Depart on flight LX41 at 7:20 PM.

Arrive in Zurich at 3:20 PM. Transfer on flight LX1732 at 5:50 PM to Rome, arriving at 7:25 PM. We will meet our tour manager and driver, then, proceed to the hotel for check-in, dinner, and an overnight stay.

An early morning wake-up call today as we head to Vatican City to attend the Papal Audience in St. Peter’s Square with Pope Francis. After a break for lunch, we will visit the Basilica of St. John Lateran, where we will walk through the first Holy Door of our trip. This Basilica is the seat of the Bishop of Rome, who is also the Pope, and it houses magnificent artwork, including wood from the table used at the Last Supper, which is located high above the altar in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel. We will then walk to the Shrine of the Holy Stairs, named for the steps that led to the praetorium of Pontius Pilate. Our next stop will be the Basilica of St. Mary Major, where we will walk through the second Holy Door of our pilgrimage. This Basilica is one of the oldest and most significant shrines dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. We will return to the hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

This morning, we will drive to the Appian Way, the earliest road of Ancient Rome, to reach the Catacombs and the Basilica of St. Sebastian. We will also visit the Church of Domine Quo Vadis, where, according to tradition, the Apostle Peter, fleeing the city to avoid martyrdom, encountered Jesus. After this, we will stop at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls to walk through the third Holy Door of our Jubilee Year pilgrimage. Originally founded by Emperor Constantine in the 4th century, this Basilica is the burial site of the great Apostle Paul. We will return to Rome for a break for lunch and then enjoy a walking tour of the Imperial Rome area, starting with an outside visit to the Colosseum. We will continue to the Roman Forum, the religious, political, and commercial center of ancient Rome, where we will see the Arches of Constantine and Titus, as well as visit the Church of St. Francesca Romana. This church is located between the Roman Forum and the Temple of Venus and Rome, where it is said that Simon Magus died. A stone commemorates this event, still bearing the marks of Peter’s knees from his prayer. Here we will celebrate Mass before visiting the Mamertine Prison, where St. Peter was incarcerated. We will return to the hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

After breakfast, we will visit the Vatican Museum, where we will see world-famous masterpieces, including the Sistine Chapel. Next, we will explore St. Peter’s Basilica, the largest church in Christendom. At the Basilica, we will walk through the fourth Holy Door of our trip and enjoy a guided tour. This Basilica was built on the site where St. Peter, the first Pope and Bishop of Rome, was martyred. Here, we will view Michelangelo’s Pietà and pray at the tombs of St. Peter and Pope St. John Paul II. Our afternoon tour will include the most beautiful monuments of Baroque Rome, such as Piazza Navona, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, and the Spanish Steps. There will be some leisure time for shopping before returning to the hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

After breakfast, we will drive south for approximately two hours to reach Montecassino, where we will visit the Abbey and celebrate Mass at the chapel where St. Benedict and his sister St. Scholastica are buried. Our guided tour will also include the Abbey’s museum. Following lunch, we will continue our journey to San Giovanni Rotondo, check in at the hotel, and enjoy dinner and an overnight stay.

This morning is dedicated to Saint Padre Pio. We will honor his work by visiting his tomb, his cell, his confessional, and the Capuchin Monastery of Our Lady of Grace, where we will celebrate Mass. We will also visit the new Church of Santa Maria Delle Grazie and the Home for the Relief of the Suffering. In the afternoon, we will visit the Grotto of St. Michael the Archangel, followed by an overnight stay in San Giovanni.

After breakfast, we will check out and drive to Lanciano to visit the Church of St. Francis, the site of the Eucharistic Miracle that occurred in the eighth century. We will celebrate Mass here. After lunch, we will continue our journey to Assisi, stopping in Loreto to see the Holy House of Nazareth. This tradition, based on popular belief, suggests that the house was transported by angels. We will celebrate Mass and visit the shrine before continuing to Assisi, where we will check in at the hotel, enjoy dinner, and spend the night.

After an early breakfast, we will transfer to the Basilica of St. Francis to celebrate Mass at the Tomb of St. Francis. After Mass, we will explore the Basilica complex, which consists of two churches built one atop the other. Beneath both churches lies the crypt housing St. Francis’s tomb. The lower Basilica dates from 1228 to 1230 and is richly decorated with stained glass windows and paintings from prominent 13th and 14th-century artists. In the upper Basilica, built from 1230 to 1253, we will admire monumental frescoes painted by Giotto, depicting scenes from the saint’s life. We will also visit the Basilica of St. Clare, where we will view her remains and the miraculous Crucifix. Following an independent lunch, there will be time for leisure activities. In the afternoon, we will visit the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli, crowned by a magnificent dome designed by Alessi. This Basilica, built in 1569, encloses the shrine of the “Porziuncola,” the first Franciscan community’s center, and marks the spot where Clare received her habit from Francis. We will return to the hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

We will depart Assisi early in the morning and drive approximately two hours to Orvieto, where we will visit the Gothic Cathedral built to house the holy relics of the Eucharistic Miracle of Orvieto. This miracle led to the proclamation of the Feast of Corpus Christi and inspired St. Thomas Aquinas to write the famous hymn “Tantum Ergo.” After lunch, we will continue to Castel Gandolfo, where we will celebrate our farewell dinner at a hotel overlooking the lake.

Depart on flight LX1727 at 9:40 AM  to Zurich, arriving at 11:20 AM. Transfer on flight LX40 at 1:20 PM to Los Angeles, arriving at 4:30 PM.