Pilgrimage to Italy * Turin (Shroud of Turin) * Florence * Assisi * Siena * Rome (Pope Francis)
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PILGRIMAGE TO ITALY * TURIN (SHROUD OF TURIN) * FLORENCE * ASSISI * SIENA * ROME (POPE FRANCIS) WITH DAILY MASS, CELEBRATED BY: MSGR. GREGORY A. GIER * Mass locations to be confirmed prior to departure A PRIL 19 - 28, 2015 | $4,599 FROM T ULSA W/ OPTIONAL POST T OUR www.pilgrimages.com/holyfamilycathedral St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome Assisi Skyline Shroud of Turin, Turin Sample Day by Day Itinerary of Italy’s finest squares and visit the Cathedral and the Basilica of St. Francis, containing the miraculous consecrated hosts that remained intact since 1730. Day 1, Sun Apr 19: Tulsa – Turin After Siena we are off to the beautiful city of Rome for dinner and overnight. Depart USA for your overnight flight to Turin. Dinner and breakfast will be served on board. Day 8, Sun Apr 26: Rome (Vatican museums & Papal Blessing) Wake up in Eternal City, one of the greatest centers of Western Civilization Day 2, Mon Apr 20: Arrive Italy and the first truly cosmopolitan city on earth! It is also spiritual capital for all Upon arrival your escort will warmly greet you this morning and welcome you the Catholics around the world. Today is truly a day we will have in our minds to Italy. Transfer to your hotel and enjoy a free afternoon for rest, relaxation, for many years to come. This morning we go to Vatican City to attend a spe- or exploration. You tour escort can suggest sights or walks for you to enjoy. cial Papal Blessing given by His Holiness, Pope Francis (pending papal sched- ule). Following the blessing, visit of the Vatican Museums (pending museum Day 3, Tue Apr 21: The Shroud of Turin and the Sanctuary of Maria schedule), a group of most impressive edifices with hundreds of galleries filled Ausiliatrice on the 200th Anniversary of the birth of St John Bosco with art treasures. See awe-inspiring relics and works of art donated through- This morning we’ll visit the Shroud of Turin. The Shroud of Turin, one of the out centuries as tributes of faith. We'll cover The Tapestry Gallery, The Rapha- world’s most famous relics. There have been few expositions of the shroud in el Rooms and the most overwhelming Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo's Master- the 20th century. The Shroud, a piece of herringbone twilled linen cloth meas- piece, restored mural of the Last Judgment. Later, enter the largest church in uring 14.5 feet by 3.9 feet, is believed by many Roman Catholics to be the Christendom, St Peter's Basilica, built on the site where St Peter was mar- cloth in which Christ’s body was wrapped after his crucifixion. It bears the tyred. Unsurpassed in beauty, a monument to the long history of the Catholic faint imprint of a man and the apparent signs of wound marks that correspond Church, to which pilgrims come from around the world, St Peter's is the to those Christ sustained during his crucifixion. After our visit, we will continue grandest of the world's churches. Marvel Pieta and Bernini's amazing bronze to the Sanctuary of Maria Ausiliatrice, The Basilica of Our Lady Help of Chris- canopy. Pope Francis visited the tomb of St. Peter, following his elevation, for tians, completed in 1868. This church in Turin was originally part of a home a visit of devotion that lasted 45 minutes. He is the first pontiff to visit the for poor boys founded by Saint John Bosco, which now contains his remains necropolis since extensive archaeological excavations were conducted at the with the relics of other saints. In 2015, we celebrate the 200th anniversary of ancient site decades ago. We will also visit the grave of Pope John Paul II the birth of Saint John Bosco, who had a vision of the Virgin Mary and re- located at the Vatican. Stop for lunch, and then we will have the remainder of vealed the site of the martyrdom of the Turinese saints, Solutor, Adventor and the day free to spend at your own leisure. Dinner and overnight. Octavius. The Basilica dell' Ausiliatrice was built on the site of their death and the church also houses the relics of these saints. We will continue our day Day 9, Mon Apr27: Rome (Christian Rome tour) with touring of this beautiful city. In sight of the Italian Alps, see Turin’s This morning we depart for a sightseeing tour entitled "Christian Rome" which promenades and historic buildings. Return to your hotel for dinner and over- includes: the Basilica of St. Mary Major, one of the oldest shrines dedicated to night. the Blessed Virgin, a shrine that contains a relic from the manger of the infant Jesus. We continue on to the Scala Sancta (Holy Stairs), famous for being the Day 4, Wed Apr 22: Turin – Florence steps that led up to the praetorium of Pontius Pilate in Jerusalem, which Jesus After breakfast, we are off to the beautiful town of Florence. Enjoy the beauti- Christ stood on during his Passion on his way to trial. Sixtus V had the steps ful Italian Country side. We’ll stop for lunch (on your own), and continue to- transferred in 1589, to their present site, before the Sancta Santorum (Holy of ward our final destination for the day, our hotel in Florence. A true paradise Holies). Next, we will visit the Basilica of St. John the Lateran, the former for culture and art lovers, Florence drew to itself the greatest artists of the residence of the popes prior to their return to Rome in 1377. It is also the Renaissance: Dante, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Botticelli, where Pope Francis was formally installed as Bishop of Rome, and honored Donatello and many others. You will have a free afternoon to stroll the streets the Blessed John Paul II by arriving a half hour early to bless a plaque renam- of this city. Enjoy some of the best shopping in Italy, visit a museum, or just ing a corner of the piazza outside the church after him. Stop for lunch, and relax in a café in the Piazza della Signoria. We gather for dinner to share sto- then we will continue on to visit St Paul Outside the Walls, which houses the ries of our day. remains of St Paul under its main altar; and the Appian Way -- the oldest road from Roman times--plus the famous Domino Quo Vadis Chapel; see the an- Day 5, Thu Apr 23: Florence cient Baths of Caracalla, Arch of Drusus; Tomb of Celilia Metella, and the cata- After breakfast, we are off to Enjoy guided tour of Florence which includes combs of St Callixtus where the early Christians hid themselves to escape magnificent Franciscan church of The Holy Cross or Santa Croce with the persecution. We will also enjoy a visit to the Trevi fountain. Farewell Dinner beautiful facade, church is a burial place of nobles, among which is Michelan- and overnight. gelo, Galileo and Machiavelli. Walking tour through Piazza Signoria, pass by Palazzo Vecchio, Uffizi and Ponte Vecchio. Continue through Republic Square Day 10, Tue Apr 28: Rome – Tulsa to the Santa Maria del Fiore 13th century cathedral. After lunch we will visit Following breakfast, we will transfer to Rome Airport for our return flights L'Accadamia where we will view Michelangelo's "David" as well as other works home. We will bid farewell to our new friends and to a Pilgrimage which will be of art. You will have free time to explore the museum and city before we re- in our memories and hearts for a long time to come. We depart for Rome turn to the Hotel for dinner and overnight. Airport for our return flights home. We fondly say, Arrivederci Italia! Day 6, Fri Apr 24: Florence – Assisi After breakfast we depart for Assisi. Once there, we will spend the balance of *Optional Post-Tour: Rome—$799 pp dbl, $150 pp single the day touring the home of the Saint that inspired our Holy Father. Pope Francis chose his name in admiration of the Saint of Nature and Servant to Day 10, Tue Apr 28: Rome (Scavi) *pending availability/early booking the Poor. Known for being a humble man himself, Pope Francis spent most of After breakfast, you have some free time to explore. After lunch, we will have his life denying the luxuries of life, and preferring to live in simplicity and a very special visit to the necropolis underneath the Basilica, where the tomb humility. Following breakfast, we will begin a tour of Assisi. Visit the tomb of of St. Peter is located. *This Scavi tour is specially arranged and extremely St Francis. Explore the quaint hilltop birthplace of St Francis that still retains limited. We return to the hotel for Dinner and overnight. something of the atmosphere of the early 1200s, the period when St Francis began his ministry. Contained within the huge 13th-century Basilica are many Day 11, Wed Apr 29: Rome (Ancient Rome Tour) of the saint's possessions and a series of frescoes depicting his life. You may Following breakfast, we will depart and go back in time to explore the land- kneel before the crucifix from which Jesus spoke to St Francis, asking him to marks of Ancient Rome. Some of the stops will include: Michaelangelo’s Re- rebuild His church. It was in St Mary of the Angels Basilica where St Francis spent most of his life. Here we visit the Chapel, Portiuncola, the rose bush, naissance Palace built on the ruins of the Acropolis and dating back to the and the cave where the saint retired for prayer.