Depart Cincinnati 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.

Your spiritual pilgrimage begins with your arrival in Rome. After arriving at our guesthouse, we will prayerfully start our pilgrimage with Mass in the guesthouse chapel and a brief orientation meeting followed by time to freshen up.

After lunch, we will take a leisurely walk to St. Peter’s Square and enter the breathtaking St. Peter’s Basilica. The afternoon and evening is free to explore St. Peter’s Basilica and the surrounding area.

After an early breakfast with the sisters, we leave for St. Peter's Square to get front row seats for the Wednesday Papal Audience. After the audience, we will have time for lunch and to return our newly blessed items to our rooms.

After lunch, we will visit and celebrate Mass at the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, the official Cathedral of the Pope. After Mass, we will cross the street for the blessed opportunity to ascend the Holy Steps, the very steps that Christ ascended to meet with Pontius Pilate.

Lastly, we will make our way to the church called Holy Cross in Jerusalem. This church houses some of the holiest relics in Rome.

We begin our morning by making our way to visit the Major Basilica of St. Paul outside the Walls. Among the many beautiful things at St. Paul, look for the Chains of St. Paul and the Portraits of the Popes. Afterwards, we will make our way to the final of the four major basilicas, St. Mary Major, which houses the holy Crib of Jesus, among other amazing things.

After lunch, we will explore one of the most picturesque and romantic neighborhoods in Rome: Trastevere. We will visit both the Basilicas of St. Mary and St. Cecilia. While at St. Cecilia, the sister curators of the basilica will walk us down to the excavation of St. Cecilia's house and ultimately, her tomb. The evening is free to dine, shop, and explore the charming neighborhood.

The morning begins with a privately guided tour of the Vatican Museums, Vatican Gardens, and the Sistine Chapel.

Following lunch and Mass, we will begin our journey to Assisi as we take a charming train ride through the Italian countryside. Upon arrival in Assisi, we will board our transport up into the ancient city where our hotel is situated. After checking into our hotels, pilgrims are free to explore the city and dine surrounded by the charm of Assisi.

After breakfast in Assisi, we will start the morning with Mass in the Basilica of St. Clare (where the San Damiano Crucifix of St. Francis is housed).

Afterwards, we will make our way up to the Basilica of St. Francis to venerate the body of the great saint. The afternoon is scheduled free time to explore the historical city and maybe even a bit of shopping.

We will gather in the evening for our transport to our favorite local winery for a tour, tasting, and a homemade 4-course Umbrian dinner cooked by the matriarch of the family! It is promised to be one of the most memorable nights of the pilgrimage!

After breakfast, we will check out of our hotel and make our way to the breathtaking Santa Maria degli Angeli (which houses St. Francis’ Portiuncula) for Sunday Mass.

After Mass, we will grab a quick lunch to bring with us on our train back to Rome. Once in Rome, pilgrims will have the option to either take the rest of the day off for rest or private exploration or travel with Cody to visit the Pantheon, St. Mary above Minerva, and the Church of Jesus.

After Mass in the guesthouse, we will make our way to the side entrance to 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 in the veneration of the bones of the first Pope, St. Peter.

The rest of the day is scheduled free time to rest, relax, and give you the opportunity to visit sites that we did not visit as a group.

The next day, with vivid memories of Rome and Assisi, we transfer to the airport and board the return flight back to the USA, arriving the same day.