Italy & Padre Pio Pilgrimage: Heart of the Church

Introduction

March 30 - April 8, 2027

Highlights: Rome, Assisi, San Giovanni Rotondo, St. Francis & Padre Pio March 30 - April 8, 2027

Experience a spiritual journey through Italy, visiting sacred sites in Rome, Assisi, Loreto, San Giovanni Rotondo, and Lanciano. Celebrate Mass at historic basilicas, visit the area of St. Padre Pio and the Living Presence of Christ in the Eucharistic Miracle, and explore the rich religious heritage of Italy. Enjoy guided tours, daily Mass, and moments of reflection in beautiful Italian settings.

Pilgrimage Highlights

At a glance

Highlights: Rome, Assisi, San Giovanni Rotondo, St. Francis & Padre Pio March 30 - April 8, 2027

Map

Day 1 - Depart USA

30-Mar-2027

Begin Your Pilgrimage Adventure to Italy

Flight from MSP to Italy

Departure

Mar 30, 2027

MSP

Hop aboard to begin an adventure of a lifetime! Our flight will depart from MSP airport.

Day 2 - Rome Arrival and City Tour

31-Mar-2027

Arrive in Rome and Explore Historic Sites

Arrive in Rome FCO Airport

Arrive in Rome FCO Airport. Meet your local guide and enjoy a tour of Piazza Navona, Basilica of Sant’Agostino outside the piazza with the tomb of St. Monica and Santa Maria sopra Minerva near the Pantheon that houses the body of St. Catherine of Siena. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Dinner

Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 3 - Explore Rome's Basilicas and Colosseum

01-Apr-2027

Tour Santa Maria Maggiore, Colosseum, and San Pietro in Vincoli

Breakfast at the hotel

After breakfast at the hotel, continue exploring Rome.

Visit Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore

We'll begin our day at the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, one of the four major basilicas in Rome.

Tour the Colosseum

Explore the iconic Colosseum, an ancient amphitheater where gladiator games were held.

Visit San Pietro in Vincoli

Conclude the tour at San Pietro in Vincoli, a 5th-century basilica in Rome best known for housing Michelangelo’s celebrated statue of Moses.

Attend Mass

Dinner

Dinner at a restaurant, then overnight in your hotel.

Day 4 - Assisi: Basilica of St. Francis, Wine Tasting, St. Clare

02-Apr-2027

Guided Tour of Assisi's Sacred Sites and Wine Tasting

Breakfast

After breakfast at our hotel, drive to Assisi.

Guided tour of Assisi: Basilica of St. Francis

After lunch, start your guided tour to see the Basilica of St. Francis and celebrate Mass.

Wine tasting

Enjoy a wine tasting at a local wine shop.

Quiet Reflection

Pray at the resting place of St. Carlos Acutis.

Visit Basilica of St. Clare

Continue on to the Basilica of St. Clare where you may see relics of her and St. Francis.

Dinner out on the town

Overnight

Overnight at the hotel in Assisi.

Day 5 - Assisi: Santa Maria Degli Angeli and Carceri Hermitage

03-Apr-2027

Mass at Santa Maria Degli Angeli and Visit Carceri Hermitage

Mass at Basilica of Santa Maria Degli Angeli

Mass at the Renaissance style Basilica of Santa Maria Degli Angeli which houses the Porziuncola. This small chapel is where St. Francis founded the Franciscan Order, lived and received the Pardon of Assis Indulgence.

Transfer by taxi to Carceri Hermitage

After lunch on your own, transfer by taxi to see the Carceri Hermitage where St. Francis retreated to pray and meditate.

Assisi hotel

Dinner and overnight in your hotel.

Day 6 - Loreto and San Giovanni Rotondo Pilgrimage

04-Apr-2027

Visit Loreto's Holy House and San Giovanni Rotondo

Visit Basilica della Santa Casa in Loreto

Depart for San Giovanni Rotondo with a stop in Loreto with the magnificent Basilica della Santa Casa. This is also called the Basilica of the Holy House where tradition holds that this basilica contains the small house where the Virgin Mary lived in Nazareth and where the Annunciation took place. Tradition says that the house was miraculously transported by angels to Loreto in the 13th century.

Mass

Celebrate Mass in Loreto.

Visit Old Church of Our Lady of Grace, San Giovanni Rotondo

After lunch, head to San Giovanni Rotondo to visit the Old Church of Our Lady of Grace. See where St. Padre Pio listened to confessions.

San Giovanni Rotondo hotel

Dinner and overnight in your hotel.

Day 7 - Lanciano and the Eucharistic Miracle

05-Apr-2027

Discover Lanciano's Eucharistic Miracle and Relics

Visit Cathedral of Santa Maria del Ponte

Begin at the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Ponte, beautifully situated on a hill overlooking the ancient town. The cathedral, built over an old bridge (“del Ponte”), combines Baroque and Neoclassical styles, giving it both majesty and grace.

Visit Church of St. Francis and Eucharistic Miracle Relics

Visit the Church of St. Francis, where the Eucharistic Miracle of Lanciano is preserved. During Mass in the 8th century, a monk who doubted the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist witnessed the consecrated host and wine transform into real flesh and blood. These relics are still visible today, kept in a precious reliquary, and have been scientifically studied and venerated by millions of faithful.

Hotel

Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 8 - Rome Papal Basilicas and San Clemente

06-Apr-2027

Tour Rome's Papal Basilicas and San Clemente

Guided tour of Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls

After breakfast, get a guided tour of the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, one of Rome's four major papal basilicas. Celebrate Mass.

Visit Basilica of St. John Lateran

After lunch, visit the Basilica of St. John Lateran where Pope is installed and officiates as Bishop of Rome.

Visit San Clemente

Visit San Clemente where you can see 3 layers of history built on top of each other (12th century current basilica, 4th century early Christian Basilica and 1st century Roman complex).

Hotel

Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 9 - Papal Audience, Vatican Museums, St. Peter’s Basilica

07-Apr-2027

Attend Papal Audience and Tour Vatican Museums

Attend Papal Audience at St. Peter’s Square

An early morning to get to St. Peter’s Square we will attend the Papal Audience.

Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel

After lunch tour the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel.

Visit St. Peter’s Basilica and Climb the Dome

Spend time in St. Peter’s Basilica including climbing the dome for a magnificent view.

Farewell dinner at hotel

Enjoy a farewell dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 10 - Depart from Rome Airport

08-Apr-2027

Depart Rome and Return Home

Depart from Rome Airport for your flight back home

Depart from Rome Airport for your flight back home. Take with you wonderful memories of Italy!

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Map

1. Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO)

Via dell'Aeroporto di Fiumicino, 320, 00054 Fiumicino RM, Italy

2. Piazza Navona

Piazza Navona, 00186 Roma RM, Italy

3. Basilica di Sant’Agostino

Piazza di S. Agostino, 80, 00186 Roma RM, Italy

4. Santa Maria sopra Minerva

Piazza della Minerva, 42, 00186 Roma RM, Italy

5. Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore

Piazza di Santa Maria Maggiore, 00185 Roma RM, Italy

6. Colosseum

Piazza del Colosseo, 1, 00184 Roma RM, Italy

7. San Pietro in Vincoli

Piazza di San Pietro in Vincoli, 4/a, 00184 Roma RM, Italy

8. Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi

Piazza San Francesco, 2, 06081 Assisi PG, Italy

9. Basilica of St. Clare

Piazza Santa Chiara, 1, 06081 Assisi PG, Italy

10. Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli

Piazza Porziuncola, 1, 06081 Santa Maria degli Angeli PG, Italy

11. Carceri Hermitage

Eremo delle Carceri, 06081 Assisi PG, Italy

12. Basilica della Santa Casa (Loreto)

Piazza della Madonna, 1, 60025 Loreto AN, Italy

13. Old Church of Our Lady of Grace (San Giovanni Rotondo)

Piazza Europa, 16, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo FG, Italy

14. Cathedral of Santa Maria del Ponte (Lanciano)

Piazza Plebiscito, 66034 Lanciano CH, Italy

15. Church of St. Francis (Lanciano)

Piazza Plebiscito, 66034 Lanciano CH, Italy

16. Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls

Piazzale San Paolo, 1, 00146 Roma RM, Italy

17. Basilica of St. John Lateran

Piazza di S. Giovanni in Laterano, 4, 00184 Roma RM, Italy

18. San Clemente

Via Labicana, 95, 00184 Roma RM, Italy

19. St. Peter’s Square & Basilica

Piazza San Pietro, 00120 Città del Vaticano, Vatican City

20. Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel

Viale Vaticano, 00165 Roma RM, Italy