giotto Bell Tower. We will continue with a visit of the Church of St Ambrogio which was built in 989 in memory of the place where the Saint was hosted in 393 when he visited the city. This Church is famous for two Eucharistic Miracles. The first on December 30, 1230 and the second in 1595. They are conserved in the church as a reliquary. We will celebrate Holy Mass and enjoy time for lunch. In the afternoon, we will continue to visit Piazza della Signoria, Palazzo Vecchio and the “Ponte Vecchio”, where many gold artisan have shops. Free time in the center of the city. Dinner and overnight at our accommodations.

DAY 4: FLORENCE – SIENA - ASSISI – Saturday October 18

Breakfast in hotel. We will transfer to Siena. This medieval city is the birthplace of the Doctor of the Church, St. Catherine, and the Apostle of Italy, St. Bernardine. We will enjoy a visit of one of Italy’s finest squares, the Piazza Del Campo and the Cathedral and Basilica of St. Francis. This Basilica is the site of a miracle: In 1730, a Ciborium of Consecrated Hosts was stolen, but two days later the exact number of Hosts were found in the tabernacle, and since then these Hosts have not been consumed nor disintegrated. Following this visit, we will continue to view the incorrupt head of St. Catherine at the Basilica of St. Dominic. We will celebrate Holy Mass and enjoy time for lunch. In the afternoon, we will transfer to Assisi. Check-in to our accommodations for dinner and overnight.

DAY 5: ASSISI – Sunday October 19

Breakfast in our hotel. We enjoy a full day visit of Assisi with guide: Visit the Church of St. Clare which houses her incorrupt body. One of the chapels contains the crucifix that bowed its head and ordered St. Francis to “repair God’s Church”. Celebrate Holy Mass. Then, we tour the Basilica of St. Francis built in 1228 to house the Relics of the Saint. The “upper “basilica houses beautiful frescoes of Giotto. It is from these frescoes that we will know and understand the life and the spirit of St. Francis. Time for individual prayer. In the afternoon, we will visit St. Mary of the Angels Basilica. This Basilica is where St. Francis spent most of life, and it is made up of two structures; both of which you will visit. The Porziuncola is where St. Francis founded his order of the Friar Minor (Franciscans), and the Capella del Transito, which is the place of St. Francis’ death. During this visit, we will have the opportunity to visit the beautiful Rose Garden where St. Francis and other friars lived, as well as the cave where the Saint retired to pray. Dinner and overnight at our accommodations.

DAY 6: ASSISI - ROME - Monday October 20

Breakfast in hotel. We will transfer to Rome. Check-in to our hotel and transfer to the city center where we will have time for lunch. In the afternoon, we enjoy a guided tour of the ancient Rome. We will start with the visit at the Coliseum, also called Anfiteatro Flavio. Then, we will proceed through Via dei Fori Imperiali and we will end the visit with the Carcere Mamertino where St. Peter were prisoned. Dinner and overnight at our accommodations. Celebrate Holy Mass Santi Cosma and Damiano Basilica.

DAY 7: ROME – Tuesday October 21

Breakfast in hotel. We begin our program with the Opera Romana which starts at 2 pm. We will have a half day guided tour to the Catacombs of St. Callixtus. The Catacombs of St. Callixtus are among the greatest and most important of Rome. They originated about the middle of the second century and are part of a cemeterial complex which occupies an area of 90 acres, with a network of galleries about 12 miles long, in four levels, more than twenty meters deep. In it were buried tens of martyrs, 16 popes and very many Christians. Time for lunch. Transfer to St. Paul outside the Wall to start our Jubilee Program from 2.00 pm, passage of the Holy Door and celebration of the Holy Solemn Mass at the Basilica with welcome greeting from the Cardinal Grand Master. Dinner and overnight at our accommodations.

DAY 8: ROME – Wednesday October 22

Breakfast in hotel. We transfer to St. Peter Square, starting at 07:00 AM, Audience with the Holy Father. Passage through the second Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica and celebration of the Holy Mass. Afterwards, passage of the third Holy Door and visit of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. Enjoy free time. Dinner and overnight in our accommodations.W

DAY 09: ROME – Thursday October 23

Breakfast in hotel. We start at 08:00 AM, passing through the fourth Holy Door and visit the Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano and the Holy Staircase. We Celebrate the final Holy Mass of the Jubilee Program. Time for lunch. In the afternoon, we visit the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel between 1508 and 1512, and later painted The Last Judgment between 1535 and 1541 for Popes Clement VII and Paul III. The primary function of the chapel is the Papal Conclave, providing the place where the College of Cardinals of the Church gathers to select a new Pope. Dinner and overnight at our accommodations.

DAY 10: ROME – Friday October 24

Breakfast in our hotel. We enjoy a guided visit of the center of Rome starting at Piazza Navona and the Pantheon, the Church of St. Agostino where is conserved the Michelangelo famous painting “The Pilgrim’s Virgins”, The Church of San Luigi dei Francesi, where we can admire the other famous Caravaggio painting “The Conversion of St. Matthew”. We will end with Fontana di Trevi and The Spanish Steps. Free time for lunch and free afternoon in the city center. Celebrate Holy Mass at San Luigi dei Francesi. Dinner and overnight at our accommodations.

DAY 11: ROME – Saturday October 25

Breakfast in hotel. We transfer to the Rome Airport for our departure back to the USA. We are grateful for a memorable pilgrimage to gain our plenary indulgence for the Jubilee Year.