A 13-day Jubilee Year Catholic Pilgrimage Tour to Italy

April 21, 2025 – Monday
NEW YORK / ITALY
Today we gather at New York’s JFK International Airport for our overnight flight to Italy. Meals are served on board our transatlantic flight.

April 22, 2025 – Tuesday
ROME / ORVIETO / ASSISI
Upon our arrival in Rome, we meet our Pilgrimage Tours’ tour director who will remain with us until the end of our tour. From the airport we drive north through the Umbrian Hills to the town of Orvieto for a visit to its impressive Cathedral, dedicated to the Assumption of Mary, where the blood-stained linen corporal of the miracle of Bolsena is enshrined. Later in the afternoon we drive to the medieval town of Assisi, the home of Saint Francis, the gentlest of saints. We arrive for a visit and celebration of Mass at the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli, built to enclose the tiny Church of the Porziuncola, Saint Francis’ first retreat and place of prayer, where he consecrated Clare as the Bride of Christ. Finally, we arrive at our hotel for check-in, followed by dinner. Overnight in Assisi.

April 23, 2025 – Wednesday
ASSISI
This morning we awake in Assisi, where we will enjoy a full day visiting the important sites in the life of the “gentlest of all saints”. We begin our day with a visit and celebration of Mass in the Lower Basilica of St. Francis. Following Mass, we will visit the Basilica of St. Clare, the foundress of the Poor Clare nuns, and see the crucifix that spoke to St. Francis in San Damiano. Following free time for lunch and shopping in Assisi’s historic center, we will visit the Cathedral of San Rufino where both St. Francis & St. Clare were baptized. Later in the afternoon we arrive in San Damiano to pray in the place where Francis wrote the “Canticle of the Sun”. Dinner and overnight in Assisi.

April 24, 2025 – Thursday
ASSISI / LORETO / LANCIANO / SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO
Today we bid farewell to Assisi and drive to Loreto, one of Italy’s leading pilgrimage sites, where local tradition says angels moved the house that had been the Holy Family’s home in Nazareth. Here we visit the Sanctuary of the Holy House and explore its grounds. In the afternoon we arrive in Lanciano where a priest who was doubtful about the Real Presence, during his celebration of Mass, witnessed the host had turned into flesh and the wine into blood. Here we will visit the Church of San Francesco, the Sanctuary of the Eucharistic Miracle. Following Mass, we continue driving south and enter the Region of Puglia to reach San Giovanni Rotondo, the home to Padre Pio, who was made a saint in 2002 by Pope John Paul II. Here we will learn of the extraordinary life and reputation for sanctity of the Franciscan Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, who lived, labored, and died here in 1968. The remainder of our day is free to explore the grounds and institutions Padre Pio helped to build. Dinner and overnight in San Giovanni Rotondo.

April 25, 2025 – Friday
SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO / MONTE SANT’ANGELO
Our day begins with a drive to nearby Monte Sant’Angelo, one of the most ancient of Christian shrines, dedicated to the Archangel Michael who appeared here in the 5th and 8th centuries. Following Mass in the Grotto of St. Michael, we enjoy free time for personal exploration of the Sanctuary of the Archangel Michael. In the afternoon we return to San Giovanni Rotondo and visit the Saint Pio Church and the beautiful mosaic crypt that houses a glass reliquary containing Saint Pio’s body. The remainder of our afternoon is free at the shrine. Dinner and overnight in San Giovanni Rotondo.

April 26, 2025 – Saturday
SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO / PIETRELCINA / SORRENTO
This morning we celebrate Mass inside the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, where Saint Pio celebrated Mass for many years. Following Mass, we drive to Pietrelcina, the birth place of Saint Padre Pio and where he experienced the first apparitions of Jesus and Mary. Here we will visit his home, as well as the Church of Saint Anna, where Padre Pio was baptized and received his first communion. Following a visit to the Convent of Friars Minor Capuchin Pietrelcina, we continue onto the town of Sorrento on the Bay of Naples, one of Italy’s loveliest resorts with its captivating views of the coastline and majestic Mount Vesuvius. We enjoy a walk to Sorrento’s historic center, where we will visit the Cathedral of Saints Philip & James as well as visit the Basilica of Saint Antonino, the patron saint of Sorrento. Finally, we arrive at our hotel for check-in. Dinner and overnight in Sorrento.

April 27, 2025 – Sunday
SORRENTO / CAPRI
This morning we depart for our boat ride to the fabled Isle of Capri and an enjoyable day on the Mediterranean Sea. We tour the island and see some of its spectacular and enchanting sights, including the rock formation Faraglioni situated off the coast and La Piazzetta with its cafes and shops. We will visit the wonderful look-out point of Giardini di Augusto, as well as visit and celebrate Mass at the Church of Saint Stephen, followed by free time for lunch and shopping. Later in the afternoon we visit the village of Anacapri with its panoramic views. Here we visit the Church of San Michele, famous for its marvelous hand painted ceramic floor. Late afternoon we return to the harbor for a panoramic boat tour around Capri prior to returning to mainland Italy. Dinner and overnight in Sorrento.

April 28, 2025 – Monday
SORRENTO / POMPEII / AMALFI
Our day begins with a visit to the ancient city of Pompeii, famous for its destruction due to the volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in the year 79 AD. Pompeii was “lost” for nearly 1,700 years before it was rediscovered by archaeologists in the mid-18th century. Here we will explore the archeological site and ruins of the Roman city destroyed by Mount Vesuvius. We will also visit and celebrate Mass at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary. In the afternoon, we arrive in Amalfi on the Gulf of Salerno, where we enjoy free time for lunch and shopping prior to our visit to Saint Andrew’s Cathedral, housing relics of the Apostle. We return to Sorrento for dinner and overnight.

April 29, 2025 – Tuesday
SORRENTO / ROME
Today we drive to the Eternal City of Rome. Upon our arrival, we will drive by a section of the ancient Appian Way, the traditional pilgrims’ route followed by Peter and Paul, en route to the ancient Catacombs of St. Callixtus, where we enjoy a guided tour. Following free time for lunch, we will visit the Basilica of Saint Paul’s Outside the Walls, where the Apostle is buried. Here we will walk through St. Paul’s Holy Door and celebrate Mass. Next, we arrive at our hotel for check-in. Following dinner this evening, we enjoy our “Rome by Night” motor coach tour, including a walk to the world-famous Trevi Fountain. Overnight in Rome.

April 30, 2025 – Wednesday
ROME – Papal Audience
This morning we attend the Papal Audience with the Holy Father. Following our time with Pope Francis and free time for lunch, we will visit the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, the most important church in the world devoted to Our Lady. After walking through St. Mary’s Holy Door, we celebrate Mass where Mass has been celebrated every day since the 5th century. While at St. Mary’s we enjoy some free time for prayer and further exploration of this wonderful basilica. We will next visit the Church of St. Alphonsus Liguori, where the original Our Lady of Perpetual Help icon is housed above the main altar. Our day concludes with free time in Piazza del Popolo or “People’s Square”, where one may choose to visit the Basilica of Santa Maria del Popolo to see Caravaggio’s Crucifixion of Saint Peter. Dinner and overnight in Rome.

May 1, 2025 – Thursday
ROME – the Vatican
Our day begins with a celebration of Mass at Saint Peter’s Basilica. Following Mass, we enjoy a guided tour of the Basilica, where we see a young Michelangelo’s wonderful Pieta. Here we enjoy free time for personal exploration of the basilica where you may choose to visit the Vatican Grottos and of course walk through the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica. We will next visit one of the great art collections in the world, the Vatican Museums. At the end of the tour, we visit Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel that has been restored to its original beauty. In the afternoon, we enjoy free time for lunch and shopping near St. Peter’s Square on the Via Ottaviano and Via Cola di Rienzo. Later in the afternoon, we will visit the Basilica of Saint John Lateran, the Pope’s cathedral church where relics of both Peter and Paul remain under the main altar. As we enter the basilica through its Holy Door, we will see its impressive statues of each of the Apostles. From here we cross the street to visit the church of the Scala Santa. Here we see the Holy Staircase of 28 marble steps (now covered in wood) which is believed to be a staircase from Pilate’s palace in Jerusalem and brought to Rome by Saint Helen in the 4th century. Our day of sightseeing concludes with a visit to the Basilica of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme (Holy Cross), which houses pieces of the True Cross. Finally, we arrive at Piazza di Spagna where we enjoy free time near the famous Spanish Steps. Dinner and overnight in Rome.

May 2, 2025 – Friday
ROME
Our day begins with a drive to Capitoline Hill, where we will enjoy a view of the ancient Roman Forum and see Constantine’s Arch, the Arch of Titus, the Circus Maximus, and ancient Roman Aqueducts. We arrive for a visit and celebration of Mass at the Basilica of Saint Peter in Chains, which contains a glass reliquary displaying the chains of Saint Peter. Following Mass, we enjoy a guided tour of the Colosseum. In the afternoon, we arrive at the vibrant Piazza Navona, where we enjoy free time for lunch and shopping. Later in the afternoon we will visit the ancient Pantheon, the best-preserved building of ancient Rome. This evening, we gather for our “farewell dinner” at Ristorante La Carovana. Overnight in Rome.

May 3, 2025 – Saturday
ROME / NEW YORK
Following breakfast, we transfer to Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci Airport in Fiumicino for our return flight home. Though our pilgrimage draws to a close, its blessings will last a lifetime and its graces are certain to draw us closer to the Lord.