Depart the USA today on board overnight transatlantic jet flights 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 on our own, we will make our way to the side entrance of the Vatican where the Swiss Guard will permit us to enter to participate in the “Scavi Tour,” a privately guided tour of the Necropolis underneath the Basilica. This tour culminates with the veneration of the bones of our first Pope, the Blessed Apostle St. Peter. The visit concludes in the crypt of St. Peter’s Basilica, affording us the prime opportunity to “skip the line” and enter the main Basilica above. Following a guided tour of St. Peter's Basilica, we will gather for our festive group welcome dinner (included), served with local wine. Overnight in Rome. (B, D)

Following an early breakfast we will set out for the Vatican to get in line early for the weekly Papal General Audience. Don’t forget to bring your items to be blessed by the Pope. We will gather in St. Peter’s Square to see the Pope, hear his weekly catechesis, and pray the Our Father (Pater Noster) with him in Latin. Lastly, we will receive his Apostolic Blessing imparted to all present and to all loved ones at home. After lunch, we will meet up again and set out on a leisurely walking tour of the heart of downtown Rome. Our walk will include beloved landmarks such as the Ponte Sant’Angelo, Piazza Navona, the Pantheon, and Santa Maria Sopra Minerva. Our Mass will be at the Gesu, one of the most famous churches in Rome. Dinner on our own to explore dining options. Overnight in Rome. (B)

Beginning our day with breakfast, we will board our motorcoach and set out on the scenic drive south of Rome to Monte Cassino, the famous Benedictine Monastery founded by St. Benedict. Here we will visit and have our Mass, with time to pray before the tomb of St. Benedict, founder of Western monasticism. This famous Abbey was tragically bombed by the Allies and nearly completely destroyed during the Second World War. The tomb of St. Benedict, in the crypt, survived miraculously. After the war, the entire Abbey was rebuilt, largely with funds donated by American Catholics. We will make time to visit the gift shop with many items made by Benedictine monks and nuns. Enjoy the spectacular views from this mountaintop monastery, perched high above the land, where many saints have visited, including St. Thomas Aquinas. Lunch on our own. In the afternoon we will return to Rome for a free evening to rest and relax. Dinner on our own. Overnight in Rome. (B) 

After breakfast we will board our bus for a tour of Catholic Rome with stops at some of the major Catholic sites of the city. We will first celebrate Mass at St. Mary Major, the largest church in Rome dedicated to Our Lady. Next we will continue our way to the Basilica of Santa Croce to see the relics of the Passion of Christ, taken from Jerusalem and brought to Rome by the Empress Helena. Next we will walk to the Scala Santa to ascend the “Holy Steps,” the very staircase that Christ walked atop to meet Pontius Pilate at the Praetorian Palace in Jerusalem. Following lunch, we will enter the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, the cathedral church of Rome, to see the Pope’s “cathedra,” or throne. After, we will board our bus and transfer to the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls where 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)

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. Francis, the home of a Eucharistic Miracle that occurred in the eighth century. At the time of the miracle, there was a monk who struggled with his belief in the Real Presence in the Eucharist. At Mass, the monk, with doubt in his voice, pronounced the words of consecration and the bread and wine transformed into physical flesh and blood. We will have the blessed opportunity to celebrate Mass in front of the monstrance that houses this Eucharistic miracle. Following lunch on our own in Lanciano, we will make our way to Cascia to see the Basilica that holds the incorrupt remains of St. Rita of Cascia as well as another Eucharistic miracle. After time for prayer, we will continue our journey to Assisi. Check into our hotel and enjoy a quiet dinner on our own. Overnight in Assisi. (B)

We start the morning with breakfast and 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 also see the incorrupt body of St. Clare. After, we will walk down to the church of Santa Maria Maggiore where we will pray before the mortal remains of Bl. Carlo Acutis, an English-born Italian youth and website designer, who is best known for documenting Eucharistic miracles around the world online. We then journey to visit the vast upper and lower sections of the Basilica of St. Francis. After celebrating Mass in the Sacred Convent, we will have the blessed opportunity to visit and pray at the tomb of St. Francis. Afterwards, we have scheduled free time for lunch and to explore the charming boutique shops. We will gather back together in the early evening for a spectacular winery tour, tasting, and 4-course dinner at one of our favorite local wineries, Tili Vini. Overnight in Assisi. (B, D)

Upon waking to the beauty of Assisi, we will have breakfast and check-out of our hotel. We will then make our way down the hill to visit and celebrate Mass at the breathtaking Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels which houses the famous Portiuncula chapel that was rebuilt by St. Francis. It is here that St. Francis built his community and lived and died. Next, we will board our bus and continue our journey into the scenic land of Tuscany. We will stop for lunch en route before arriving in Florence. Florence has had an enormous influence on the world in the area of art, architecture, and beauty. After checking into our religious guesthouse, we will enjoy free time in the afternoon for dinner on our own. Overnight in Florence. (B)

Following an early breakfast and guesthouse check-out, we will depart for nearby Siena, one of Italy's best-preserved medieval towns. Located in the heart of Tuscany, it is well known as the birthplace of St. Catherine of Siena. We will have a walking tour of the city that will start at the Basilica of St. Dominic (relics of St. Catherine) and continue to the birth home of St. Catherine. Our walking tour takes us past the beautiful Siena Cathedral and concludes in the Piazza del Campo. Following lunch, we will board our motorcoach and continue to Orvieto. Upon arrival, we will take a funicular ride to the top of the medieval city. Here we will find the Duomo, a magnificent Cathedral built to house the relic of the Eucharistic miracle of Bolsena. After Mass, we will have a guided tour of the Duomo with special attention to the Eucharistic miracle. It was this miracle that occasioned the proclamation of the Feast of Corpus Christi and inspired St. Thomas Aquinas to write the famous hymn “Tantum Ergo.” After our tour, we will make our way to our motorcoach to finish our journey to Rome. Upon arrival, we will check-in to our guesthouse and enjoy dinner on our own. Overnight in Rome. (B)

Following an early breakfast and guesthouse check out, with fond memories of our time in Italy, we will board our motorcoach and transfer to the Rome International Airport (FCO) for our return flights home. (B)