BHT0079

Jubilee Year - Catholic Shrines of Italy 

The Jubilee Year in Rome is a sacred and revered tradition within the Catholic Church, offering believers an exceptional opportunity for spiritual reflection, forgiveness, and grace and fostering a sense of unity and devotion among Catholics worldwide. The concept of the Jubilee Year finds its roots in the Old Testament tradition of the Jubilee, a time of forgiveness, freedom, and restoration, described in the Book of Leviticus (25:8-13).

Our tour of Italy will include the most important sanctuaries and shrines. The list of the saints on this pilgrimage tour with us, which starts with Rome, is impressive, to name some of them...St. Padre Pio, Saint Francis, Saint Claire, St. Paul, Saint Peter, St. Mark the Evangelist, Saint Anthony of Padua, Saint Catherine of Siena...

 

Day 1 DEPARTURE from your departure city - Monday

Depart from your gateway airport/city, an intercontinental flight to Europe, and your final destination is Rome, Italy.

 

Day 2 ARRIVAL TO ROME

We will arrive at the Rome airport; you will meet with a Blue Heart Travel tour escort, and your Christian tour of Rome can begin. First, on our schedule, today is the Holy Mass at St. Mary Major Basilica (or any other basilica or church we visit this afternoon) and a visit to St. John Lateran Cathedral. This is the Cathedral of Rome and was a Papal residence from the 5C until the papacy departed to Avignon in France. Today, we will also see the nearby Holy Staircase (Scala Sancta), which is the actual stairs that Jesus Christ walked on the day he went to Pilate. We will end our day at the hotel, have dinner, and overnight.

 

Day 3   AUDIENCE POPE FRANCIS &  ST. PETER'S &  - Wednesday

Today we have an early breakfast to be on time for the general audience with Pope Francis at St. Peter's Square. After the Audience, we will leave the Vatican and continue our Jubilee Year pilgrimage with a visit to the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls (Basilica di San Paolo Fuori le Mura).  Originally founded in the 4th century by Emperor Constantine over the burial place of Saint Paul the Apostle, the basilica has undergone several reconstructions due to fires and damage over the centuries. The current majestic structure was largely rebuilt after a devastating fire in 1823. The basilica's stunning interior features intricate mosaics, majestic columns, and beautiful artwork, including the impressive medallions of all the Popes along the nave. The next visit is to the Domitilla Catacombs. The Catacombs of Domitilla are named after Flavia Domitilla, a member of the Roman imperial family and a Christian convert. Constructed in the 2nd century AD, these catacombs expanded over time, becoming one of the largest and most extensive catacomb complexes in Rome. These catacombs bear witness to the early Christian community's practices and beliefs. We are back to our hotel, dinner, and overnight.

 

Day 4   ST. PETER'S & ROME HISTORICAL - Thursday
This morning we are back to St. Peter's Square. On the same day is our visit to the heart of the Vatican State, St. Peter's Basilica, and underground burial stones with the tomb of St. Peter and Pope John Paul II's tomb chapel and end at the Square. As the second part of our today's tour, we will be sightseeing, walking from the Coliseum & Imperial forums (Caesar, Augustus, and Trajan), via Piazza Venezia, with King Victor Emanuel II monument, Piazza di Spagna, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, and Piazza Navona - truly the best of Rome!.
Our entire day will, for sure, be inspirational and educational. Return to our hotel for the third overnight in Rome.

 

Day 5   ROME - Abbey of MONTECASSINO - SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO  - Friday 

After breakfast, we leave Rome. After about 3 hours of driving, we are at Montecassino, a magnificent Benedictine abbey on the top of the mountain. This monastery was founded and built by St. Benedict (patron saint of Europe) around 529 on the remains of a Roman fortification. After the visit, we continue to San Giovanni Rotondo, to the church of Our Lady of Grace with the tomb of St. Pio. Dinner, and overnight in San Giovanni Rotondo.

 

Day 6   SAINT PADRE PIO - MONTE SAN'T ANGELO  & Michael Archangel - Saturday 

After breakfast, we will spend the morning in the sanctuary of St. Pio in San Giovanni Rotondo, walk to the church of Our Lady of Grace, celebrate the mass, and visit St. Pio's tomb. After sightseeing at the Shrine of St. Padre Pio, we are going to Monte Sant´ Angelo to visit the Grotto, where Michael Archangel appeared on a few occasions from the 5th to 17th centuries. Return to our hotel, dinner, and overnight in San Giovanni Rotondo.

 

Day 7   SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO - LANCIANO - LORETO

This morning we will leave Saint Pio, and head northwest, to Lanciano, to the great Eucharistic Shrine from the 8th century. Time for prayer in the church before the relic above the main altar. Lunch break, and we will continue to Loreto. Loreto is a beautiful little town where a church dedicated to Saint Mary was there already in the 14th century. Legend says that the House of the Holy Family was miraculously transferred from Nazareth, while some parts were probably brought here by the Crusaders.

"The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary, and She Conceived of the Holy Spirit" - words in Loreto in the House of the Holy Family touch us even more profoundly. On the ruins of the house, one can see the actual place of the event. Tonight we will stay in Loreto for dinner and overnight.

 

Day 8   LORETO - ASSISI, ST. FRANCIS AND ST. CLAIRE

After the visit and Holy Mass in the Basilica of Loreto, we will drive to the Assisi to the Town of Peace sometime after the lunch break, an encounter with St. Francis and St. Claire. The group will have free time to visit the crypt of the St. Francis tomb and see the reliquary and frescoes made by Giotto and Cimabue. The early part of the evening is free until dinner in our hotel.

 

Day 9   ASSISI

This morning we will continue exploring and learning about St. Francis and his life. Our guided tour will start at the church of Santa Chiara to see The Cross that spoke to St. Francis and pray his prayer before the same Crucifix. We will learn more about St. Claire, the founder of Poor Claire’s, and see her incorrupt body. We will go down to the "Porziuncola," one of three churches restored by young Francis that are nowadays embraced by the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels. Today, the group's private Holy Mass is in the Basilica of St. Francis. Dinner and overnight are at our hotel in Assisi.

 

Day 10   ASSISI - SIENA, ST. CATHERINE - FLORENCE 

Today, we leave Assisi for Padua via Siena. We will walk through the lively city of Siena, the birthplace of St. Catherine, Virgin, and Doctor of the Church; we will stroll through the streets from the church hosting the relics of St. Catherine to the Piazza del Campo! The tour will continue with a bus ride to Florence. We will have a guided tour of Florence for about two hours, free time, and tonight, dinner will be on your own.
Tonight, we are in our hotel in the Florence area.

 

Day 11   VENICE

Today is the entire day excursion to Venice. The short water taxi "sails" to the city, and we start with the Holy Mass in the Cathedral of St. Marc. Sightseeing will include St. Marc Square with the basilica, the Bridge of Sighs, and a walk to the Grand Canal & Rialto Bridge. After a two-hour tour, we will have some free time for shopping, starting from the Rialto Bridge with hundreds of souvenir shops and restaurants. The beauty of Venice is ours for the entire afternoon. We will return to Padua in the early evening, have dinner, and overnight at our hotel in Padua or the area.

 

Day 12 PADUA - MILAN

After the morning Holy Mass in the Basilica of St. Anthony of Padua and a city tour of about 2 hours, we will go to Milan, the city of St. Ambrose. Here we will visit the Sforza palace seat of the Dukes of Milan, Il Duomo or Cathedral of Milan, 357 feet high church with 3600 statues of different dimensions, the Cathedral that was built in 1386. On our walk through the center, we will pass by the famous Opera House Scala and the statue of Leonardo da Vinci. In the late afternoon, some free time for shopping. Our farewell dinner is in one of the typical Italian restaurants near "Il Duomo" Cathedral and "Galleria Vittorio Emanuele." Hotel in Milan, our last overnight in Italy!

 

Day 13 MILAN - USA, FLIGHT HOME

After breakfast, transfer to Milan International Airport, flight back home, and arrival the same day.