12 Days
Specific Tour
30 people
English
DAY 1: Sunday, 20 October Depart the USA
Depart USA on an overnight flight to Italy.
Faith, history and art combine in Rome to flood the heart, mind and eye, bringing the stories from the New Testament to life, many of these stories rendered by the most talented artists ever to live. Nothing you see in Rome is incidental, seeing detail upon stunning detail, will make you realize just how much care and craftsmanship has gone on for centuries to provide what we now wrongly consider as past.
DAY 2: Monday, 21 October ARRIVAL /Saint Paul Outside the Walls
Arrival in Rome. After the baggage claim, we will meet our tour manager and drive to the Basilica of Saint Paul to Celebrate Mass , followed by a guided tour and break for independent lunch. The afternoon, visit Trevi Fountain – Continue to Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, the Pantheon and finally Piazza Navona.. Dinner and overnight. (D)
DAY 3: Tuesday, 22 October St Ignatius’ rooms & Gesu’ Church / Imperial Rome / Key Hole of the Knights of Malta –
Christianity was deeply influenced by the Roman cultural institutions- This tour will help us to understand the importance that Rome had in the spread of the Catholic Faith. Although Jesus had died, his message had not. Words of his teachings spread to the Jewish communities across the empire.
This morning , after a good breakfast, we will board our coach and drive a short distance to the Imperial Rome area. Out guided tour will start at the Gesu’ church, where we celebrate Mass, followed by a visit to the “camerette”, the house-museum where St Ignatius lived.
Next we follow our guide on a walking panoramic tour . We will spend the morning walking through the Roman Forum. We will enjoy the tour of the Colosseum learning about gladiator fights. Then we will continue to the Roman Forum, the religious, political, and commercial center of ancient Rome, and for centuries, the entire civilized world. The Roman Forum lets us understand about Ancient Roman traditions, habits, and laws. We will see also the Arches of Constantine & Titus. Finally, we will walk to the breathtaking Palatine Hill to discover its beauty and the history of Roman nobility and their stunning houses. We will climb the terraces of the ancient Farnese gardens. The entire complex was designed for Cardinal Alessandro Farnese, nephew of Pope Paul III, from 1537, who wanted to create a place suspended in time between imperial memories and dynasticfamily celebrations, a space of leisure and beauty, nature and art, inspired by the memory of the ancient Roman horti.
Break for independent lunch
In the afternoon, we regain our bus and drive a short distance to the Aventino Hill. Enjoy an amazing, perfect view of the dome of St. Peter’s . Maybe a tour and cocktail party at the priory – Richard Kelly, if he comes, might be able to help, he is a knight.- Return to the hotel – Dinner is at our leisure tonight. Overnight (B)
DAY 4: Wednesday, 23 October Papal Audience / Major Basilicas
Easier of access for European pilgrims than the Holy Land, in the Middle Age Rome became another major destination for pilgrims. Rome became home of many saintly martyrs, holy relics and miraculous events.
This morning we will join the pilgrims that come from all over the world and seat in San Peter’s square (or in the Paolo VI Hall) to attend the Papal Audience and blessing. – After break for lunch, we continue our guided tour by visiting two of the other major basilicas of Rome. We begin our tour with the Basilica of St John in Lateran which houses a fragment of the table on which Jesus consumed his last supper, from there we cross the street to the Holy Stairs so named because they are the steps which lead to the praetorium of the Roman Procurator Ponzio Pilato, finally we reach the Basilica of St Mary Major. The crypt is built to resemble the cave of nativity in Bethlehem and there is a reliquary containing part of the Holy Crib in which our Lord Jesus Christ once lay. – We celebrate Mass and return to the hotel for dinner and overnight (BD)
DAY 5: Thursday, 24 October Vatican Museums / Fountains and squares
“Rome is not a city like the others. It is a large museum, a living room to cross at the tip toe” (Alberto Sordi, roman actor)
We will begin the day with Mass at San Peter’s Basilica. Which we will then visit with our guide. It is the largest Catholic Basilica ever built. It’s soaring dome was engineered by Michelangelo and the artist’s famous Pieta sculpture and countless other artistic wonders make St. Peter’s church one of the most awe–inspiring buildings in the world. – We continue the guided tour at one of the most important museums in the world. Legally its own country, Vatican City is the head and administrative center of the Catholic Church. 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 After break for lunch, we will reach the city center. Piazza del Popolo is the entrance to one of the most beautiful places in the world, located at the top of a triangle of streets known as the Trident (via del Babbuino – via del Corso – via di Ripetta). This great access to the heart of Rome is tied to the history of pilgrimages, particularly to those related to the celebrations of the Holy Year in 1670, and the arrival of Christina, queen of Sweden, converted to the Catholicism. We will enter the square through Porta del Popolo that will welcome us with a Latin message engraved by Bernini “Felici faustoque ingressui”, that is “For a Happy and Propitious Entrance”. We will walk along Via del Babbuino to reach the Spanish Steps. Then we will see the Column of the Immaculate Conception wanted by Pope Pio IX in the year 1854 to celebrate the approval of the dogma. Balance of the day is at our leisure. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight (BD)
DAY 6: Friday, 25 October Subiaco Evening walking tour of the Jewish Quarter – Trastevere
Following breakfast we will drive to Subiaco, just an hour away from Rome, to visit the Benedictine Monasteries of St Scholastica and St Benedict. Located amid spectacular natural scenery, the monastery of St Benedict enshrines the cave (Sacro Speco) in which St. Benedict lived as a hermit before he organized his first monastic community. Celebrate Mass. After lunch at the Foresteria, we will return to Rome. This afternoon will visit the old quarter of Trastevere and the Church of St Francis a Ripa which is the first church in Rome dedicated to the Saint. It was here that Saint Francis stayed when he visited Rome. We will be able to see the cell where he slept, the rock that he used as a pillow- Crossing the river Tiber over the Tiberine Island, we reach the roman Ghetto, the area where the roman-jewish population has been leaving for centuries. Here we will enjoy a restaurant farewell dinner, based on original ancient recipes of the roman cuisine. Overnight (BL Special D)
DAY 7: Saturday, 26 October ROMA – MONTECASSINO – SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO
After breakfast, we will drive towards south for approx 2 hours, to reach Montecassino, where we stop to visit the Abbey . We can celebrate Mass at the chapel where Saint Benedict and his sister St Scholastica are buried. Our guided tour includes also the abbey’s museum – After lunch we continue our journey to reach San Giovanni Rotondo. Check in at the hotel, dinner and overnight (B, D)
DAY 8: Sunday, 27 October SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO – ST MICHAEL’S CAVE
This morning is dedicated to Saint Padre Pio. We honor his work as we visit his tomb, his cell, his confessional and the Capuchin Monastery of Our Lady of Grace. where we celebrate Mass We will also visit the new Church of Santa Maria Delle Grazie, and the Home for the Relief of the Suffering. In the afternoon, we visit the Grotto of St. Michael the Archangel.Overnight in San Giovanni. (B. D.)
DAY 9 : Monday, 28 October LANCIANO – LORETO – ASSISI
After a good breakfast, we check out and drive to Lanciano,to celebrate to visit the Church of St Francis. This Church is the site of the Eucharistic Miracle that occurred in the eighth century. Celebrate Mass. After break for lunch, we continue our journey to Assisi, stopping in Loreto to see the Holy House of Nazareth. This tradition, based on devotion and popular belief, ascribed the transportation of the House of Nazareth to an angelic mission; current historical studies have developed the hypothesis of a transportation carried out by Man, through sea and land, that came true with special assistance from above. That’s the way “to read between the lines” and give the most probable explanation to the Holy House event- We Celebrate Mass and visit the shine, then our drive continues to Assisi . Check in at the hotel, dinner and overnight (BD)
DAY 10 Tuesday, 29 October After early breakfast, transfer to the Basilica of St. Francis to Celebrate Mass at the Tomb of St. Francis, at which we will. After Mass, visit the Basilica of St. Francis. Our local guide will take us to explore the Basilica complex, which is actually composed of two churches built one atop the other. Beneath both churches is the crypt that houses the tomb of St. Francis. The lower Basilica dates from 1228 to 1230, and is richly decorated with beautiful stained glass windows, and paintings done by some of the most important artists of the 13th and 14th centuries. In the upper Basilica, built from 1230 – 1253, we will marvel at the monumental frescoes painted by Giotto, which depict scenes from the life of the saint. Continue to visit the Basilica of St. Clare, the first and most important heroine of the Franciscan movement, view her remains and see the miraculous Crucifix. Independent lunch – In the afternoon we will visit San Damiano Sanctuary “One day in the autumn of 1205 the Lord was waiting here for Francis On a morning in April of 1211 the Lord welcomed Clare together with her first sisters. They were encounters and thus began their Christian adventure. Brother, Sister. Perhaps here today the Lord will meet with you.May your faith be firm and may the Lord grant you peace.
Next we will visit the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli. Crowned by the magnificent dome designed by Alessi, this great Basilica was built in 1569. It enclosed the shrine of the “Porziuncola” or the Little Portion Chapel around which the first Franciscan community was centered, the place where Clare received the habit from Francis, and the Capella Del Transito, which marks the spot where the Saint died.
Return to the hotel for dinner and an overnight. (B.D.)
DAY 11 Wednesday, 30 October ASSISI – ORVIETO – CASTEL GANDOLFO
We depart Assisi in the early morning and drive approx 2 hours to reach Orvieto, where we will visit where we visit the gothic Cathedral built to house the holy relics of the Eucharistic Miracle of Orvieto. It was this miracle that occasioned the proclamation of the Feast of Corpus Christi and inspired St. Thomas Aquinas to write the famous hymn “Tantum Ergo.” After lunch we continue to Castel Gandolfo, where we will celebrate our farewell dinner at a hotel overlooking the lake (B,D)
DAY 12; Thursday, 31 October Departure
In the morning, transfer to Rome ’s airport. Departure
