Digital Disciples: Walking with Blessed Carlo Acutis

We depart on an overnight flight from New York to Rome. Dinner and breakfast are served on the flights. We work with group airfares that do not allow us to request specific seats on the airplane. If this is an important feature of the trip for you, please book your own international air and the Land Only trip package with us.* If purchasing the Land Only option with us, keep in mind that airport transfers are provided only if you are at the airport before the main group arrives. Otherwise, you are responsible for meeting the group at the first hotel, which is in San Giovanni.

Our Italian pilgrimage manager greets us at the airport and assists us to our motor coach. Our first stop is Lanciano, where we celebrate Mass and see the Miracle of the Eucharist of Lanciano. We continue to San Giovanni Rotondo, arriving late in the afternoon, check into our hotel, and enjoy dinner. In the evening, we visit the Sanctuary of Padre Pio. Dinner with wine and overnight at the hotel in San Giovanni Rotondo.

Today is dedicated to visiting the places associated with Padre Pio, including his tomb and cell, the old church where he received the stigmata, his confessional, and the new church of Santa Maria Delle Grazia. In the afternoon, we drive to the Grotto of St. Michael the Archangel, where we celebrate Mass (TBC). Tonight after dinner we hear talks by our group leaders. Dinner and overnight in San Giovanni Rotondo.

We drive along the coast to Loreto to see one of Europe’s most sacred and revered sanctuaries: the Holy House of Nazareth. Most likely, the Crusaders brought this sacred relic along with many others from the Holy Land. Here we see the most reproduced Madonna in the world: the Black Madonna of Loreto. We celebrate Mass in Loreto. Then continue our journey to Assisi, stopping at St. Mary of the Angels Church, built directly over the site where the Franciscan order was first established and where St. Francis died. We settle into our hotel in Perugia for dinner and overnight.

We depart on an overnight flight from New York to Rome. Dinner and breakfast are served on the flights. We work with group airfares which do not allow us to request specific seats on the airplane. If this is an important feature of the trip for you, please book your own international air and purchase the Land Only trip package with us.* If purchasing the Land Only option with us, keep in mind that airport transfers are provided only if you are at the airport before the main group arrives. Otherwise, you are responsible for meeting the group at the first hotel, which is in Perugia.

Upon arrival at Rome airport, we are met by our tour manager and assisted to our motor coach. We drive to Orvieto to visit the amazing Cathedral, which houses the Miracle of the Eucharist of Bolsena. We explore the city and enjoy lunch with wine before we continue to Assisi. We stop at St. Mary of the Angels Church, built directly over the site where the Franciscan order was first established and where St. Francis died. We continue to our hotel in Perugia for dinner and an overnight stay.

This morning we visit the upper town of Assisi to explore the Basilica of St. Clare and the Chapel of San Damiano, where St. Francis received his call to rebuild the Church and where St. Clare lived and died. Our next stop is the Sanctuary of the Spoliation, where we see the tomb of the soon-to-be Saint, Blessed Carlo Acutis, in the Church of St. Mary Major. We walk across town and downhill to the Basilica of St. Francis, first visiting the upper Basilica with Giotto’s frescoes representing the life of St. Francis, then the lower Basilica and the Tomb of St. Francis. Mass will be celebrated in one of the chapels of the magnificent Basilica. Dinner and overnight in Perugia.

Following breakfast, we depart for Cascia, home of the beloved St. Rita. See the Basilica of St. Rita with her incorrupt body, relics from her life, and the stained glass windows surrounding the main altar depicting the Eucharistic Miracle of Siena, which shows an open book with two red round stains facing each other. Today a special Monstrance holds the pages that reveal the blood stains in the lower chapel of the basilica. In the stains is the perfect portrait outline of Christ’s face. Mass is celebrated at the Basilica of St. Rita. In the afternoon, we continue to Rome and check into our hotel for dinner and overnight.

We make our way to St. Peter’s Square, where we participate in the Canonization of Blessed Carlos Acutis by the Holy Father, Francis. In the afternoon, we visit the Catacombs, the Chapel of Quo Vadis and the Church of St. Sebastian. We stop to visit the Shrine of Divine Love before returning to Rome. Dinner is at the hotel.

This morning we visit the Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major and walk through the first Holy Door of our pilgrimage. During our visit to St. Mary Major, we have the opportunity to venerate many sacred relics, including the Manger of the Infant Jesus, the Madonna Salus Populi Romani (Rome’s most important Marian image), and the tomb of Pope Saint Pius V. We celebrate Mass at St. Mary Major (TBC). Next, proceed to the Basilica of St. John the Lateran, where we walk through the second Holy Door of our pilgrimage. From here, we cross the street to visit the Holy Stairs. Tradition states that this staircase is from Pontius Pilate’s palace of Jerusalem during the time of Jesus. It is also said that this staircase was brought to Rome by St. Helen in the 4th century. We may climb the steps on our knees to remember Christ’s agonizing Passion. The rest of the day is at leisure to explore the central part of Rome. We suggest you visit the Pantheon, Piazza Navona to see the magnificent fountains by Bernini, and Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, the resting place of St. Catherine of Siena. As you are in the historic center of Rome, you may want to walk over to the nearby Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps for a visit. Dinner is at leisure tonight, giving you the opportunity to experience one of the many Roman restaurants in the city center. The transfer to the hotel is on your own. Overnight in Rome.

We visit St. Peter’s Basilica, where we walk through the third Holy Door of our pilgrimage. Following Mass, we have a guided visit of the Basilica with individual headphones. Lunch is included before we visit St. Paul Outside the Wall Basilica to walk through our pilgrimage’s fourth and final Holy Door. Saint Paul Outside the Walls is the burial place of Saint Paul and the second-largest church in the world, after St. Peter’s Basilica. Next, we visit the Tre Fontane Convent, built on the site of St. Paul’s beheading, where three fountains sprung up when the head bounced three times. Tonight we enjoy a farewell dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight in Rome. (B.L.Farewell dinner)

After breakfast, we are transferred to the airport for our flights home.