Category: Europe tours
ROME – ST PADRE PIO – MEDJUGORJE
Rome – San Giovanni Rotondo – Monte San’t Angelo – Medjugorje
May 21 – June 2, 2012
with
Fr. Bernard Pinsonneault – spiritual director
Mrs. Laraine Soltysiak – pilgrimage coordinator
ITINERARY
check the Catholic tour on the map of Europe
Day 1 – DEPARTURE – May 21, 2012
Today we depart on transcontinental flight to Italy, Rome. Meals served on board of the plane. Arrival to Italy is next morning.
Day 2 – ARRIVAL TO ROME – May 22, 2012
Arrival at the Rome airport, meet with your tour guide and transfer to Eternal city, you start your Christian Tour of Rome this afternoon. First on your schedule today is the Holy Mass at St. Mary Major Basilica. Then visit the Basilica of St. John Lateran, the Cathedral of Rome and was the Papal residence from the 5th Century until the papacy departed to Avignon in France. Across the street we will visit the Holy Staircase (Scala Sancta) actual stairs that Jesus walked on the day he went to Pilate. We will end our day at our hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 3 – VATICAN, ST. PETER'S – Audience, Wednesday May 23, 2012
Today you will have an early breakfast to be on time for the General Audience with Pope Benedict XVI at the St. Peter's Square. Following will be a visit to the Vatican Museums where to see art 
masterpieces of Michelangelo, Bernini, and more. The visit will continue with a walk through Geographical maps Gallery, Sistine Chapel with the magnificent fresco of The Last Judgment and many more halls and rooms filled with Christian art, history and inheritance of all civilization. Today is also our visit to the heart of Vatican State, St. Peter's Basilica, and underground burial stones with the tomb of St. Peter, and Square dedicated to same Saint. After some free time in the late afternoon for shopping we end our day at our hotel with dinner.
Day 4 – ROME HISTORICAL – SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO May 24, 2012
Our entire morning will be inspirational and educational. Today we will continue our tour by bus sightseeing of Rome and its sites like Piazza Venezia, with King Victor Emanuel II monument, passing by the Coliseum, Arch of Constantine, Imperial forums (Caesar, Augustus, Trajan), Circus Maximus…. . As part of our today's tour we will go to the Basilica St. Paul Outside the Walls and our tour in Rome finishes with a visit to the Domitilla Catacombs. We will then leave Rome and will be on time for dinner in San Giovanni Rotondo. Hotel is near the Shrine of Our Lady of Grace hosting the tomb of the St. Pio.
Day 5 – SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO – MONTE SAN’T ANGELO May 25, 2012
After Mass and sightseeing at the Shrine of St. Padre Pio you are on your way to Monte Sant´ Angelo. Here we will visit the Grotto where Michael the Archangel had been appearing on a few different occasions from the 5th to 17th century. This is an ancient pilgrimage destination visited by many, among them Bishop Karol Wojtyla, Padre Pio loved coming here…..After visit and lunch break here we will return to the Our Lady of Grace - Sanctuary of St. Padre Pio, free time until dinner, our second overnight in SGR.
Shrine of Our Lady of Grace hosting the tomb of Padre Pio
Day 6 – SAN GIVANNI ROTONDO – FUMICINO ROME AIRPORT – MEDJUGORJE May 26, 2012
This early morning after good night rest and breakfast we will have a mass by the crypt of St. padre Pio and then on to Rome airport. Same day later in the afternoon you will take flight to Croatia, transfer to Medjugorje. Dinner and overnight will be in Medjugorje near the St. James church and the Shrine of Our Lady Queen of Peace.
Split, republic of Croatia - one of two cities on the Adriatic coast on which our groups to Medjugorje land, flights from Rome are to Split or Dubrovnik
Day 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 – MEDJUGORJE May 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, June 1, 2012
On your first morning in Medjugorje after the breakfast you will meet with your local English-speaking guide who will give you an introduction, a little walk from your hotel to the Church St. James
just before English language mass at 10:00 am. You will have a chance to participate in many activities during your stay in Medjugorje. With thousands of pilgrims from all over the world you will celebrate daily mass at St. James church.
Visiting Bijakovici village, all 6 visionaries come from it, you will go up the Apparition hill, Podbrdo place where Our Lady first appeared. Guide will schedule visits when possible to one or more visionaries, maybe Ivan, Marija, Vicka, Jakov or Mirjana. Each evening at 5:00 pm (at 6:00 pm during summer) you and thousands of other pilgrims will pray the rosary. All three Mysteries are prayed during the evening program. In Our Lady’s messages it was repeated many times how important is to come to mass where “we meet Jesus alive”. Messages of Prayer of the Rosary, Holy Mass and Confession are the center of the evening program in St. James church. The apparition takes place at 5:40 pm or 6:40 daylight savings time, and even today according to the words of three visionaries apparition takes place every day to Vicka, Ivan and Marija. Mirjana, Jakov and Ivanka are the three visionaries who don’t have daily apparitions but once a year. Guide will arrange the meetings with them during the time of your stay in Medjugorje but this depends on their availability and presence in the village. Pilgrims can attend after evening mass (in Croatian 
language) on Thursdays and Saturdays Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and on Fridays Veneration of the Cross in the Church. After the Mass, there is the Blessing of the Sick and blessing of the religious items, souvenirs you have with you. Among other activities you will have a chance to climb the “Cross mountain”, Krizevac as local people know it, visit the “Blue Cross”, another place of the apparition of Our Lady also nearby Oasis of Peace and community - Cenacolo. Each pilgrim will have time for private devotions, lunches, shopping, or simply enjoying your own “freedom of prayer”.
Day 13 – FLIGHT BACK HOME – June 2, 2012
This morning after early breakfast group will leave for Split Airport, flight back home.
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RATES May 21 - June 2, 2012 - based on minimum 15 pilgrims in the group:
- Per person in double room – $ 3509.00
- Per person in single room – $ 3879.00
INCLUSIVE:
- Airfares from Chicago, tax included - SUBJECT TO CHANGE BY THE AIRLINES
- Accommodation in superior tourist class 3* hotels & 4* first class hotels, 11 nights
- Daily breakfast and dinner, drinks included (wine, soft drink, water, coffee)
- Escort guide from Rome (meet with the group at the airport in Rome)
- Local guides in Rome and Medjugorje
- High class air-conditioned tourist coach
- Entrance fees Vatican Museums, Catacombs
- Headsets (whispers) Vatican Museums, St. Paul basilica,
- Audience with Pope Benedict XVI – if His Holiness in Rome at the time of your stay
- Daily mass, private with our priest Fr. Bernard
NOT INCLUDED:
- Daily lunch as a third meal, visa costs, souvenirs…
- Tips for guides, drivers hotel staff
- Travel insurance – recommended
TO SIGN UP & JOIN US ON THIS TOUR
PLEASE CONTACT:
Travel Leaders of Spring Lake MI
Michele Peleras
Toll Free: 1-800-798-9950
USA: 1-616-846-6420
Email: mpeleras@sltravelleaders.net
♦ FOR GROUPS OF 10 OR MORE TRAVEL ON YOUR OWN DATES ♦ SPANISH SPEAKING TOURS AVAILABLE ♦
EXTENSION TO ♦ HOLY LAND ♦ CROATIA ♦ LONDON.....
SOME PHOTOS FROM OUR TOURS TO ITALY & MEDJUGORJE
