Pilgrimage to Rome, Assisi, & Florence Under The Spiritual Direction Of Fr. Javier Olivera Ravasi

Today we depart from San Francisco International Airport as we begin our pilgrimage to Italy. We enjoy in-flight movies, dinner, and breakfast aloft.

Upon arrival in Rome this morning, we will be welcomed by our guide and begin our pilgrimage in the Eternal City. If time permits after arrival and airport formalities, we will visit one of the ancient Catacombs, the burial place of early Christians, where we will celebrate Mass and see remarkable 2nd and 3rd century frescoes. Before heading to your hotel for dinner and overnight.

If our arrival time does not allow for the visit on this day, the Catacombs will instead be scheduled for one of the days in Rome.

This morning, we make our way to St. Peter’s for an audience with Pope Leo if he is in residence. After lunch on our own we visit St. Paul’s Beyond the Walls. This huge, imposing Basilica, second only to St. Peter’s and one of the largest churches in the Christian world. We celebrate Mass here. We then proceed to St. John Lateran and Holy Stairs before returning to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Following early morning Mass at St. Peter’s, we spend this morning viewing the treasures of the Vatican Museum. We marvel at Michelangelo’s restored frescoes in the Sistine Chapel. Continue to St. Peter’s Basilica to view the “Pieta.” This afternoon, following a stop for lunch on our own, we visit St. Mary Major. We then proceed to the Church of Santi Vincenzo e Anastasia a Trevi. We pause at nearby Trevi Fountain and the Piazza Navona before returning to our hotel for dinner and overnight at the hotel.

This morning, we visit Tre Fontane “Grotto of the Three Fountains,” marking the place where St. Paul the Apostle was martyred in the first century. Following our visit, we continue to the Basilica of St. Anastasia to view the relics of the Mantel of St. Joseph and the colorful Veil of our Blessed Mother! Both precious relics were brought to Rome from the Holy Land by St. Jerome in the fourth century AD before he was martyred by Emperor Diocletian. Following a stop for lunch on our own, the remainder of the day is at leisure. We return to our hotel for dinner and overnight at our hotel.

Today following Mass at a church near our hotel we visit the Museum of Holy Souls in Purgatory and proceed to the Church of the Sacred Heart of Suffrage and the attached “Museum of the Holy Souls in Purgatory”, which houses a unique collection of articles collected by a French missionary. We conclude our visit and travel to Santa Maria sopra Minerva. We break for lunch on our own and have the afternoon open for leisure or extra sightseeing. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

We depart for Subiaco. We visit the Monastery of St. Benedict, which dates from the 13th and 14th centuries. We visit the Sacred Cave where Benedict lived as a hermit for three years. The staircase holds the earliest portrait of St. Francis without his halo or stigmata. We celebrate Mass while there. Following our visit and a break for lunch on our own, we proceed to Monte Cassino. We conclude our day as we return to Rome in time for dinner and overnight at our hotel.

Following an early morning departure from Rome, we travel north through the scenic countryside of central Italy. Our first stop will be the spectacular hilltop village of Civita di Bagnoregio, often called “the Dying City.” During our visit, pilgrims will enjoy time to stroll through its charming stone streets and relax with a coffee in the village piazza. We then continue to Orvieto for a visit and Mass at the magnificent Orvieto Cathedral. Inside the Cathedral is the Chapel of the Corporal, which houses the chalice cloth involved in the Eucharistic Miracle that occurred in nearby Bolsena. Afterward, we continue to Assisi. Our first stop will be in the lower town for a visit to the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels, where we see the Portiuncula, Francis’ beloved Church of the Little Portion

This morning, we begin at the Basilica of St. Francesco with Mass. After our visit of the Basilica and the tomb of St. Francis, we begin our walking tour of the village with a stop at the Church of St. Clare to view the famous San Damiano crucifix. Afterwards, we visit the resting place of newly canonized St. Carlo Acutis who was 15-years old when he died in 2006 from leukemia. We pass by the famous Temple of Minerva in the Piazza del Comune. This afternoon, we can enjoy this picturesque hillside village on our own. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.

Today, we journey through the Italian countryside arriving in the magnificent city of Siena, which invites us to stroll through its Gothic streets. After we celebrate Mass at the Dominican Church commemorating St. Catherine, we walk to the famous Piazza del Campo. We continue uphill to visit the monumental Cathedral dedicated to the Virgin Mary. We enjoy free time for lunch and browsing before continuing our journey to the spa town of Montecatini Terme, just outside of Florence for dinner and overnight at our hotel.

This morning, we drive to Florence where our first stop will be “Piazzale Michelangelo” for the best panoramic view of this spectacular city one could ask for. We proceed with a tour of the Academia Gallery, where we view one of Michelangelo’s most famous works, “David” (or Medici Museum). We continue with the celebration of Mass and a visit to the Duomo. There we admire the cupola by Brunelleschi, completed in 1240, its campanile by Giotto. Once outside we view the Baptistery’s with its incomparable bronze doors by Ghiberti. We break for a leisurely lunch on our own at one of the many trattorias that dot the riverfront area, along Florence’s Arno River. The rest of the day is free for personal shopping, browsing this fascinating city on your own. Return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Today we explore the artistic and spiritual beauty of Florence. Our day begins with a visit to the peaceful Museo di San Marco, once home to the Dominican friars and the renowned painter Fra Angelico. During our visit we will admire the beautiful frescoes painted by Fra Angelico, including the famous Annunciation, as well as the simple monastic cells where the friars lived and prayed. We then continue to the historic Piazza della Signoria, dominated by the impressive Palazzo Vecchio with its embattlement-crowned tower. Nearby we see the famous Loggia dei Lanzi, an open-air gallery featuring masterpieces such as Perseus by Benvenuto Cellini and The Rape of the Sabines by Giambologna. After a break for lunch on your own, enjoy free time for shopping or personal exploration in this beautiful Renaissance city. After a long, beautiful day in Florence, we return to our hotel where we will enjoy dinner together.

This morning we journey into the Tuscan countryside to the charming medieval town of San Gimignano, often called the “Town of the Towers.” Once a stop for pilgrims traveling the historic Via Francigena, San Gimignano is famous for its beautifully preserved medieval skyline. Our visit begins at the Collegiata di Santa Maria Assunta, a minor basilica known for its remarkable frescoes, among the best preserved in Tuscany. We then explore the historic town center including Piazza della Cisterna, named after the large medieval cistern located beneath the square and constructed in the 13th century. Enjoy free time to explore the narrow stone streets and have lunch on your own at one of the charming local trattorias surrounding the square.

After breakfast at the hotel, we transfer to the airport for our return flight home. Depending on the final overnight location. Departures will be from Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport. As our pilgrimage comes to an end, we depart with hearts full of gratitude for the sacred places visited, the friendships formed, and the many spiritual blessings received throughout our journey.