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Join Fr. Xavy Castro on a Jubilee Year pilgrimage to Italy. This trip will visit Rome, Assisi, Orvieto, Cascia, Loreto, San Giovanni, and more!
Fr. Xavy Castro and a Christian guide will meet your party at the airport and accompany you every step of the way as you explore Assisi, Orvieto, Loreto, Lanciano, San Giovanni, Rome, and much more.
Fr. Xavy Castro is a Catholic priest and pilgrimage leader with Select International Tours. He has accompanied pilgrims to Greece and Turkey and to Italy, joining sacramental life with visits to the sacred and historic places on each itinerary.
Tipping /Gratuities for the guide(s), driver, and wait staff (please refer to the suggestions we will provide for you with your final documents) Suggested budget $200- $220.
We depart on an overnight flight from Tampa Airport to Rome. Dinner and breakfast will be served on the plane. Domestic air from other airports to the main gateway cities is available upon request. As we work with group rates, seat assignments on the flights cannot be booked by us. If this is an important feature of your trip please consider purchasing your own airline tickets and buy the land only package from us.
Our tour guide greets us, and we board the motorcoach, ready to embark on a beautiful spiritual journey to the most sacred sites in Italy. We are on our way to Assisi, the city of birds and silence, a truly beautiful town. We stop in Orvieto to see the beautiful Duomo, where the relic of the Miracle of the Eucharist of Bolsena is housed, and to celebrate Mass. Following lunch in Orvieto, we continue to Assisi. We have time to relax and become acclimated to a new time zone. Dinner and overnight in Assisi
Following breakfast, we have an entire day to explore the hilltop town of birds and silence on foot. We visit the Basilica of St. Clare and see the relics of Blessed Carlo Acutis at the Sanctuary of Espoliazione. We explore St. Francis Basilica, see the world-renowned frescos of Giotto, and celebrate Mass. After a break for lunch, we visit the Ermo della Carceri, St. Francis’ retreat hermitage near the summit of Mt. Subasio. Dinner and overnight in Assisi.
This morning we depart for Cascia, home of the beloved St. Rita. We visit the monastery where St. Rita lived as a nun and died and 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 before we break for lunch. We return to Assisi, stopping at St. Mary of the Angels, the cradle of the Franciscan order, before continuing with a visit to San Damiano. Both chapels were rebuilt by the hands of St. Francis and his first companions. Dinner and overnight in Assisi.
We check out of our hotel and depart early for Loreto to see the Holy House of Nazareth, which was transported here from the Holy Land, as tradition tells us. In it, we view the most reproduced Madonna in the world: the Black Madonna of Loreto. We join in the celebration of Mass. After a stop in Lanciano, home of a Eucharistic Miracle from the 8th century, we depart for San Giovanni. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in San Giovanni Rotondo.
Today we visit places associated with Padre Pio, his tomb and cell, the old church where he received the stigmata, his confessional, and the new Santa Maria Delle Grazie church. We visit the Grotto of St. Michael the Archangel in the afternoon and celebrate Mass at the Shrine. Overnight and dinner in San Giovanni.
We drive to the birthplace of Padre Pio in Pietrelcina to visit his home and see the Church of St. Ana, where the Saint was baptized. We celebrate Mass at St. Mary of the Angels, where St. Padre Pio celebrated Mass many times. We stop at Piana Romana to visit the tiny chapel built around a tree where Padre Pio prayed, received the invisible stigmata, and see his family’s farmhouse. We arrive in Rome for dinner and overnight.
Our first stop today is at St. Paul Outside the Walls, where we walk through our first Holy Door and celebrate Mass. We visit the nearby Tre Fontane to see where the Saint was beheaded. We stop for a visit at the Basilica of St. Lawrence, the shrine of the tomb of its namesake Lawrence, one of the first seven deacons of Rome. We visit the Vatican Museums, one of the most extensive museum collections in the world. The Museum is also home to the Sistine Chapel, where the legendary Michelangelo created one of his most famous masterpieces on the ceiling. The rest of the day and dinner is at leisure. Overnight in Rome.
Early this morning, we are transferred to St. Peter’s Square, where the Holy Father blesses us during the Papal Audience and visit St. Peter’s Basilica, celebrate Mass and walk through our second Holy Door. This afternoon while in the Vatican area, we have lunch together before we walk past Castel Sant’Angelo and cross the river Tiber over the Angels’ Bridge to reach Navona Square with its magnificent fountain by Bernini. Dinner is at leisure to enjoy one of the many great Roman restaurants. Overnight in Rome.
We visit the Basilica of Saint Mary Major after breakfast to celebrate Mass and walk through the third Holy Door. We continue our pilgrimage with visits to St. John Lateran for our fourth and final Holy Door, and walk to the Holy Stairs. We see the Pantheon and Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, where we see the incorrupt body of St. Catherine. The rest of the day is at leisure, exploring Rome on your own. Tonight, we gather for our farewell dinner. Overnight in Rome. (B.Special dinner)
This morning we are transferred to the airport for our return flight to the US. The extension group will depart for Florence on a separate bus.
Following breakfast, we check out of our hotel in Rome and depart for Florence. En route, we stop at a winery to learn about Tuscan wine production. Before descending into Florence, we stop at Michelangelo Square to take pictures and see Florence from the overlook. We check into the hotel in Florence. Mass will be celebrated. Overnight in Florence. (B.Lunch with Wine Tasting. D)
Our walking tour includes the highlights of Florence. We see the Duomo and the Baptistry Doors (outside views), the Ponte Vecchio Bridge, and the Holy Cross Church. We end with a visit to the Accademia, where we can see Michelangelo’s famous statue of David. The rest of the afternoon and evening are at leisure to explore Florence on our own. Vigil Mass will be celebrated. Dinner is at leisure. Overnight in Florence.
We depart Florence right after breakfast, driving to Bologna, the bread basket of Italy, where we visit St. Dominic Church to celebrate Mass (TBC) and see the burial place of St. Dominic. Following an included lunch of local specialties, we drive to Padua and visit St. Anthony’s Basilica. We end the day with a visit to the Capella degli Scrovengi to see the incredible frescoes by Giotto. Dinner and overnight in Mestre.
Following breakfast, we take a boat to the island of Venice, where we celebrate Mass before our walking tour, which includes visiting the Bridge of Sighs and St. Mark’s Cathedral (TBC). We have time at leisure to explore Venice and perhaps enjoy a gondola ride before our farewell dinner at a local restaurant on the Island of Venice. Return to our hotel in Mestre for our last night. (B. Special dinner)
This morning, we transfer to Venice airport and for flight home.
Land and Air. Main trip package.
Land Only. Main trip package.
Single Room Supplement. Additional supplement.
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