DAY 1 – Overnight flight from —- to Rome.
DAY 2 – Arrive in Rome airport and transfer to our hotel in Rome for check-in. Spend the rest of the day at your leisure, adjusting to the time zone and getting some rest. We’ll stop at San Silvestro in Capite on our way to our welcome Mass at San Carlo in Corso. Welcome dinner and overnight at our hotel.
DAY 3 – This morning we start with our visits to churches in Rome such: San Lorenzo Fuore del Mure; Santa Maria in Trastevere, Santa Cecilia in Trastevere. Dinner and overnight in our hotel. MASS TBD
DAY 4 – This morning we will attend the Papal Audience (if available) in St. Peter Square (or Paul VI Audience Hall, pending the Pope’s schedule). In the afternoon, we’ll take a walking tour of the Centro to include visits to Santi Apostoli Church; Santa Maria in Via Lata; San Luigi dei Francesi; Sant’Agostino and Sant’Agnese in Agone at Piazza Navona. Dinner and overnight at our hotel. MASS TBD
DAY 5 – This morning we leave Rome for Nettuno to visit the Shrine of Santa Maria Goretti for Mass. We’ll spend the rest of the morning visiting the place of her death as well as the home where she was martyred. Upon our return to Rome, the rest of the day is at your leisure. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.
DAY 6 – This morning, we’ll have an early Mass at St. Peter’s and take a tour of the necropolis under St. Peter’s Basilica (Scavi) and visit more churches in downtown Rome: San Giovanni dei Fiorentini; Chiesa Nuova; the Gesu; Santa Maria Sopra Minerva and The Pantheon. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.
DAY 7 – Today we start our day with Mass at the Cathedral of St. John Lateran , then head to Santa Croce in Gerusalemme and Santa Prassede. We’ll end our day of touring at the Basilica of St. Mary Major. The rest of the day is at your leisure. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.
DAY 8 – Today we head to Lanciano and Manoppello. In Lanciano we will celebrate a private Mass at the church that preserves the first known Eucharistic Miracle of the Catholic Church that occurred in the 8th century. After lunch then we head to Manoppello to visit the holy sudarium that covered the face of Christ in the tomb. We then return to Rome for dinner and overnight.
DAY 9 – This morning we start the day with a guided tour of Vatican Museum which includes the Sistine Chapel. In the afternoon, we’ll visit the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls for Mass and tour and then onward to one of the catacombs sites. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.
DAY 10 – This morning we’ll visit the Colosseum and Imperial Forum and we will also visit the churches of San Clemente and San Pietro in Vincoli. The rest of the day is at your leisure. Rome farewell dinner in a local restaurant and overnight. MASS TBD
DAY 11 – Today we say, “Arrivederci Roma!” and head to Assisi. On the way we’ll stop in Bolsena and Orvieto to see the Eucharistic miracle there and where St. Thomas Aquinas penned the hymns, O Salutaris and Tantum Ergo. Mass will be celebrated at the Cathedral of Orvieto. We’ll head to Assisi for dinner and overnight at our hotel.
DAY 12 – This morning we’ll start with Mass at the Basilica of St. Francis then continue with a guided tour of Assisi which includes a visit to: Basilica of St. Francis, Church of St. Claire, Chiesa Nuova (House of St. Francis) and Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels with the Porziuncola. Rest of the afternoon at leisure. Dinner and overnight in Assisi.
DAY 13 – This morning, private vans will take us to visit the Eremo delle Carceri on top of the mountain where Francis use to go to pray and meditate. Then the vans will take us to the Church of San Damiano where St. Claire spent most of her life and where Christ spoke to St. Francis the famous words, “Go and rebuild my church”. Mass TBD. Farewell dinner and overnight in Assisi.
DAY 14 – Three-hour drive to Fiumicino Airport and our voyage back home to the United States. Bye Bye Italia!!!!!
