A Pilgrimage to Poland, Prague, Vienne & Medjugorje Under The Spiritual Direction Of Fr. Vic Teneza

Our spiritual pilgrimage begins as we board our transatlantic flight to Krakow, with meals and beverages served aloft.

After arrival in Krakow, we are met by our representative and transferred to our hotel.

Depart to Czestochowa, a city which has been for the last 600 years the principal center of the Catholic religion in Poland and is a shrine for pilgrims. Visit Jasna Góra Monastery with religious, historic, and artistic value, and participate in the unveiling of the Black Madonna. Our guide will show us the Gothic Chapel of Our Lady, in which hangs the famous Black Madonna icon on a magnificent silver and ebony altar. Tour the treasury and celebrate Holy Mass at the shrine. After lunch, proceed to Auschwitz for a guided tour of the infamous death camp where millions were killed during World War II.

Following breakfast, proceed to Wawel Hill and celebrate Holy Mass at the Church of St. Stanislaw, Poland's second most important pilgrimage shrine. Visit Krakow's Cathedral, which serves as the nation's spiritual capital and has witnessed most of the royal coronations and funerals of the last millennium. See the Cathedral Treasury and continue to Krakow's Old Town to visit Kanonicza Street, where Pope John Paul II resided while living in Krakow. Visit the courtyard of the Collegium Maius, see the ancient Market Square and Cloth Hall. This afternoon, stop at Łagiewniki to visit the Shrine of St. Faustina before returning to Krakow.

This morning we drive to Wieliczka to see the oldest salt mine in Europe, a world-class tourist attraction. It is a unique place where many generations of Polish miners have created a world of underground salt lakes with a rich interior of decorated chapels, including the famous Blessed Kinga's Chapel, plus other galleries and workings made of salt. Wieliczka Salt Mine is listed by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site. Then proceed to Wadowice, the birthplace of Karol Wojtyła, the late Pope John Paul II. His museum is located in his family home. Continue to Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, a popular pilgrimage place for the Pope when he was a young man, where in the 17th century the Palatine of Krakow founded a Franciscan Monastery. The church has very rich Baroque decorations. On the slope of the hill and in the valley is an architectural Way of the Cross comprising 42 Mannerist and Baroque chapels and several Calvary churches.

Depart this morning for the Czech capital of Prague. En route, stop at Velehrad to visit the shrine honoring the two missionaries from Byzantium, Saints Cyril and Methodius, who brought Christianity to the Czech lands. In 1985, His Holiness Pope John Paul II conferred the Golden Rose upon Velehrad, a Papal distinction shared with only three other venerable pilgrimage sites: Lourdes, Guadalupe, and Czestochowa. Continue to the "Golden City" of Prague, one of Europe's most attractive capitals.

Spanning the River Vltava, Prague ranks as one of the most beautifully preserved cities in Europe. The city is famous for its Gothic and Baroque architecture. Marvel at the graceful enormity of Prague Castle and St. Vitus Cathedral, visit the Church of Our Lady of Victory and the statue of the Infant Jesus of Prague. After Holy Mass, cross the historic Charles Bridge, built in 1400, and admire its Baroque statuary. Continue to the Loreto Shrine, one of the most important places of pilgrimage in Eastern Europe. Recall the timeless masterpieces of Mozart, Wagner, and Berlioz while viewing the city's many theaters and opera houses.

Depart Prague this morning and enjoy a scenic drive through the countryside to Český Krumlov, where you will take a walking tour of this beautiful Renaissance town. Continue into Austria until reaching the imperial city of Vienna for dinner and overnight.

A wealth of treasures awaits us in Vienna, one of Europe's most dynamic cities. Our tour includes visits to the Town Hall, the State Opera House, Belvedere Palace, St. Stephen's Cathedral, St. Charles Church, Hofburg Palace, and the Kaisergruft. The highlight of the day is a visit to the magnificent Schönbrunn Palace with its 1,400 elaborately decorated rooms and beautiful gardens.

Today, you will depart early in the morning for your flight to Medjugorje. Upon arrival, you’ll be greeted by our local guide and transferred to the peaceful village of Medjugorje. After checking in to your hotel, take time to relax and settle in before enjoying a delicious dinner featuring local cuisine. This evening, embrace the peaceful atmosphere of this renowned pilgrimage destination as you prepare for the spiritual experiences that await.

Welcome to Medjugorje, a place known throughout the world for its simplicity, peace, and powerful spiritual renewal. Upon arrival, our local guide will accompany us as we begin our pilgrimage in this blessed village where millions come. We begin our day at St. James Church, the spiritual heart of the parish. Pilgrims will participate in Holy Mass (Englishspeaking, depending on the parish schedule) and receive the special blessing of religious articles after Mass. Following Mass, we will visit the nearby Statue of the Risen Christ. Afterward, we will climb Apparition Hill, the place where the Blessed Virgin Mary first appeared to the young visionaries in 1981. In the afternoon, we will visit the inspiring Cenacolo Community. For those who are able, we will also have the opportunity to climb Cross Mountain (Mount Krizevac), praying the Stations of the Cross along the way and reflecting on the Passion of Christ beneath the large concrete cross erected in 1934. In the evening, we return to St. James Church to join pilgrims from around the world in the evening prayer program, including the Holy Rosary and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament (depending on the parish schedule). This powerful communal prayer experience is one of the most moving moments of the Medjugorje pilgrimage.

After an early breakfast, we bid farewell to Medjugorje and transfer to the airport for our return flight home. We depart with hearts full of gratitude, strengthened by the blessings received throughout our pilgrimage, and inspired to live our faith more deeply each day.