Pilgrimage to Fatima, Lourdes, Barcelona

21/31 October 2024

Day 1: USA - LISBON. – 21 October

Depart for our overnight in flight to Lisbon, Portugal. We are served dinner and breakfast aloft.

Day 2: LISBON – 22 October

Upon arrival, we will start our pilgrimage in the birthplace of St Anthony. We will visit Placa dos Rossios and Placa dos Restauradores. We will continue with a visit to the Cathedral of Lisbon and the Church of Nossa Senora de Conceicao Velha. We will visit the Church of St. Anthony where we will celebrate the Holy Mass.  We will continue on passing by Avenida de Liberdade and we will enjoy a walking tour of the quarter of Alfama. In the afternoon, we will have a visit of the Church of Dos Jeronimos and if time allow us we also visit the Monastery. We will see the Belem tower.

Dinner and overnight in Lisbon.

Day 3: LISBON - FATIMA – 23 October

After breakfast, we will complete our visit of Lisbon and we will travel to Fatima. In Fatima, we will visit the Basilica and Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima. Visit the exhibition: “Fatima Light and Peace” where is conserved the crown with the bullet that wounded St. John Paul II.  We will celebrate the Holy Mass at the Chapel of Apparitions. In the evening, we will join the Rosary and candlelight procession. Dinner and overnight in Fatima.

Day 4: FATIMA/SALAMANCA – 24 October

After breakfast, we will visit Adjustrel and Os Valinhos birthplaces of Francisco, Jacinta and Lucia to whom the Virgin appeared for the first time on May 13th, 1917. We will pray the Via Crucis in Os Valinhos, up to Loca do Cabeco, place of the 4th appearance of Our Lady. We will celebrate the Holy Mass. We will enjoy lunch and departure to Salamanca where we will arrive after 4 hours driving. During the transfer, we will stop in Ciudad Rodrigo. The main defining feature of the city is the imposing medieval wall that surrounds it. This was constructed in the 12th century during the reign of Ferdinand II, although alterations were subsequently carried out during the 18th century. The walled enclosure has a perimeter in excess of 2 kilometers and seven gates, the oldest of which are the Puerta del Sol and the Puerta de Santiago. Dinner and overnight in Salamanca.

Day 5: SALAMANCA/ALBA DE TORMES/AVILA – 25 October

Breakfast in hotel.  We enjoy a guided tour of Salamanca. As the first Spanish city to found a university, Salamanca is filled with students especially in the historic district. The past is visible in the Old Cathedral, the huge Plaza Mayor and the Monterrey Palace, all splendid buildings that rightfully earned the city a place on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list in 1988. We will celebrate the Holy Mass. At the end of the visit, we will transfer to Alba de Tormes to visit the Church where St. Teresa is buried. Then, we will continue to Avila, the city of St. Teresa. Dinner and overnight in Avila.

Day 6: AVILA/MADRID 26 October

Breakfast in hotel.  We visit Avila. The city of St. Teresa of Ávila, also called Saint Teresa of Jesus, original name Teresa de Cepeda y Ahumada, (born March 28, 1515, Ávila, Spain—died October 4, 1582, Alba de Tormes; canonized 1622; feast day October 15), Spanish nun, one of the great mystics and religious women of the Roman Catholic Church, and author of spiritual classics. She was the originator of the Carmelite Reform, which restored and emphasized the austerity and contemplative character of primitive Carmelite life. St. Teresa was elevated to doctor of the church in 1970 by Pope Paul VI. We will visit the Medieval walls, 2.5km long, that are punctuated by 88 turrets and 9 gates, Puerta de San Vicente and Puerta de Alcázar being the most impressive of those guarding the Romanesque defensive rampart. You can walk along the entire perimeter of the city walls on the outer side. The apse of the Cathedralactually forms part of the walls, which reminds us of its defensive nature. The interior contains Romanesque sections, while the newer ones show a Gothic style. In fact, Ávila was among the first Castilian towns to use Gothic elements.  We celebrate Holy Mass.  Dinner and overnight in Madrid.

Day 7: MADRID/ESCORIAL/BARCELONA – 27 October

Breakfast in hotel. In the morning, we will visit The Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial. Located in the heart of the Sierra de Guadarrama (on the side of Mount Abantos), just 50 kilometres from Madrid ,the  Monastery and Real Sitio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984.

Inside the monastery is kept the relic of the Eucharistic miracle of Gorkum. Some Protestant mercenaries entered into the Catholic church in Gorkum and plundered it. As a sign of insult, one of the mercenaries trampled a consecrated Host with a spiked boot, which broke the Blessed Sacrament into three pieces. Live Blood immediately began to drip from these piercings, which in the Hosts formed themselves like three small wounds in the shape of a hoop that is possible to contemplate even today. We celebrate Holy Mass. We will return to Madrid and we will have a panoramic tour of the city. In the late afternoon, we will take the high-speed train to Barcelona where we will arrive after 2 hour and a half. Dinner and overnight Barcelona.

Day 8: BARCELONA– 28 October

Breakfast in hotel. Our Full day of sightseeing begins with a tour of Gaudi's unique and wonderful Sagrada Familia Church, a fabulous work of art in progress. Celebrate Holy Mass at the Church of Sagrada Familia parish. Next, an orientation tour to visits the Gothic Quarter and magnificent Cathedral. Stroll on the entertaining pedestrian street called “Las Ramblas”. Enjoy a festive farewell dinner with folklore entertainment. Dinner and overnight Barcelona.

Day 9: BARCELONA/MONTSERRAT/LOURDES – 29 October

After breakfast, our pilgrimage continues to Lourdes that will take us the whole day. We will make our first stop in Montserrat. Visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Montserrat, located on a rugged mountainside. According to Catholic tradition, St. Luke carved the statue of the Black Madonna around 50 A.D. and brought it to Spain. While in Spain, it was hidden from the Moors, and then later rediscovered by shepherds. In 880 A.D., the shepherds and the Bishop of Manresa were drawn to a grotto by a bright light and heavenly music. Upon discovery of the statue of the Black Madonna in the grotto, the Bishop of Manresa suggested that it be moved to Manresa. However, the status was too heavy that it could not be lifted. As a result, the Virgin remained in Montserrat and continued to be venerated there for centuries. As years progressed, a number of chapels were built upon the site and in the eleventh century, the abbot-bishop Oliba founded a monastery on Montserrat, next to one of these chapels. We celebrate Holy Mass and continue our way to Lourdes (400 km) where we will arrive after 6-hour trip. Dinner and overnight in Lourdes.

Day 11: LOURDES – 30 October

Breakfast in hotel. We will concelebrate Holy Mass at the Grotto. We enjoy a walking tour to Boly Mill (the birthplace of St. Bernadette), the Cachot (the former jail, where she lived during the apparitions) and the local parish church. Free time for personal devotion In Lourdes. Dinner in hotel. Rosary and candlelight procession. Overnight in Lourdes.

Day 12: LOURDES/TOULOSE/USA – 31 October

Breakfast in hotel. We transfer to Toulouse and depart for our flight to USA with wonderful memories of an unforgettable pilgrimage.