Upon arrival in Rome, the group will transfer to the hotel for

check-in. Depending on the arrival time, there will be an opportunity

for a light sightseeing tour or going to the hotel for rest

after the flight. Dinner.

The day will begin with attendance at the Papal Audience in

Vatican City. Afterwards, the group will visit the majestic St.

Peter's Basilica and other iconic Vatican landmarks. The day will

also include a visit to the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls,

where the tomb of the Apostle St. Paul is located. Dinner.

The day will begin with a visit to the Catacombs of St. Callixtus

or St. Sebastian, significant sites that provide insight into the

burial practices of the early Christians. The group will then visit

the Colosseum, an iconic site where many martyrs gave their

lives for their faith. The day will continue with visits to the Basilicas

of St. John Lateran, Santa Croce, and St. Mary Major. There

will also be time to participate in Mass and for quiet reflection at

the Holy Stairs. Dinner.

** St. John Lateran is said to have the following relics:

• The Wooden Table of the Last Supper (Altar of the Holy Sacrament):

Part of a wooden table, largely believed to be the same

table Jesus and his disciples sat at for the Last Supper, is held in

the Altar of the Holy Sacrament. It marks one of the significant

biblical scenes and is a cherished Eucharist symbol.

• The Heads of Saints Peter and Paul: Two reliquaries thought to

hold the skulls of St. Peter (the first pope) and St. Paul (the apostle)

are held in the basilica. Both figures were hugely influential

in early Christianity, lending their skulls great importance.

• The Relics of St. John the Baptist: As the basilica is co-dedicated

to St. John the Baptist, several relics (e.g. bone fragments) are

being housed there. These relics are a treasure trove of Early

Christian history.

The group will begin the journey to Goleto, with a stop in Pompeii to visit the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, built by Blessed Bartolo Longo. His powerful conversion story offers a message of healing and deliverance. The journey will then continue to Goleto, where the group can enjoy the peaceful surroundings of the area.

The Monastery of Goleto was founded by St. William of Vercelli, who spent the majority of his life there, dedicating himself to a life of prayer and monastic discipline.

The day will start with a transfer to Montevergine to visit the Sanctuary of Montevergine. Afterwards, the group will travel to San Giovanni Rotondo, a town closely associated with the life of St. Padre Pio. Here, the group will visit his tomb and the Shrine dedicated to him.

San Giovanni Rotondo is also significant to Saint William of Vercelli, an Italian monk and founder of the Benedictine congregation known as the "Williamites" or the "Monks of Montevergine." Though he is more closely associated with the nearby Montevergine Abbey in the Campania region, Montevergine is home to the monastery founded by St. William of Vercelli, and it is also the site where his relics are enshrined.we celebrate Mass in San Giovanni where St. Pio celebrated Mass.

The group will visit the Shrine of St. Padre Pio in San Giovanni Rotondo.

Later, there will be an excursion to Monte Sant’Angelo to visit the Sanctuary

of St. Michael the Archangel, a spiritually significant site where numerous

miracles have been attributed to St. Michael.

The day will begin with a transfer to Lanciano, the site of the famous Eucharistic

Miracle. The group will then continue to Loreto to visit the Holy House

of the Virgin Mary, a site of deep Marian devotion. There will also be time to

reflect on the lives of early Christian martyrs, such as St. Leontius of Loreto,

whose relics are enshrined here.

The day begins with a visit to Orvieto, where the group will venerate the Eucharistic Miracle of the 14th century at the majestic Cathedral of Orvieto. Afterwards, the group will travel to Assisi to visit the tomb of Blessed Carlo Acutis, a young Italian who used technology to spread devotion to the Eucharist. We be visiting St. Francis Basilica and St. Clair Basilica. 

Your pilgrimage soon ends as you board your return flight home, arriving the same day. (B)