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

Welcome to Rome, also known as the “The Eternal City”.” Upon arrival at Rome airport, collect your luggage in the baggage claim area, and continue to the Arrivals Hall, where you will be greeted by a tour escort and/or driver. You will make your way to the bus and transfer to your hotel. Following check-in, you will have free time to unpack and relax, or explore Rome on your own. Your tour escort may suggest places to visit. Later in the afternoon, your group will meet in the hotel lobby for a “Meet and Greet” with your fellow pilgrims and depart for Mass. Following Mass, you will attend a welcome dinner. After dinner, you will have the opportunity to walk to St. Peter’s Square as a group, for the Rosary (optional).

We begin with the Papal Audience in St. Peter’s Square! The Audience is celebrated each Wednesday by His Holiness, Pope Francis (pending the papal schedule). Following the Audience, we will visit the Trevi Fountain, where you may enjoy some free time on your own for lunch. This afternoon, you will visit the oldest of the four major Basilicas in Rome, and the home to the relics of Peter and Paul, the Basilica of St. John the Lateran. This Basilica is where Pope Francis was installed as Bishop of Rome. Next, you will cross the street to visit the Holy Stairs. These Holy Stairs are 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. Ascending these stairs on your knees, in memory of Christ’s agonizing Passion. We conclude your day, with a Mass at the Basilica of St. Mary Major. Church dedicated to Our Blessed Mother, St. Mary Major reigns as 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. Return to the hotel for dinner and an overnight.

This morning, you will enjoy an early breakfast before making your way to the largest Christendom Church, St. Peter’s Basilica. This Basilica was built on the site where St. Peter, the first Pope and Bishop of Rome, was martyred. Also, it was Our Holy Father, Pope Francis, who was the first Pontiff to visit the necropolis since extensive archaeological excavations were conducted at the ancient site decades ago. It is here that you will view Michelangelo’s Pieta. This stunning marble sculpture depicts the Virgin Mary holding Christ after His crucifixion, death, and removal off the cross before being placed in the tomb. Continue to proceed to the Vatican Museums. At the world-renowned museum, you will see the most impressive of edifices, galleries, and awe-inspiring relics. Additionally, you will observe the Tapestry Gallery, Raphael Rooms, Sistine Chapel, and Michelangelo’s Masterpiece, the restored mural of the Last Judgment. The final stop on your Vatican tour is at the tomb of Saint John Paul II. After Free time for lunch we will continue on your short journey down the Appian Way, the earliest road of Ancient Rome. This road leads to the Domino Quo Vadis Chapel, the Baths of Caracalla, the Arch of Drusus, the Tomb of Cecilia Metella, and the catacombs of St. Callixtus. The day concludes with a visit to the Basilica of St. Paul, outside the walls. Originally founded by Emperor Constantine in the 4th Century, this Basilica is the burial places of Saint Paul the Apostle. Next, make your way to a local restaurant for dinner. Following dinner, feel free to explore the streets of Rome, or return to the hotel for an overnight.

This morning after breakfast we will celebrate Mass. Following Mass we will visit the Pantheon, an ancient Roman building, that is renowned for its large concrete dome. After lunch, visit the Colosseum, also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, was built in the first century AD and was the largest amphitheater in the Roman Empire. Christians were often persecuted in the Roman Empire, and many of them were martyred in the Colosseum. Some of the most famous Christian martyrs who died in the Colosseum include Saint Ignatius of Antioch, Saint Polycarp, and Saint Perpetua and Saint Felicitas. The Colosseum is a reminder of the persecution that early Christians faced, and it is also a symbol of their faith and courage. The Roman Forum was the heart of ancient Rome, and it was the site of many important government buildings, temples, and shops. It was also the place where public meetings were held and where the laws were debated and passed. The Roman Forum was a busy and bustling place. It was home to a wide variety of people, from wealthy aristocrats to poor laborers, and it was a place where people from all walks of life came together. Return to hotel for dinner and overnight.

We leave Rome and travel North through the Umbrian Hills to Orvieto. This incredible town sits on a volcanic high rock formation. Here we visit one of the most beautiful and most renowned Cathedrals in Italy. Because of its strategic location, it’s Christian history officially started in 1004, but, Orvieto was built over preexisting Etruscan era cave tunnels dating back 2,500 years, which some historians believe Christians used to celebrate Mass when Christianity was forbidden. Next we visit nearby town of Bolsena and Cathedral housing the corporeal of the Miracle of the Eucharist which took place in 1262. Here we celebrate Mass. Continue to Assisi he hometown of St. Francis and St. Clare. Upon arriving check-in to your hotel. Dinner and overnight. Retire to your room for a restful night’s sleep.

After breakfast, travel to Bevagna, a charming town in the heart of Umbria. Bevagna is not only a treasure of historical and artistic gems, but also a place of profound religious significance. Its rich Catholic heritage is evident in its numerous churches, monasteries, and religious institutions, each bearing witness to the town’s deep-rooted faith and devotion. Visit the Church of San Francesco which is located in Bevagna’s historic center. The Church of San Francesco is a haven for Franciscan spirituality. It’s simple yet elegant architecture reflects the Franciscan Order’s values of humility and simplicity. Inside, the church houses a beautiful fresco depicting the life of Saint Francis of Assisi. Continue to the Monastery of San Silvestro, on a hilltop overlooking Bevagna. The Monastery of San Silvestro offers a tranquil retreat for those seeking spiritual solace. Founded in the 13th century, the monastery has been a center of religious life for centuries. Its serene atmosphere and panoramic views of the surrounding countryside provide an ideal setting for contemplation and prayer. After lunch visit the Sanctuary of Madonna delle Grazie. This is a beloved pilgrimage site for Catholics in the region. The sanctuary, dating back to the 15th century, is home to a venerated statue of the Virgin Mary, believed to possess miraculous powers. Visitors come from far and wide to seek blessings and pray for intercession. Return to Assisi for dinner and overnight

As you visit the birthplace of St. Francis, you will become captivated as the atmosphere has not changed since St. Francis began his ministry, in the early 13th-century. You will start your tour at the St. Francis Basilica, visit his tomb of St. Francis, and have the opportunity to view a series of frescoes depicting his life, along with a few of the saint’s possessions. Followed by a visit to the Santuario Della Spogliazione where Blessed Carlo Acutis’ tomb is placed. Carlo is the first millennial to be declared Blessed who loved the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. From there, you will continue on a walking tour through this picturesque town, including the birthplace of St. Francis, and end with a tour of the Church that honors St. Clare, the foundress of the Poor Clare Sisters. This Saint followed the teachings of St. Francis very closely by also living a life of poverty and humility. Enjoy some free time on your own – you may take this time for additional prayer, shop in the many gift shops or enjoy a nice lunch. After lunch, you will board the bus, which will take you outside of the walls of Assisi, to the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels. This is where St. Francis spent most of his life. This Basilica is made up of two structures, both of which you will visit. The first structure is the “Porziuncola”, which is where St. Francis founded his order of the Friars Minor (Franciscans). The second, is the “Capella del Transito”, which is the place of St. Francis’ death. During your time here, you will have the opportunity to visit the beautiful Rose Garden where St. Francis and other friars lived, as well as the cave where the Saint retired to pray. Return to the hotel for dinner and an overnight.

After breakfast, you will drive through the beautiful Umbrian mountains to Gubbio. Enjoy this medieval town with a visit of St. Francis Church, where you will be celebrating Mass. After Mass, visit a town that seems painted onto the hill, a succession of backdrops against which towers and houses stand out, all embraced by walls. The town had been freed by St. Francis from a terrible and fierce wolf who afflicted it. After lunch on your own, continue to La Verna, the place where St. Francis, over the years, had been seven times, the last time in 1224 where he received the stigmata. Here you will be able to pray in the Chapel of the Stigmata, the Basilica and the Chapel of Saint Mary of the Angels. You will also be able to admire the beautiful artworks of Andrea della Robbia. Return to Assisi for dinner and your last overnight.

After an early breakfast and heartfelt farewells, your group will leave by motor coach and transfer to the Rome Fiumicino airport for return flights home.

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