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. 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. 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. 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 the charming town of Assisi. We will stop on the way for lunch before completing the day’s expedition at the hometown of St. Francis and St. Clare & final resting place of Blessed Carlo Acutis. End with dinner and overnight at your hotel.

After breakfast, begin your visit of 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 the tomb of St. Francis, and view a series of frescoes depicting his life, along with a few of the saint’s possessions. This will be 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 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 shop in the many gift shops & enjoy a nice lunch. After lunch, take the afternoon to explore the city and set aside time for prayer & reflection. Return to the hotel for dinner and an overnight.

After breakfast, 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 town of Assisi for some free time on your own, and then gather at the Hotel for dinner and an overnight.

After breakfast, you will ride through the beautiful Umbrian mountains to Orvieto. This incredible town sits on a high volcanic 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. Here we celebrate Mass. After Orvieto, we depart for the beautiful city of Rome. Visit the Basilica of St. Paul, outside the walls. Originally founded by Emperor Constantine in the 4th Century, this Basilica is the burial place of Saint Paul the Apostle. Next, make your way back to the hotel for dinner. Following dinner, have the option to attend the Canonization Vigil at Tor Vergata. Enjoy a restful overnight at your hotel.

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. 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. 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 to 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. 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. Next, we will visit the Basilica of St. Mary Major. This 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. After lunch we will head back to 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. 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. Pray at the tombs of Pope Benedict XVI and St. John Paul II before returning to your hotel for 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.