Make your way to your local airport, where you will board your overnight flight(s). Your meals will be served on board.

Welcome to Italy and the beginning of what is to be the most memorable pilgrimage of your life. Upon arriving in Milan or Turin airport, make your way to the baggage claim area and collect your luggage. Proceed to the arrival hall, where you will be greeted by your guide and driver, who will transfer you to your hotel. Meet your fellow pilgrims and then participate in the celebration of Holy Mass. Conclude with dinner and a restful overnight.

Begin the day with breakfast and then proceed to enjoy a day of exploration throughout the city of Turin. Turin is the capital of the Piedmont region and home of the world’s most famous relic: the Shroud of Turin. Housed within the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, the Shroud is a piece of herringbone twilled linen cloth measuring 14.5 by 3.9 feet. It is believed to be that in which Christ’s body was wrapped after his crucifixion. The cloth still bears the faint imprint of Jesus, and the apparent signs of wound marks that correspond to those Christ sustained during crucifixion. It is expected that the Shroud will be on public display sometime during the 2025 Jubilee Year (pending confirmation). Within the same Cathedral lies the tomb of Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati. When Bl. Pier Giorgio’s mortal remains were found incorrupt in 1981, they were transferred from the family tomb in Pollone to the Cathedral in Turin. Take time for prayer and reflection, asking for this holy man’s intercession throughout your pilgrimage. After time for lunch, our tour will continue to the Sanctuary of Maria Ausiliatrice, the Basilica of Our Lady Help of Christians. Originally part of a home for poor boys founded by Saint John Bosco, the Basilica contains St. John Bosco’s remains along with the relics of other saints, including St. Dominic Savio. The Church was built after St. John Bosco had a vision of Our Lady in which she revealed to him the site of the martyrdom of the Turinese Saints Solutor, Adventor, and Octavius and requested that a Church be constructed there. The three martyrs were Roman soldiers who were killed for their faith in the early 4th century. Conclude this memorable day with dinner and a restful overnight at your hotel.

After breakfast, we will depart for Oropa, “the Shrine between earth and sky”, which is at the base of mountains and is one of the oldest Marian shrines in the world. The shrine was founded by St. Eusebius of Vercelli in the 4th century. According to local legend, the town was spared from the plague in the 17th century because of its dedication to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Every year the residents make a pilgrimage in thanks to Our Lady. We will see the Madonna and the Church where Bl. Frassati prayed. As he hiked with his friends, Bl. Frassati would share with them his love for Jesus and Our Lady. See the mountain that he climbed and take a cable car that goes halfway up the mountain to the lake. Also located in Oropa is the “Sacro Monte”, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that contains 12 chapels with life-sized statues made of terracotta depicting scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary. After free time for lunch in Oropa, we will then travel to Pollone which was the site of the Frassati family’s summer home. Bl. Frassati would often sacrifice his vacations at this beautiful place because, as he said, “If everybody leaves Turin, who will take care of the poor?” Here in Pollone, we will celebrate Mass. Return to Turin for dinner and overnight.

After breakfast, we will return to Pollone for a day of spiritual gifts. In this place that was so special to the Frassati family, we will take time for prayer, the Rosary, and Eucharistic Adoration to grow in our faith as modeled by Bl. Pier Giorgio. We will listen to several spiritually enriching talks, followed by Mass. Return to Turin for dinner and an overnight, reflecting on all the graces you received.

Following a delicious breakfast, we will journey through the beautiful Italian countryside as we make our way to Florence. This city is the land for art lovers and was home to some of the greatest artists of the Renaissance including Dante, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Botticelli, Donatello, and others. We will visit the magnificent Franciscan Church of the Holy Cross or Santa Croce where many nobles are buried including Michelangelo, Galileo, and Machiavelli. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Enjoy breakfast and then depart for the Convent of San Marco, which was the home of Girolamo Savonarola. This holy man was a great preacher and reformer during the Renaissance in Florence, who stood against the corruption of his time until his martyrdom in 1498. Bl. Pier Giorgio was so inspired by this man’s heroic life that he chose the name “Girolamo” (Jerome) when he became a lay Dominican in 1922. Bl. Frassati once wrote to a friend, “I am a fervent admirer of this friar (Savonarola), who died as a Saint at the stake.” The Convent of San Marco itself is truly splendid and features the beautiful artwork of Fra Angelico, including his famous fresco of the Annunciation. We will then return to the heart of Florence for a walking tour through Piazza Signorina, Palazzo Vecchio, Uffizi, Ponte Vecchio, and Republic Square to the Santa Maria del Fiore. This Cathedral is an iconic piece of architecture of the city of Florence. It was designed by Filippo Brunelleschi in the 13th century. If time permits, we will also visit L’Accademia, the well-known art gallery. At this gallery, you will have the opportunity to view the work of artists such as Botticelli, Ghirlandaio, Pontormo, and the ever-famous sculpture by Michelangelo: David. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

After breakfast, we will head south to Siena. This medieval city is the birthplace of St. Catherine (Doctor of the Church) and St. Bernardine (known as the “Apostle of Italy”) who worked to revive the Catholic faith in the 15th century. The writings of St. Catherine of Siena greatly inspired Bl. Frassati and influenced his decision to become a Third Order Dominican. We will stroll through the Piazza Del Campo, one of Italy’s finest squares. We will visit the Cathedral (Duomo di Siena) and the Basilica of St. Francis, which contains 223 consecrated hosts that have miraculously remained intact and fresh since 1730. After Siena, we depart for the beautiful city of Rome for dinner and overnight.

Today we start with a visit to the oldest of the four major Basilicas in Rome, the Basilica of St. John the Lateran. This Basilica is where Pope Francis was installed as Bishop of Rome and is home to the relics of Sts. Peter and Paul. Next, you will cross the street to visit the Holy Stairs. These Holy Stairs are believed to be the very steps leading up to the praetorium of Pontius Pilate in Jerusalem on which Jesus stepped on his way to trial during his Passion. The Stairs were brought to Rome by Saint Helena in the fourth century. Ascend these stairs on your knees, in memory of Christ’s agonizing Passion. Visit the Basilica of Santa Croce, one of the Seven Pilgrim Churches which is believed to hold relics of the True Cross. We conclude our day with a Mass at the Basilica of St. Mary Major. This Church, dedicated to Our Blessed Mother, is the only Basilica that has kept its original structure and is an authentic jewel in the crown of Roman Churches. This Basilica contains a relic from the Manger of the Infant Jesus. Enjoy dinner at the hotel and then attend the Canonization Vigil (location to be confirmed). Return to the hotel for a restful overnight.

Witness history on the momentous day Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati is declared a Saint! Known for his joyful spirit, Frassati strongly opposed the communist and fascist movements that pervaded Italy at the time. Although his parents were agnostic, he developed a deep spiritual life. He had a great love for the Blessed Mother and the Holy Eucharist. An avid lover of the outdoors, his favorite pastime was mountain climbing. He greatly enjoyed the theater, opera, literature, and the arts. He was pure, happy, and enthusiastic about everything true, good, and beautiful. He was a true model for all Christian young men. Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati died of polio, which he contracted from the poor and sick that he visited in Turin’s slums. He was only 24, and his final words were “May I breathe forth my soul in peace with you.” Despite his short life, he left a lasting impact by living his faith with passion and serving others with a generous heart. We will make our way today to St. Peters Square to secure our spot for the canonization ceremony. Witness the grandeur, music, and moving speeches as Bl. Frassati is elevated to Sainthood. Pending confirmation, we will meet with the Congregation of Frassati from the USA to celebrate this beloved Saint. This unforgettable day concludes with dinner and an overnight in Rome.

This morning, we will make our way back to St. Peters for the Memorial Mass. After, we will tour St. Peter’s Basilica, built on the site where St. Peter the Apostle was martyred. Here, you will have the opportunity to view Michelangelo’s Pieta sculpture and pray at the tombs of Pope Benedict XVI and St. John Paul II. Visit the Church of the Holy Spirit in Sassia, which St. John Paul II designated as the Divine Mercy Spirituality Center in 1994. The Church is cared for by the sisters from the Congregation of Our Lady of Mercy. After lunch, continue down the Appian Way, one of the earliest roads built in ancient Rome to the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls and the Catacombs. Dinner and overnight in Rome.

After an early breakfast and heartfelt farewells, transfer to Rome airport for return flights home.

*206 Tours Disclaimer:
Occasionally local religious and national holidays, weather, traffic conditions and other events may necessitate changes in the sequence of events or the missing of certain events/places. Though every effort will be made to follow the itinerary, it should be considered as an indication, rather than a contract of events and places to be visited.