Florence, Siena, Assisi, Lanciano, Loreto,
Monte Cassino, Padre Pio's Shrine & Rome.
We will explore some of the holiest and most artistic sites in Italy as we visit Florence with its wealth of artistic treasures, Siena, home to St. Catherine as well as a Eucharistic Miracle; Assisi, home to St. Francis and St. Clare; the Holy House of Loreto, the amazing Eucharistic Miracle in Siena; San Giovanni Rotondo (St. Padre Pio's Shrine), Montecassino; and finally Rome, the "Eternal City".
Although we cover a lot of ground, we have kept the itinerary fairly relaxed so that you can really enjoy and savor the atmosphere of these very special sites.
Cost shown is per person, double occupancy. A few single rooms are available at additional cost. A $300 per person deposit will hold your space, balance is due 60 days prior to departure.
Items not included: items of a personal nature, tips to driver and guide (approx. $80).
Contact us for special low-cost airfare from your home town. Or call us toll-free at 1-877-404-4240.
Mercy Tours Inc. 6504 28th Street S.E. Suite Q Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546
Tel: 1-877-404-4240 616-942-4773 fax 616-808-3794
MERCY TOURS
Your Catholic Pilgrimage Resource
A Spiritual & Cultural experience
Our Itinerary:
Day 1 U.S.A.--Florence
We depart our home towns today, connect in our East Coast city of departure and then fly on to Florence.
Day 2 Florence
We will arrive in Florence this morning and be met by our local, English-speaking guide and escorted to our private bus. We will have an orientation tour of the city by bus including Michelangelo Plazabefore checking in to our hotel to rest up a bit. Later we celebrate Mass at one of the many nearby churches and have dinner and overnight in Florence.
Day 3 Florence
There is perhaps no city in the world that can match the artistic splendor of Florence, birthplace of the Renaissance. Some of the finest art and architecture in Italy are found here along with priceless treasures of our Catholic Faith. Yet the city is compact, warm and friendly with easy walking to most major attractions. Important paintings and sculptures are everywhere.
Our full day tour begins with our reserved tickets to the Accademia Gallery that houses Michelangelo's famous statue "David" by Michelagngelo and many other art treasures. We then visit the Medici Chapels and then, following lunch, we will visit the Cathedral of “Santa Maria Del Fiori (St. Mary of the Flowers), Giotto’s Bell Tower, the Baptistry with the famous doors called the Gates of Paradise. Visit the Museum of St Mark.
Among other sites we will visit are the Church of St. Ambrose, which houses two Eucharistic Miracles dating from 1230 and 1595.
Dinner and overnight in Florence.
Day 4 Siena--Assisi
After breakfast we take the short drive from Florence to the town of Siena in Tuscany. One of the most visited cities in Italy, the historic town center is a world heritage site and the city is known for its architecture (most of the buildings are Siena--hence the color's name), cuisine and the famous palio horse race held in the town square. It is also home to St. Catherine of Siena and we will celebrate Mass in the Church of St. Dominic where her incorrupt head reposes and then also visit the home of this famous Saint & Doctor of the Church. The city is also known for its Eucharistic Miracle that occurred in 1730. Over 200 consecrated hosts that had been stolen were found covered in cobwebs and dirt, yet when cleaned up have remained fresh and sweet-smelling ever since. Siena is also the home of St. Bernardine of Siena, one of the Church's greatest preachers. He is known for popularizing the Holy Name of Jesus. Wherever he traveled he always carried the carved or painted initials of Jesus: IHS.
After a delightful morning and early afternoon in Siena we travel on to the beautiful medieval hilltop town of Assisi, home to St. Francis and St. Clare. As we approach the town we stop below at the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels. This giant Basilica (it is the seventh-largest church in the world) actually houses the "portunicula", or "little portion" the tiny chapel that was actually built by St. Francis. It houses perhaps 20 people at best. For centuries doves have been resting in the statute of St. Francis in the garden behind the sacristy. We will also see the rose garden with its thornless rose bush. Then we go on up the hill and check in to our hotel located in the heart of Assisi. After dinner at our hotel it is great to stroll around the town and soak up the atmosphere. Overnight in Assisi.
Day 5 Assisi
We have a full day in Assisi and there is much to see and do. The Basilica of Saint Francis is actually two churches: one built on top of the other. In the lower church crypt area we will celebrate Mass at the tomb of Saint Francis then take a guided tour of the Basilica with its beautiful frescoes by . We will also visit the Basilica of St. Clare, where her body lies. We will see the crucifix that spoke to St. Francis and led him to a life of piety, and other sites affiliated with St. Francis. Assisi is a very compact town and we can walk from one end to the other in less than 30 minutes. Dinner and overnight in Assisi.
Day 6 Assisi--Loreto--Lanciano--San Giovanni Rotondo
Our journey continues today as we drive eastward to the town of Loreto, home of the Holy House of Loreto.Tradition tells us that in 1291 this house was transported by angels from Nazareth to Croatia and then in 1294 to the hill of Loreto. The house has no foundation and research has confirmed that the building materials used in the house correspond to the foundation found in the Basilica of the Annunciation in Jerusalem. Considered by many to be one of the most holy places on earth, it is here that we will celebrate Mass where so many Popes, Saints and pilgrims have done before us.
Next we go on to Lanciano, another impressive site that is home to a Eucharistic Miracle that dates from the 700's. A priest who had begun to doubt the True Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist discovered, to his amazement, that a host he consecrated at Mass became flesh and the newly consecrated wine became blood! The host has been analyzed scientifically and found to be human heart tissue and the blood is human blood type A. We will have time to venerate the miracle and then be on our way to San Giovanni Rotondo, home to the shrine of St. Padre Pio. Dinner and overnight in San Giovanni Rotondo.
Day 7 San Giovanni Rotondo
Padre Pio, now Saint Pio, was a holy and very humble man stamped by the Stigmata, the wounds of Christ. Many miracles and healings have been attributed to his intercession. We will visit with priests who knew him personally, view the Crucifix where he received the Stigmata and the room where he lived. We will also see the confessional in the small church where he spent countless hours hearing confessions and providing spiritual guidance to pilgrims from all over the world. The highlight of our visit will be to celebrate Mass at the tomb of Padre Pio in the new Basilica erected here in 2009. It is now reported to be one of the most popular pilgrimage destinations in the world. Dinner and overnight in San Giovanni Rotondo.
Day 8 Saint Michael's Cave--Montecassino--Rome
This morning we embark on the final leg of our journey. We travel just a few short miles to Saint Michael's Cave at Mont Sant' Angelo to celebrate Mass. There is a statue of Saint Michael here where Saint Michael appeared in 490, 492 and 1656 A.D. The sanctuary is one of Christendom's most sacred shrines and has been visited by many Popes and Saints, including Saint Francis who would not even enter because he felt unworthy.
After Mass we continue westward across Italy to Montecassino and the Abbey of Saint Benedict. The Abbey was completely destroyed during allied bombing during World War II because it was suspected of being used as an artillery spotting position by the Germans and was rebuilt by the United States. We will see the tomb of Saint Benedict and then continue on to our final destination----Rome, the "Eternal City". Dinner and overnight in Rome.
Day 9 Rome
The highlight of our stay here will be attendance at the weekly Papal audience of Pope Benedict XVI. The audience is normally held in St. Peter's Square except in case of rain when it is held in the large audience hall. It is inspiring and impressive to be here with thousands of other pilgrims from all over the world. Later we will take a tour of the Vatican Museums, seeing several of the galleries such as the Gallery of the Tapestries, the Gallery of the Candelabras and also the Sistine Chapel.
While in Rome we have made a special effort to include free time for shopping or exploring while at the same time visiting many of the special sites in this most amazing city. For this reason we are including three full days in the city and have picked a hotel that is in the heart of the city. Rome does not shut down after dark---in fact it takes on a whole new life. A chance to wander around one of the famous piazzas, have some delicious gelato (Rome's famous ice cream) shop from the many street vendors or just soak up the atmosphere. Dinner and overnight in Rome.
Day 10 Rome
Our day begins with a visit to the Catacombs of Saint Calixtus where we celebrate Mass among the tombs of the dead as so many early Christians did. This is a truly moving experience--the catacombs are the burial sites of 9 Popes, countless martyrs and other Christians dating from the second century.
From here we go to the Basilica of St. John Lateran (the Pope's own church as Bishop of Rome). Here we see the tomb of Pope Leo XIII, who had the vision of Lucifer challenging Our Lord, claiming that he could destroy God’s Church in 100 years. As a result of this vision, Leo XIII composed the Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel, which was recited after every mass for many decades. This basilica also contains wood from the table used at the Last Supper. It is high above the altar above the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, to the left of the main papal altar.
Right across the street we will visit the Sanctuary of the Holy Stairs. According to tradition, these are the very stairs that Jesus climbed during his Passion.
Next we visit the Basilica of Saint Mary Major. This basilica is one of the oldest and most important shrines in the world dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Dinner and overnight in Rome.
Day 11 Rome
This morning we have the special opportunity to celebrate Mass in the crypt area of Saint Peter's Basilica, burial place of many of our Popes. We will also see the tomb of our beloved Pope John Paul II. Saint Peter's is the world's largest church and filled with priceless works of art. Of special interest, of course, is the Pieta, Michelangelos famous sculpture.
Next we visit the Basilica of St. Paul's Outside the Walls. This is the second largest church in Rome after St. Peter’s. Here you will find the tomb of St. Paul under the main altar. The chains that were used to bind him as a prisoner in Rome are displayed in a gold reliquary in a small chapel near the cloister. This basilica also houses many magnificent statues, paintings and mosaics. Most noteworthy are the mosaic portraits of all the popes from St. Peter down to John Paul II, seen from the middle of this vast basilica. This unique feature sets it apart from all other churches in the world. Also notable is the crucifix above the Tabernacle in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, sculpted by Pierre Cavallini. St. Bridget of Sweden lay prostrate in prayer before this crucifix when Christ’s head turned toward her and gave her the famous “15 Prayers of St. Bridget.” Many pilgrims have devotion to these prayers, which are outlined in the well-known blue “Pieta” prayer book.
This afternoon, as a special treat, we will have a private two-hour tour of the Vatican Gardens by one of the Vatican guides. A place of quiet and meditation for many Popes, this hidden beauty has its origins in 1279 A.D. The lush greenery is punctuated by many fountains, shrines to the Blessed Mother, an Olive Tree given by Israel, the Vatican radio station and the Vatican's own train station. It is a wonderful respite from the busy activities of Rome.
A special farewell dinner awaits us this evening at a restaurant featuring music and great Italian specialties. Overnight in Rome.
Day 12 Rome--U.S.A.
After breakfast this morning, we reluctantly we say "Arrivederci Roma" as we leave for the airport.
Mercy Tours Value includes:
- At least one priest will accompany the group. Daily Mass & Rosary.
- Deluxe hotel accommodations.
- Buffet breakfast and dinner daily. Wine, coffee, water or tea with dinners.
- Special farewell dinner in Italy.
- Local, English-speaking Catholic guide will accompany us throughout.
- Ground transportation via our own luxury bus.
- Admission fees to all sites indicated.
- Headphones (whisper system) for tours conducted inside the Vatican, Saint Peter's, Assisi, Florence.
Pilgrimage Dates:
May 3-14, 2011$2799 + air
$2799 + air June 21-July 2, 2011$2999 + air
$2999 + air October 9-20, 2011 $2899 + air
