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Your Host & Chaplain
Our pilgrimage begins with an overnight flight from San Francisco to Venice.
We arrive in Venice, Italy, where we meet our Canterbury Tour Director. We spend the remainder of the day taking in the sights of this magical city, including the Doge’s Palace, St Mark’s Piazza and Basilica for Mass (where the Apostle Mark is said to be buried), the Rialto Bridge and the Grand Canal. Welcome Mass followed by dinner.
Overnight in Venice
Following breakfast, we visit Venice before departing for the city that honors the“Patron Saint of Lost Things and Causes”, St. Anthony. Following Mass at the Basilica of St. Anthony, we continue to Florence known as the cradle of the renaissance. We will check into the hotel followed by a walking tour through Piazza Signoria, Palazzo Vecchio, Uffizi and Ponte Vecchio. Dinner and evening at leisure.
Overnight in Florence
This morning we will visit and participate in Mass at the Basilica of Santa Croce, where Galileo, Michelangelo and Machiavelli are all buried. We see the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, Giotto’s Bell Tower and the Baptistery of St. John. If time permits visit the Galleria dell’Accademia. We have free time in the evening to enjoy the city’s other sites, like Ponte Vecchio bridge.
Overnight in Florence
After breakfast, we’ll visit the medieval city of Siena, St. Catherine’s home. We proceed to the cathedral to adore the Eucharistic Miracle of Siena, which contains consecrated hosts that have remained barely corrupted for over 200 years! Following our visit to Siena, we depart for Assisi, home of the Franciscan Order.
Overnight in Assisi
All day Assisi beginning with a visit to the Basilica of Saint Clare, the lower crypt, where we will pray before her incorrupt body and reflect before many of her relics that remain with us today. We will also have a chance to pray before the San Damiano cross, the very cross that Christ spoke to St. Francis through, asking Francis to rebuild his Church. Continuing to the Basilica of Saint Francis, we will be guided through the meaning of the many frescoes that surround us, depicting his saintly life. We will then have an opportunity to descend to the lower crypt where we will pray before the tomb of St. Francis, and the remains of his first followers. Also, we will have an opportunity to visit the tomb of Blessed Carlo Acutis.
Overnight in Assisi
Today we visit the lower village of Assisi to visit St. Mary of the Angels, where St. Francis spent most of his life. We’ll visit the Chapel Portiuncola, the rose bush, and the cave where the saint retired for prayer. Next, we depart for San Giovanni Rotondo. Enroute we will visit the town Loretto and stop at the Basilica Della Santa Casa, which is the where The Holy House of Loreto is found, to celebrate Mass. Then we will continue to Lanciano, the site of the Eucharistic Miracle of the eighth century. Next, we’ll continue to San Giovanni Rotondo, and the shrine of St. Padre Pio.
Overnight in San Giovanni Rotondo
Today we spend the day visiting the town where St. Padre Pio, the Capuchin priest who bore our Lord’s stigmata for most of his life, spent much of his life. We’ll visit the church of Santa Maria Della Grazie, home of the tomb of St. Padre Pio, and offer Mass. Afternoon visit to the Sanctuary of Monte Sant’Angelo.
Overnight in San Giovanni Rotondo
Today we set off to visit the amazing Almalfi Coastline with visits to the town of Amalfi and Positano. Positano well-known destination with a pebble beachfront and steep, narrow streets lined with boutiques and cafes. Its Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta features a majolica-tiled dome and a 13th-century Byzantine icon of the Virgin Mary. We continue along the Almalfi coast and arrive at Pompeii later this afternoon intime to visit the Shrine of the Virgin of the Rosary.
Overnight in Pompeii
This morning we travel to Sorrento to board a hydrofoil for a visit to the island of Capri considered one of the world’s most enchanting islands. Depending on the weather there may be an opportunity to take a boat ride (optional) at the Grotta Azzurra (the “Blue Grotto”), now known to have been a Roman bathing place. We’ll also tour the island and have Mass at Santo Stefano. Early afternoon back to Sorrento and then continue to visit Naples, including a visit to the churches of St. Januarium and Gesù Nuovo were St. Joseph Manscati is buried. Before heading to Pompeii, we will have time to visit one of the busy and famous outdoor Markets. Arrive Pompeii and the Shrine of the Virgin of the Rosary in time for dinner.
Overnight in Pompeii
Today we visit the Shrine of the Virgin of the Rosary followed in Pompeii, one of the most important and interesting archaeological museums in the world, having been buried in the ashes of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 AD. Continue onto the Benedictine Monastery of Monte Cassino and then the Basilica of Our Lady of Graces and the St. Maria Goretti Shrine. All roads lead to Rome.
Overnight in Rome
Today we will visit the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls (the burial place of St. Paul, one of the five patriarchal Basilicas and the second largest church in Rome) and location of one of the Holy Doors of Rome. Next, we will visit and learn the Miraculous Story behind Our Lady of Revelation Shrine. In the afternoon we will visit the Patriarchal Basilica of St. Mary Major. This basilica is also home to one of the Holy Doors of Rome. We also visit Santa Pudenziana, one of the oldest churches in Rome, where St. Peter and St. Paul resided for a time. Finally, we visit Santa Prassede, a 9thcentury basilica with glorious Byzantine mosaics celebrating images from the book of Revelation. Dinner and evening at leisure.
Overnight in Rome
Today Ancient Rome will be explored beginning with Mass at the Church of Santa Maria Ara Coeli (a Church on the Capitoline Hill which commemorates a vision of Augustus Caesar of the Virgin Mary). Next, we will visit the Mamertine Prison where St. Peter and St. Paul were imprisoned for 9 months. We also visit the remnants of the Roman Forum around the Colosseum. After lunch, we have a guided tour of the Vatican Museum, the Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica. Dinner and an opportunity for a walking tour of the Piazza Navona, the Pantheon and the Trevi Fountain. There we will enjoy the beautiful Fountain of the Four Rivers while tasting some Italian Gelato.
Overnight in Rome
After we enjoy breakfast, we’re off to the Basilica of Saint Peter in Chains where we’ll have the opportunity to view the chains that held St. Peter while he was in the Mamertine prison in Rome. After some time for prayer, we’ll visit the Church of Saint Alphonsus Ligouri, home of the original icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help. We will then make our way to visit the Saint Gregorio al Cielo Convent, the Roman motherhouse of the Missionaries of Charity. It is here where Saint Teresa of Calcutta resided when she visited her sisters in Rome.
Overnight in Rome
Following breakfast, we have an early departure for St. Peter’s Square to participate in the Papal Audience (subject to the Pope’s schedule). Following lunch, we’ll visit St. Maria Sopra Minerva Basilica where St. Catherine of Siena is buried. The rest of the afterrnoon is at leisure. Tonight, we gather for our Farewell Dinner.
Overnight in Rome
With a renewed sense of pilgrimage, and an invigorated love of our Catholic faith, we will board our place for our return flight home.
