Depart the USA today on board your overnight transatlantic jet flight to Rome, arriving the following day. Enjoy a full meal service as well as in-flight entertainment such as movies, music, etc.

Upon arrival at the Rome International Airport (FCO), we will collect our luggage at baggage claim and continue to the arrivals hall to meet our pilgrimage guide. We will then be escorted to our motorcoach for our transfer to our guesthouse. Upon arrival, we will have time to unpack and freshen up, followed by a brief orientation. We will then begin our pilgrimage with a welcome Mass in the guesthouse chapel. Following lunch, we make our way to the side entrance of the Vatican where the Swiss Guard will permit us to enter as we participate in a privately guided tour of the Necropolis underneath the Basilica. The Scavi tour culminates with the veneration of the bones of our first Pope, St. Peter. The Scavi tour concludes in the crypt of St. Peter’s Basilica, affording us the prime opportunity to “skip the line” and enter the main Basilica above. Spend the remainder of the afternoon exploring this magnificent basilica. We encourage you to spend time with our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, venerate the tombs of Ss. John Paul II and John XXIII, marvel at Bernini’s Baldacchino, contemplate the divine with Michelangelo’s Pieta, and explore the countless other opportunities found in the basilica. We will gather in the evening for a festive welcome dinner (included), served with local wine. Overnight in Rome. (B, D)

After breakfast we will board our bus for a tour of Catholic Rome with stops at some of the major religious sites of the city. We will first celebrate Mass at St. Mary Major, the largest church in Rome dedicated to Our Lady. We will then cross the street to visit Santa Prassede, where the pillar that Christ was scourged upon is today kept. Afterwards, we will walk to the Basilica of Santa Croce to see the relics of the Passion of Christ, taken from Jerusalem to Rome by the Empress Helena. Next we will walk to the Scala Sancta to ascend the Holy Steps, the very staircase that Christ ascended to meet Pontius Pilate in Jerusalem. Following lunch, we will enter the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, the cathedral church of Rome. After, we will board our bus and transfer to the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. Here we will pray before the tomb of St. Paul, with time to visit the gift shop. After, we will transfer back to our guesthouse for time to rest. Dinner on our own. Overnight in Rome. (B)

Following breakfast, we will board our motorcoach destined for the Catacombs of St. Callixtus where we will have a guided tour of the catacombs. These catacombs were the official cemetery of the Church of Rome in the 3rd century AD. Following our guided tour, we will celebrate Mass in one of the chapels in the catacombs. After our tour, we will transfer back to the area of the Vatican where we will have time for lunch on our own. Following lunch, we will make our way to the entrance of the Vatican Museums, enjoying special “VIP” skip the line privileges. Inside, we will meet one of the local guides of the Vatican Museums and participate in a special “pilgrimage” tour of the museums, one of the largest and greatest museums in the world. Part of our tour will include the magnificent Sistine Chapel, where conclaves are historically held to elect new popes. After the tour, we will enjoy a free evening in Rome with dinner on our own. Overnight in Rome. (B)

After breakfast, we will board our motorcoach and depart for Assisi. On the way, we will stop in Lanciano for Mass at the Church of St. Longinus, the site of a Eucharistic Miracle that occurred in the eighth century. At the time of the miracle, there was a Basilian monk who struggled with his belief in the Real Presence in the Eucharist. At Mass, the monk, with doubt in his voice, said the words of consecration and the bread and wine transformed into physical flesh and blood. We will have the blessed opportunity to pray in front of the monstrance that houses this blessed Eucharistic miracle. Following lunch in Lanciano, we will make our way to Assisi to check into our hotel and enjoy an evening exploring the charming medieval streets of Assisi. Overnight and dinner on our own in Assisi. (B)

We will start the morning with a visit to the Basilica of St. Clare. While here, we will have time to pray at the foot of the San Damiano Crucifix, the very crucifix that God used to speak to Francis instructing him to “Rebuild My Church.”  We will conclude our visit with prayer before the incorrupt body of St. Clare. Just around the corner, we will pray in front of the body of St. Carlo Acutis. Carlo was an English-born Italian youth and website designer, who is best known for documenting Eucharistic miracles around the world. We will conclude the morning with a visit to the vast upper and lower sections of the Basilica of St. Francis. While here, we will celebrate Mass and have the blessed opportunity to visit and pray at the tomb of St. Francis. The afternoon is scheduled free time to explore the historical city and enjoy the charming boutique shops before gathering back together for a spectacular winery tour, tasting, and 4-course dinner at one of our favorite local wineries, Tili Vini. Overnight in Assisi. (B, D)

Following breakfast at our hotel, we will depart for Cascia, home of St. Rita. While here, we will visit the Basilica of St. Rita and pray in front of her incorrupt body and several relics from her life. Another precious relic in the Basilica is the Eucharistic Miracle of Cascia. We will celebrate Mass here and embrace the blessed opportunity to pray in front of the Eucharistic Miracle. Following, we will board our motorcoach and for a quick transfer to the charming village of Norcia, the birthplace of Ss. Benedict & Scholastica. While here, we will have free time for lunch and to explore the center of the village. Exciting places to explore during our free time include the Piazza San Benedetto, Basilica of San Benedetto, the church of San Giovanni, and the local food markets and charming shops that line the street. We will conclude the day with a late afternoon transfer to Assisi where, upon arrival, we will enjoy a free evening and dinner on our own. Overnight in Assisi. (B)

Upon waking to the beauty of Assisi, we will have breakfast and check out of our hotel. We then make our way down the hill to visit and celebrate Mass at the breathtaking basilica of St. Mary of the Angels which houses St. Francis’ Portiuncula. It is here where St. Francis built his community and lived until his death. After our visit, we will take a scenic drive through the countryside to the small city of Orvieto, perched on a rock cliff in Umbria. Here, we will enjoy a memorable funicular ride to the top of the rock cliff formation where the historic city center is located. After a couple hours of free time for lunch and exploring the charming shops and street formations, we will gather in front of the Orvieto Duomo. Here we will meet our local guide and receive a guided tour of the famous Duomo of Orvieto, dating from 1290. Inside we will admire the rare frescos by Fra Angelico. We will also pray in the chapel where a well-known Eucharistic miracle is reserved, the “Corporal of Bolsena.” Following our time in Orvieto, we will make our way to Rome where we will check into our guesthouse and enjoy a free evening. Overnight and dinner on our own in Rome. (B)

Following breakfast and Mass, we will enjoy a dedicated free day to explore the sites of Rome that interest each of us the most. Some exciting options to explore are the Colosseum and Roman Forum, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, the Capuchin Bone Crypt, Castel Sant’Angelo, the Borghese Gallery, and a climb to the top of the dome of St. Peter. Alternatively, our guide will also offer an optional walking tour (heavy amount of walking) of the city center of Rome, exploring some of the most beautiful churches in the city. During our tour, we will visit the Church of Jesus, St. Mary above Minerva, the Pantheon (exterior view), the basilica of St. Augustine, St. Louis of the French, St. Agnes in Agony (with lunch in Piazza Navona), and Santa Maria in Vallicella. We will conclude our walking tour in the area of our guesthouse where we will meet the rest of the group for a festive farewell dinner at one of our favorite restaurants, serving local wine. Overnight in Rome. (B, D)

Following an early breakfast and guesthouse check out, we will board our bus and transfer to the Rome International Airport (FCO) for our return flights home. (B)