6th World Apostolic Congress on Mercy Plus Shrines of Poland with Fr. Chris Alar

Depart on an overnight flight from Boston, Chicago, or a NYC area airport to Vilnius, Lithuania. Dinner and breakfast are served on the plane. Premium economy and business class upgrade quotes are available upon request and will be provided starting 120 days before departure. We cannot assist with flight seat selection or guarantee any seat assignment because we work with group airfares. If you wish to select specific seats, you should purchase your own airfare and select the land-only option with us.

We arrive in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, where we are greeted by our English-speaking Tour Manager and escorted to our hotel. En route, we enjoy a panoramic tour of the city (depending on the flight arrival time, we may also have an orientation walking tour of Vilnius’ city center). Check into our hotel and enjoy dinner, followed by a restful night of sleep.

Following breakfast, which is included each morning, we enjoy a guided walking tour of Vilnius’ Old Town, renowned for its extensive Baroque architecture, one of the most extensive in Eastern and Central Europe. Visit the Cathedral Square, Bell Tower, University, and Glass Quarter, and pass through the Gates of Dawn to get a glimpse of and pray to the miraculous painting of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Mercy. Visit the Baroque churches of St. Casimir and the 17th-century St. Peter and St. Paul Church. In the afternoon, we will register and participate in the 6th World Apostolic Congress on Mercy, and later celebrate Mass at the Shrine of Divine Mercy, which houses the original painting created inspired by the visions of Sr. Faustina in 1934. Lunch and dinner are included at the Congress. Overnight at our hotel.

Today we attend the Congress on Mercy and hear many international speakers, including Fr. Chris Alar, MIC, as he speaks about the message and devotion of Divine Mercy. Mass will be celebrated. Lunch and dinner are included at the Congress.

We check out of our hotel and depart Lithuania, driving to Poland, where we visit Sokolka, the site of the Eucharistic Miracle that occurred on October 12, 2008, two weeks after the beatification of Blessed Michael Sopocko. Here we celebrate Mass. Before arriving in Sokolka, we will stop for an included lunch. In the afternoon, we arrive in Warsaw, the capital of Poland, which was destroyed during World War II and meticulously restored afterward, a true testament to the spirit and determination of the Polish people. Check in to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

This morning, we visit the Old City of Warsaw, followed by Mass and a visit to St. James Convent, where St. Faustina entered the Monastery. After receiving direction from the Lord in Lodz’s Cathedral, St. Faustina arrived at this church in the outskirts of Warsaw. Here, St. Faustina discerned her religious vocation with the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. After, enjoy a panoramic tour of Warsaw. Time permitting, we visit St. John’s Cathedral, which was completed in the 15th century and became a cathedral in 1798. Then in the afternoon, depart for Kraków. Check into our hotel for dinner and overnight.

We board our motorcoach and head to Wieliczka to visit Europe’s oldest salt mine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The mines are a unique place where many generations of Polish miners have created a world of underground chambers and decorated chapels carved out of salt, including the famous Chapel of St. Kinga. We return to Kraków, where we celebrate Mass and enjoy a quick included lunch before our guided tour of Kraków’s Old Town. Kraków boasts over a thousand buildings and monuments of historical and cultural significance. We conclude our tour at the main Central Market Square (“Rynek Główny”), which is notable for being the largest medieval square in Europe. Here, we have time to explore the city’s shops and enjoy dinner on our own. The bus will meet us at a central location to transfer us back to the hotel. Overnight in Kraków.

We begin the day by exploring Wawel Castle, the Gothic Cathedral, and St. Mary’s Church, and conclude in Rynek Główny. Leaving Krakow, we drive to the nearby Divine Mercy Shrine in Lagiewniki, where we celebrate Mass and see St. Faustina’s rooms. Following lunch at the shrine, our day continues to the nearby Have No Fear Center, also known as the John Paul II Sanctuary and Center. Dinner is at leisure tonight. Overnight in Kraków.

Today we travel to Częstochowa to visit Poland’s most important pilgrimage site, the Shrine of Our Lady of Częstochowa. We celebrate Mass here and spend time in private prayer and devotion before the miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary, known as the Black Madonna. Return to Kraków for dinner and overnight.

We depart for Wadowice, a picturesque town now famous as the birthplace of Saint John Paul II. We tour the Family House of the Holy Father, now the St. John Paul II Museum, and then visit his parish church (Church of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary), where we celebrate Mass. Following lunch, we board our coach and continue to the notorious Nazi concentration camp of Auschwitz, the site where millions of victims were murdered during World War II. Visit the museum and pray for the souls of all who perished here. Tonight, we enjoy a farewell dinner at a local restaurant accompanied by a traditional folklore show. Overnight in Kraków. (B.L.Special dinner)

Transfer to Kraków Airport for our return flight home.