Pilgrimage to Poland

Category: Europe tours

Pilgrimage to Poland

Homeland of Blessed Pope John Paul II and St. Faustina Kowalska

Poland pilgrimage to St. Faustina & Divine Mercy, Blessed Pope John Paul II and Maximilian Kolbe
Warsaw, Czestochowa, Krakow, Niepakalanow, Wadowice, Kalwaria Zebrzydowska...

SAMPLE ITINERARY
SEE POLAND TOUR ON THE MAP

Day 1 – Depart for Poland, Warsaw, Sep. 20, 2011
Transcontinental flight from Indianapolis, meals served on board of the plane. Overnight flight will bring us to Poland following morning.

Day 2 – Arrival to Warsaw, Sep. 21, 2011
Arrival at Warsaw Airport. This is where most pilgrimages of John Paul II to Poland began. On June 2, 1979 during his first visit, the Pope, after exiting the plane, kissed his native ground. This gesture, recognized worldwide, began every pilgrimage of the Pope. Transfer to the hotel, check in, an introductory city sightseeing tour. Dinner and overnight in Warsaw.

Day 3 – Warsaw, Sep. 22, 2011
Celebrate Holy Mass at St. Stanislaw’s Kostka Church, where Father Popieluszko is buried (murdered by agents of communist secret police in 1984). Next sightseeing of Warsaw including places connected with of John Paul II: Royal Castle The former residence of kings, serves at present as a museum, as well as a venue for important state ceremonies. Along with Warsaw’s Old Town, it is inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. The Pope met with representatives of the Polish government here twice: in 1987 with general Jaruzelski and in 1991 with Lech Walesa. In the castle there are several gifts from the Pope. Group will also have a chance to visit churches and places associated with the life of Blessed Pope John Paul II: Metropolitan Cathedral of the Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist, Pilsudski Square, St. Anne’s Church, Greek Orthodox Church of the Basilian Fathers, Borch Palace - House of the Archbishops of Warsaw, Lutheran Church of the Holy Trinity
The visit will include also The Royal Park Lazienki and the Warsaw Jewish Ghetto, dedicated to the victims of Nazi regime. In the afternoon excursion to Niepokalanow, short pilgrimage to St. Maximillian Kolbe. In the evening return to hotel for dinner and overnight in Warsaw.

DAY 4 Warsaw – Plock – Glogowiec – Czestochowa, Sep. 23, 2011
After good night sleep and fine polish breakfast we are on the way to Plock to visit the convent that Faustina joined in 1930. It is here where on February 22nd, 1931 Jesus appeared to her bringing the wonderful message of Mercy for all of the mankind. Asked to do so by the Lord, Faustina painted the picture of His Divine Mercy with the inscription “Jesus, I trust in You”. Afterwards, drive to Glogowiec where she was born and to the church of Swinice Warckie, where she was baptized. Continue to Czestochowa to visit Jasna Gora Monastery.

Day 5 – Czestochowa – Auschwitz – Krakow
This morning we will visit the shrine, celebrate holy mass in shrine where John Paul II loved to come. See the Black Madonna Shrine and the Treasury Room where you will see an impressive collection of many precious gifts received by the monastery throughout the ages. Walk along the fortification walls of the Pauline Monastery and the Way of the Cross. After short free time in the sanctuary with the Black Madonna we will continue tour, next is Auschwitz former Nazi camp. During his 1979 pilgrimage, the Pope mentioned that “Auschwitz is an "examination of the conscience of humanity”. We will also have a chance to visit the cell where St. Maximillian Kolbe was imprisoned and died. Today here is the Museum recalling the horrors of the Holocaust. At the evening arrival in Krakow, check-in, dinner and first night in Krakow.

Day 6 –Krakow, Sep. 25, 2011
„Let me-before I leave…look once more at Krakow where every stone and every brick is dear to me"…- John Paul II said on Blonia Commons in 1979 during his first pilgrim to Poland
Sightseeing, the most famous place linked with a history and life of the Pope John Paul II: Before having taken over the Holy See as Pope John Paul II, Karol Wojtyla had lived in Krakow for four decades–practically through his entire adult life until his assumption of the papacy. Here he spent his formative years as a student and then as a young priest, a theologian and a philosopher, a playwright and a poet. The visit starts with the Holly Mass in the Archbishop's Palace which is Wojtyla's last residence before leaving for the Vatican in 1978. There one can see the famous "papal window", where John Paul II used to show up to chat and chant with the youth of Krakow during all his visits and where thousands of people lit candles and prayed during his last days. Next visit of the Francis Basilica located just in front of the palace. Wawel cathedral where Pope John Paul II said his first Mass in the 12th-century Crypt of St. Leonard. Kanonicza street where Father Wojtyla resided from 1951 till 1958, when he became bishop; Now both those houses are turned into the Archdiocese Museum which exhibits the church art. In the museum you can see the flat where Karol Wojtyła lived while working as a lecturer of theology. Jagiellonian University where John Paul II studied Polish language, literature and drama. Finally the Main Market Square, the biggest medieval square in Europe and St Mary’s Church – one of the finest Gothic structures in the country. At the end St. Florien Church in Kraków – in this church during a period from August '49 to September '51 Pope John Paul II served as a chaplain to the students of university and to health workers. Dinner in the restaurant located in the Old Town.

Day 7 –Krakow – Wadowice – Kalwaria Zebrzydowska – Sep. 26, 2011
After breakfast departure to Wadowice, birth place of Karol Wojtyla. As he said "the place where it all began" in 1999 during his visit here. Discover the dearest places to Karol Wojtyla during his childhood and adolescence, including the parish church where he was baptized and the house where he was born. During his visit in Wadowice in 1999 he took a walk down memory lane and reminisced where he once used to buy his cream cakes. He would have had no idea the impact that this comment would make on the town’s cake production. Today you’ll see signs for cream cakes plastered on every window, though only one place was singled out as his favorite. Break for tasting the famous papal cream-cake. Then travel to Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, Poland's second most popular pilgrimage centre. Near the Bernardine Monastery are the famous Calvary paths, with churches, chapels and wayside shrines imitating the topography of Jerusalem. Pope John Paul II often walked the Calvary paths and prayed before the beautiful painting of the Zebrzydowska Mother of God. Return to Krakow. Dinner and overnight will be in our hotel in Krakow.

Day 8 – Krakow – Wieliczka – Niegowic – Sep. 27, 2011
The next place connected with the great Pope is Niegowic, situated about 15 miles away from Krakow. It is here that the young curate was sent to complete his first ministry at the local parish:
"I remember that (...) when crossing the border of the Niegowic parish, I knelt down and kissed the ground. (...) And that was how my ministry began."  
On the way back to Krakow we will visit of Wieliczka Salt mine. Put by UNESCO on the World Cultural Heritage list in 1978. Tourist route on three levels of the mine covers 0,8 miles of corridors, 20 chambers carved in salt, all on the depth from 210 to 440 feet. St. Kinga’s Chapel is a breathtaking subterranean church where everything is made of salt: crystal chandeliers, altars, sculptures and floor paving carved in the layer of salt. Return to Krakow, some free afternoon before dinner and overnight.

Day 9 – Krakow – Lagiewniki – Sep. 28, 2011
For the last morning we have left the best and most inspiring visit, for many of our pilgrims the highlight of the pilgrimage - morning visit to Lagiewniki, it was here in the suburbs of Krakow where the message of the Divine Mercy was passed on to St. Faustina. We will see convent chapel, and the Shrine of Divine Mercy with the new basilica. Also visit the Sanctuary that houses the image of Merciful Jesus and the relics of St. Faustina. Beautifully set on the hill today still very active convent is today also complex with the hotel, restaurant, new basilica religious souvenir shops…..after spiritual nourishment, holy mass and talk given by one of the nuns we will head back to Krakow, free afternoon before farewell dinner in one of the typical polish and Krakow restaurants in the old town center.

Day 10 –Krakow – USA -Sep. 29, 2011
Last morning in the country of our dear Pope John Paul II, transfer to the airport, flights back home and arrival same day.

RATES & DATES:

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September 20 - 29, 2011 (rate is based on minimum 25 people in the group):
Land only................................................US$ 1745.00
Land and air from Indianapolis.........US$ 3100.00
Land and air from Chicago................US$ 2880.00
Single room supplement...................US$    430.00
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June 12 - 21, 2012 (rate is based on minimum 25 people in the group):
Land only............................................................................US$ 1695.00
Land and air..........EWR Newark, JFK New York.........US$ 2965.00
Single room supplement................................................US$    430.00
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Inclusive:

• Round trip airfares from Indianapolis
• Airport taxes – subject to change by the airlines (fuel surcharge)
• 3* superior tourist class hotels
• Dinner and breakfast daily, drinks included
• Escort guide and local guides Warsaw, Krakow, Auswitz, Wadowice,
• High class tourist coach
• All entrance fees according to the itinerary
• Headsets (whispers) for city tour of Krakow
• Daily mass if group with the priest

Not included:

• Travel Insurance - RECOMMENDED
• Tips for guides and driver
• Third meal daily (lunch)

► Great offers for groups in 4* & 5* hotels ► For your group set your own date ► Priest & Tour leader travel free
►Blessed Pope John Paul II; St. Faustina and Maxsimilain Kolbe for inspirational Pilgrimage to Poland

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