GROUP PILGRIMAGE TO ROME ITINERARY
DAY 1
Fight to Naples. On arrival, the group will meet the Joe Walsh Tours pilgrimage co-ordinator and travel by private coach to San Giovanni Rotondo.
You will check into the Centro di Spiritualita hotel where the group will be staying for three nights. Breakfast and evening meal is included each day, lunch is also served on Saturday and Sunday.
DAY 2
On the first full day of your group pilgrimage to Italy, you will visit the Capuchin Friary, the cell where Saint Pio lived and died as well as the crucifix before which he received the stigmata.
You will also visit the old and new churches, the tomb of Saint Pio and the English Office, to learn about the extraordinary life of Padre Pio.
DAY 3
This morning the group can spend some more time exploring the shrine.
After lunch we will travel to the nearby town of San Marco in Lamis to visit St. Matthew’s Monastery.
We will then continue to Monte Sant Angelo, the shrine in the cave where the Archangel Michael appeared in the fifth century. A long list of Saints and Popes have visited this cave to pray to the Archangel, among them Saint Francis of Assisi, Saint Pio and Saint John Paul II.
DAY 4
This morning the group will depart for Assisi. En route to Assisi they will visit Lanciano, where the first and greatest Eucharistic Miracle of the Catholic Church took place in the 8 century as a response to the priest’s doubt about the Real Presence in the Eucharistic.
Once in Assisi, the group will check in at the Hotel Fraterna Domus in Santa Maria degli Angeli, Lower Assisi. In the evening, you will visit the nearby Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels which houses the Porziuncola chapel, one of Saint Francis favourite places and cradle of the Franciscan order.
DAY 5
Today the group will visit Upper Assisi, taking in all the main sights of Assisi’s old medieval town on a walking tour.
You will visit the wonderful 13th century Basilica of Saint Francis, mother church of the Franciscan Order. Construction of the Basilica started just two years after the death of Saint Francis which was unusual at the time. The enthusiasm of the people to create a permanent home for the body of their beloved Francis pushed them to complete the masterpiece of the lower church in just two years, an amazing feat.
You will also visit Basilica of Saint Clare, founder of the Order of the Poor Clares. Saint Clare was Saint Francis’ most loyal disciple and followed his teachings by living a life of poverty and humility. Clare died in 1253 and her incorrupt body is kept in the Basilica dedicated to her. The original San Damiano cross, used by Saint Francis for his prayers when he received his mission to rebuild the church, can also be seen here.
DAY 6
This morning the group will leave Assisi and continue their pilgrimage to Rome. On your way into Rome you will visit the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, built in the 4th century where the Disciple Paul was buried. The remains of Saint Paul are housed in a tomb in the Basilica’s crypt.
Along the nave of this beautiful basilica, pilgrims can admire wonderful mosaics of all the Popes from Saint Peter to Pope Francis.
DAY 7
After breakfast, the group will walk to the Vatican City for a guided tour of Saint Peter’s Basilica, destination of pilgrims to Rome and centre of Christendom.
The tomb of Saint Peter lies directly under Michelangelo’s extraordinary dome, in the Basilica.
In the afternoon the group will enjoy a sightseeing tour of Rome, visiting the city’s most iconic landmarks such as the Pantheon, Piazza Navona and the Trevi fountain.
DAY 8
On the last day of your pilgrimage to Italy you will enjoy some free time in the morning to explore further or relax.
In the afternoon, you will visit the Basilica of Saint John Lateran, considered the Mother Church of Roman Catholics and Cathedral of Rome. This Basilica is the site of the first church allowed by Emperor Constantine.
The last tour of your Group Pilgrimage to Italy will take you to the Basilica of Saint Mary Majors, one of the first shrines dedicated to Our Lady and home to exquisite mosaics.
Please note this is a sample itinerary that can be adjusted to your group’s needs. Talk to our travel experts to create the perfect itinerary for your group pilgrimage to Italy.
