In the Footsteps of St. Benedict, St. Francis, and St. Ignatius in Italy with Fr. Andrew Curry

Depart on an overnight flight from Chicago to Rome. Dinner and breakfast are served on the plane. Quotes for add-on flights and optional Premium Economy and Business Class upgrades are available upon request. Due to group air restrictions, we are not able to request specific seats on the flight. If seat selection is an important feature of your trip please book the land only with us and book air directly with the airlines.

Today, we arrive at Rome airport, where the Select International Tours Guide meets us and assists us onto the bus. We are on our way to Assisi, the city of birds and silence. Our first stop is Orvieto, where we visit the magnificent Duomo, which houses the Miracle of the Eucharist of Bolsena. Following lunch at a local restaurant, where we enjoy the famous wine from this region, we continue to Assisi. Mass will be celebrated in Orvieto. Dinner and overnight in Assisi. (Special Lunch.D)

This morning we visit the Basilica of St. Francis, with the upper Basilica and its magnificent frescoes representing the life of St. Francis, then we explore the lower Basilica and the Tomb of St. Francis. Mass will be celebrated. Proceed to 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. In the afternoon, we visit St. Mary of the Angels Church and see the tomb of one of our newest Saints, Carlo Acutis. Dinner and overnight in Assisi.

After breakfast at the hotel, we board our motorcoach for a drive to Siena, where we can see Piazza del Campo, famous for its horse races. Later, we see the relics of St. Catherine, the patron Saint of Italy, at St. Dominic Church, where we celebrate Mass. Departing Siena, we drive to a local agriturismo to learn about their cheese and olive oil production and have a farm-to-table lunch. After lunch, we board our motorcoach and return to Assisi for dinner and overnight.

Following breakfast, we depart for the town where St. Benedict and his sister St. Scholastica were born, Norcia. We visit the Benedictine Monastery of Norcia with the magnificent statue of St. Benedict in the front. On the hill overlooking the Valley of St. Scholastica, we visit the Church of Santa Maria della Misericordia to celebrate Mass. The church is part of the newly restored Abbey of St. Benedict, where the community of Benedictines who live here, often known as the “Monks of Norcia” adhere to the ancient observance found in the Rule of St. Benedict. The monks chant the Divine Office in Latin and offer Holy Mass each day in the traditional form of the Roman Rite. They also produce the world-famous Birra Nursa. The area is known for its clean air, magnificent scenery, plus tasty ham and sausages made from local wild boar and port. We enjoy lunch on our own in this peaceful town, with an opportunity to taste some of the delicacies Norcia is known for. After our exploration of Norcia, we continue to Rome for dinner and overnight.

We visit St. Paul Outside the Walls this morning to walk through our first Holy Door. Next, we drive to Capitoline Hill, which overlooks the Forum. The stairs leading here to the piazza, the Cordonata, were designed by Michelangelo (as was the geometric pattern in the pavement of the piazza). Our first stop is the Gesu Church, the Mother Church of the Jesuit Order, begun in 1568. This is where St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuit Order, lies in repose. The building of this church in the 5th century signals the arrival of Christianity in Rome. Here we celebrate Mass. We will visit the Ignatian Rooms nearby. We will also visit San Ignazio and San Luigi dei Francesi, housing Caravaggio’s St. Matthew and the Angel. Nearby we see the famous Navona Square with its Bernini fountains and Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, where St. Catherine of Siena is buried. Dinner tonight is at our hotel.

After breakfast, we drive to the Monastery of Montecassino, where we celebrate Mass and tour the magnificent Monastery and the library. Return to Rome for dinner and an overnight.

We celebrate Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica (TBC), followed by a tour and a walk through the second Holy Door of our pilgrimage. Following lunch, we board our motorcoach and travel to Subiaco Upon arrival, we visit the Abbey of St. Scholastica, founded by St. Benedict and named after his sister. We return to Rome for dinner and overnight.

Early this morning we depart for the Papal Audience. Our next stop is at the San Francesco a Ripa Grande, a peaceful Franciscan church in the heart of Trastevere, where we celebrate Mass. The church holds special significance as it once hosted St. Francis of Assisi while visiting Rome. Pilgrims can still see the simple cell where the saint is believed to have stayed, now preserved as a chapel. The church also houses beautiful Baroque art, including the moving sculpture of the Blessed Ludovica Albertoni by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. The rest of the day is at leisure to explore the city on your own. Dinner is at leisure.

This morning, we visit the Basilica of St. John the Lateran and the Holy Stairs. This Basilica is where the Pope is installed as Bishop of Rome and where he officiates as the Bishop of Rome. Here, we walk through our third Holy Door. Next, 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. If time permits, we may climb the steps on our knees in memory of Christ’s agonizing Passion. We walk over to the nearby Basilica di Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, where we see the relics of the True Cross. We proceed to the Basilica of St. Mary Major to walk through our pilgrimage’s fourth and final Holy Door. This Basilica contains a relic from the Manger of the Infant Jesus. We celebrate Mass at St. Mary Major. Tonight we will have a farewell dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight in Rome. (B. Special dinner)

After breakfast, we are transferred to Rome airport for our flight home.