A Jubilee Year Catholic Pilgrimage Tour to Italy

March 18, 2025 – Tuesday
NEWARK / ITALY
Today we gather at Newark Liberty International Airport, where we will board our direct, overnight flight to Italy. Meals are served on board our transatlantic flight.

March 19, 2025 – Wednesday
MILAN / PADUA
This morning we arrive in Milan and are met by our Pilgrimage Tours’ tour director who will remain with us until the end of our tour. We depart the airport and arrive for a visit to Milan’s beautiful Cathedral, or “Duomo”, where Saint Ambrose baptized Saint Augustine. Following Mass at the Basilica of San Carlo al Corso, we depart for Padua, the home of Saint Anthony, where he centered his preaching mission. We arrive at our hotel for dinner and overnight in Padua.

March 20, 2025 – Thursday
PADUA / VENICE
Our day begins with a visit and celebration of Mass at Saint Anthony’s Basilica, where we will see the tomb of St. Anthony. From here we drive to Venice, where upon our arrival we begin a walking tour of Venice and see Doge’s Palace and the Bridge of Sighs. Following free time for lunch in shopping in St. Mark’s Square, we visit the Basilica of Saint Mark, one of the most distinguished creations of medieval architecture and symbol of the ancient Venetian Republic, which contains the tomb of Saint Mark the Evangelist, patron saint of Venice. Finally, we enjoy dinner at Ristorante Cantina Canaletto in Venice before returning to Padua for overnight.

March 21, 2025 – Friday
PADUA / FLORENCE / PISTOIA
Today we depart for the Tuscany region of Italy and the center of the Renaissance. Upon our arrival, we enjoy a guided tour of Florence’s main sights, including the Cathedral with its magnificent Dome by Brunelleschi, Giotto’s elegant belfry and the Baptistery with Ghiberti’s Gate to Paradise. We also visit the Basilica di Santa Croce, where we will see the tombs of several famous people, including Michelangelo, Galileo & Machiavelli. Following Mass at Santa Croce, we enjoy free time in Florence’s historic center. Dinner and overnight outside Florence in Pistoia.

March 22, 2025 – Saturday
PISTOIA / SIENA / ASSISI
This morning we drive to Siena, the quiet hometown of St. Catherine, second only to Florence in its contribution to the Renaissance. Here we will visit and celebrate Mass at the Basilica of San Domenico, followed by a visit to the Church of the Crucifix to see the Cross where Saint Catherine received the stigmata. Following free time for lunch in Piazza del Campo, we enjoy a guided tour of the historic center of Siena, including a visit to Siena’s magnificent dark-green and white striped Cathedral. Late afternoon we continue onto Assisi, the birthplace of the gentlest of saints, Saint Francis. We arrive at our hotel in Assisi for dinner and overnight.

March 23, 2025 – Sunday
ASSISI
Today we enjoy a full day in the medieval town of Assisi. We begin our day with a visit to the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli, built to enclose the tiny Church of the Porziuncola, Saint Francis’ place of prayer and where he consecrated Clare as the Bride of Christ. Following Mass, we visit the Basilica of Saint Clare, Francis’ friend, and 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, will visit the Lower Basilica of St. Francis, followed by a visit to San Damiano to pray in the place where Francis wrote the “Canticle of the Sun”. Dinner and overnight in Assisi.

March 24, 2025 – Monday
ASSISI / ROME
This morning we depart Assisi and arrive in the Eternal City for a visit to the first of the four major basilicas of Rome, the wonderful Basilica of Saint Paul’s Outside the Walls, where the Apostle is buried. Here we will walk through St. Paul’s Holy Door as well as explore the basilica’s beautiful grounds before continuing onto the ancient Catacombs of St. Calixtus, passing by the ancient Appian Way, the traditional pilgrims’ route followed by Peter and Paul. Following our tour of the Catacombs, we pause for our own celebration of Mass. We will next visit Santa Croce in Gerusalemme (Church of the Holy Cross), which house pieces of the True Cross. Following dinner this evening, we enjoy a panoramic “Rome by Night” motor coach tour, including a walk to the world-famous Trevi Fountain. Overnight in Rome.

March 25, 2025 – Tuesday
ROME
Today we embark on a day’s worth of sightseeing beginning 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 stop for some free time outside the famous Colosseum and an opportunity for some picture-taking. We will next visit another of Rome’s major basilicas, 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. Following Mass, we will visit the beautiful Church of Santa Prassede, which houses a piece of The Column of the Flagellation, where Jesus was scourged before his Crucifixion. In the afternoon we will visit one of the great art collections in the world, the Vatican Museums. Our tour culminates with Michelangelo’s masterpiece, the Sistine Chapel, which was recently restored to its original splendor. Dinner and overnight in Rome.

March 26, 2025 – Wednesday
ROME – Papal Audience
This morning we arrive at the Vatican for an Audience with the Holy Father. Following free time for lunch and shopping in Piazza Navona, we will visit the world-famous Pantheon. Later in the afternoon, we will visit and celebrate Mass in the Basilica of Santa Maria sopra Minerva. The church houses the tombs of Saint Catherine of Siena and the great early Renaissance painter Fra Angelico. Our day concludes with a visit to the Church of the Gesu’, mother church of the Jesuit Order, which contains the remains of its founder Saint Ignatius of Loyola. Late afternoon we arrive in Piazza di Spagna to see the Spanish Steps and enjoy free time for shopping. Dinner and overnight in Rome.

March 27, 2025 – Thursday
ROME
Our day begins with a visit to the Church of Santo Spirito in Sassia for our celebration of Mass. In 1994, the church was appointed by Saint John Paul II as the Divine Mercy Spiritual Centre. We will next arrive at St. Peter’s Basilica, where we will walk through its Holy Door. Here we may pray in the Chapel of the Holy Sacrament, followed by a guided tour of St. Peter’s Basilica, where we see a young Michelangelo’s wonderful Pieta followed by a visit to the Tombs of the Popes in the Vatican Grottoes. Following free time for lunch and shopping near St. Peter’s Square, 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. This evening, we gather for our “farewell dinner” at Ristorante La Carovana. Overnight in Rome.

March 28, 2025 – Friday
ROME / NEWARK
We rise for breakfast and depart for Leonardo da Vinci Airport to board 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