A Pilgrimage through Peru and Brazil with Fr. Mike Nolan

We depart Knoxville this morning on our journey to Lima, Peru, the beginning of a profound pilgrimage through the lands where the Church’s first American-born pope served as a missionary, and to the great Marian Shrine of Brazil. We arrive at Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima, Peru, and are met by our local guide, who assists us through customs and transfers us to our hotel. After the long journey, we enjoy a late snack together, our first taste of Peru’s remarkable cuisine, before settling in for a well-deserved night’s rest. Tomorrow our pilgrimage begins in earnest. Overnight in Lima. *Please note that group air will be available 10 months before departure. We are unable to request specific seats on flights, and if this is an important feature of your trip, we suggest you purchase your own airfare and book the land portion with us.

Refreshed and ready, we begin our exploration of Lima, La Ciudad de los Reyes, the City of Kings, Peru’s sprawling capital, where colonial grandeur meets a deeply Catholic soul. Our city tour takes us through the UNESCO-listed historic center, visiting the magnificent Lima Cathedral on the Plaza Mayor, the burial place of Francisco Pizarro, and the ornate Archbishop’s Palace. We descend into the remarkable catacombs beneath the Monastery of San Francisco, resting place of thousands of the faithful. We celebrate our first Mass together as a group in this city of saints and missionaries. A special welcome dinner follows, celebrating the beginning of our time together in South America. Overnight in Lima. Meals: B.L.Special Welcome Dinner

We fly north to Chiclayo, the vibrant northern city where Pope Leo XIV served as an Augustinian missionary and later as Bishop before he was elected the 267th successor of St. Peter. We visit the Augustini-

Today we move from pilgrims to participants, setting aside our role as visitors to serve alongside the local community in the spirit of Pope Leo XIV’s own missionary vocation. Working with local Augustinian mission partners, our service day is thoughtfully designed to be meaningful and accessible to every member of our group, whether that means sharing a meal, assisting with a community project, visiting a school or care center, or simply offering the gift of presence and prayer to those who have little. Pope Leo XIV spent years in these communities not as a tourist but as a servant; today we follow his example. Mass is celebrated. We return to our hotel in Chiclayo for dinner and overnight, carrying a deeper understanding of what it means to be Church in the world. Meals: B.L.D

We fly south to Cusco, the ancient capital of the Inca Empire and one of the most spectacular cities in the Americas, perched at over 11,000 feet in the Andean highlands. Upon arrival, we take time to rest and acclimatize to the altitude before a gentle afternoon exploration of the city. We visit the magnificent Cusco Cathedral on the Plaza de Armas, built atop the palace of the Inca ruler Viracocha, a stunning repository of colonial religious art. We stroll through the bohemian San Blas district with its whitewashed walls, artisan workshops, and sweeping views across the terracotta rooftops. Mass is celebrated. Dinner and overnight in Cusco. Meals: B.L.D

We descend from Cusco into the lush Sacred Valley of the Inca, a fertile river valley dotted with ancient ruins, terraced hillsides, and traditional Andean villages. Our first stop is Pisac, where we explore the dramatic hilltop ruins and the colorful artisan market below. We continue to Ollantaytambo, one of the best-preserved Incan sites in the country, where massive stone terraces and temples rise against the mountain backdrop. Mass is celebrated at one of the valley’s historic churches, followed by a traditional Peruvian lunch. We return to Cusco for dinner and overnight. Meals: B.L.D

Today, we journey to one of the world’s most extraordinary places, Machu Picchu. We board the train through the cloud forest to Aguas Calientes, then ascend by bus to the ancient citadel set dramatically between two mountain peaks at 7,970 feet. Our guided tour reveals the breathtaking terraces, temples, and residential quarters of this 15th-century Inca masterpiece, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. For those who wish, we walk to the Sun Gate for panoramic views across the entire site. We celebrate Mass as the morning light falls across these ancient stones, a moment of prayer in one of God’s most magnificent outdoor cathedrals. We return to Cusco for dinner and our final overnight in Peru. Meals: B.L.DPlease note only one carry- on piece of luggage is allowed on the train

We bid farewell to Peru and fly to Brazil, making our way to Aparecida, home of the Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida, patron saint of Brazil and one of the largest Catholic churches in the world. In 1717, three fishermen pulled a small terracotta statue of Our Lady from the Paraíba River, broken and covered in mud, and were rewarded with a miraculous catch of fish. From that moment, she has been venerated as a sign of God’s love for the poor and the forgotten. We visit the magnifi-

We spend a peaceful morning in Aparecida for personal prayer, a final visit to Our Lady’s shrine, and quiet time in the gardens of this remarkable holy place. Mass will be celebrated. After lunch, we have a 3-hour journey through the countryside to Rio de Janeiro, the Cidade Maravilhosa, the Marvelous City, dramatically set between granite mountains and a glittering Atlantic coastline. Dinner and overnight in Rio de Janeiro. Meals: B.L.D

Our final day is spent in one of the world’s most dramatically beautiful cities. In the morning, we visit the Church of Our Lady of Lapa, one of Rio’s oldest and most beautiful colonial churches, for Mass in this intimate and prayerful setting. We ascend Corcovado Mountain to stand beneath the outstretched arms of Christ the Redeemer, one of the great symbols of Christian faith in the modern world. We then ride the iconic cable car to the summit of Sugarloaf Mountain for sweeping panoramic views across Guanabara Bay and the peaks that ring this extraordinary city. This evening we gather for a special farewell dinner, celebrating the friendships formed, the graces received, and the memories made on this pilgrimage. We then transfer to Galeão International Airport for our overnight flight home. Meals: B.Special Farewell Dinner

We arrive back in Knoxville, completing our pilgrimage through the lands of Pope Leo XIV’s apostolic mission and the great Marian shrines of South America. We return home changed, by the grace of service in Chiclayo, the wonder of Machu Picchu, the tenderness of Our Lady of Aparecida, and the arms of Christ the Redeemer stretched wide over the world He came to save.