DAY 1: U.S.A. / EUROPE – September 16

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

DAY 2: ROME – September 17

Arrival in Rome and transfer to our hotel. In the afternoon, we enjoy a guided tour of the ancient Rome. We will start the pilgrimage with a visit to St. Clemente al Celio. In the 9th century Saint Cyril, Apostle of the Slavs and among the patron saints of Europe, was buried in this church. Pilgrims come every day to venerate his relics and visit his tomb in the underground Basilica. We will celebrate Holy Mass in honor of St. Cyril & St. Methodious Parish. We will continue with a visit to the Coliseum, also called Anfiteatro Flavio. Then, we will proceed through Via dei Fori Imperiali and we will end with a visit to the Carcere Mamertino where St. Peter were prisoned.

Dinner and overnight hotel.

DAY 3: ROME –September 18

After Breakfast, we will transfer in St. Peter Square for the Audience with the Pope**. At the end free time for lunch. Then, we visit the Vatican Museum, The Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Cathedral. 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. Then we walk through Saint Peter’s Basilica. The present structure was completed in 1590 and was built over the Byzantine and Middle Ages structures that marked the tomb of Saint Peter. There are more than 100 tombs within the Basilica, including most recent Saint Pope John Paul II. Holy Mass at Santo Spirito Church in Sassia. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.

DAY 4: ROME – September 19

Breakfast in Hotel then guided tour of the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran. Six Popes are entombed here. Next door is the Holy Staircase (Scala Santa), brought from Pilate’s Palace in Jerusalem by Saint Helena in the 4t century. We celebrate Holy Mass here. We will continue on your pilgrim journey to the Basilica of Saint Mary Major (Maria Maggiore). We will visit the Confessio, or reliquary crypt, which lies before the main altar of Santa Maria Maggiore. It was designed by the architect Virginio Vespignani (1808-82), at the behest of Pope Pius IX (r. 1846-78), to house the sacred relics of the Holy Crib (cunambulum). The crystal reliquary contains pieces of ancient wood, which the faithful hold to be part of the manger where Jesus was laid. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.

DAY 5: ROME –September 20

Breakfast in hotel. We visit of Saint Paul outside the wall. Holy Mass in one of the Chapels. In the afternoon, we visit the center of Rome where we can admire Piazza Navona, the Pantheon, The Church of St. Agostino where is conserved the Michelangelo famous painting “The Pilgrim’s Virgin”, The Church of San Luigi dei Francesi where we can admire the other famous Caravaggio Paint “The Conversion of St. Matthew”. We will end with Fontana di Trevi and the Spanish Steps. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.

DAY 6: ROME/ASSISI –September 21

Breakfast in hotel. We depart to Assisi. Upon arrival time for lunch and visit of St. Mary of the Angels Basilica. This Basilica is where St. Francis spent most of life, and 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, your group 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. Celebrate Holy Mass. We will 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”. Afterward, we will visit the Church of St. Mary the Major and the “Sanctuary of Dispossession” where is hosted the incorrupt body of the Blessed Carlo Acutis. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

DAY 7: ASSISI –September 22

Breakfast in hotel. In the morning, we enjoy a guided visit of the center of the city and 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. Holy Mass in one of the chapels of the Basilica and Time for individual prayer. In the afternoon, we visit of the “Eremo delle Carceri”. It’s An ancient hermitage set within the thick woodland of mount Subasio, 4 km from Assisi. Developed over centuries around the mountain’s natural caves and the Chapel of Santa Maria, where Saint Francis and his first companions settled in isolation to lead of life of austerity and more intense prayer (they ‘imprisoned’ themselves; the Italian word for prison is carcere). Time for personal prayer. Return to Assisi for dinner and overnight.

DAY 8: ASSISI/SIENA/FLORENCE –September 23

Breakfast in hotel. We departure 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 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 were 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. We will continue to view the incorrupt head of St. Catherine at the Basilica of St. Dominic. Celebrate Holy Mass. We continue to Florence for dinner and overnight.

DAY 9: FLORENCE/RAVENNA – September 24

Breakfast in hotel. We have 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 our visit with Piazza della Signoria, Palazzo Vecchio, the “Ponte Vecchio”, where many gold artisan have their shops. Visit the Church of St. Ambrogio. We celebrate Holy Mass. We will transfer to Ravenna for dinner and overnight.

DAY 10: RAVENNA/PADOVA – September 25

Breakfast in hotel. We have a guided visit of the City of Ravenna. We will begin our visit with the Mausoleum of Teodoric. It’s the most important burial monument built by the Ostrogoths in Italy, UNESCO World Heritage Monument since 1996. Built in 520 AD, the mausoleum shows the masterful use of Eastern influences and of the Roman traditional building technique. Holy Mass at St. Mary the Major Church. We will end then our visit with the Church of Sant’Apollinare in Classe. Transfer to Padova for dinner and overnight.

DAY 11: PADOVA –September 26

Breakfast in hotel. We will visit of Padova. We start with the city center and the fresco cycle of Giotto, created at the beginning of the 1300’s and to be found in the Scrovegni Chapel. Time for lunch. In the afternoon, we visit of the Basilica of Saint Anthony built to house his remains starting from 1238. It’s an imposing spiritual monument blending several architectural styles – Romanesque, Gothic, Byzantine, Moorish – which also houses many splendid works of art. Today the church is a centre of pilgrimage from all over the world. We celebrate Holy Mass. Dinner and overnight.

DAY 12 VENICE/USA –September 27

After our breakfast, we transfer to the Venice airport for departure back home with incredible memories of an unforgettable pilgrimage.