Carissimi amici,

It is my great pleasure to invite you on a pilgrimage to the Eternal City of Rome for a spiritually enriching and memorable experience. Having lived in Rome for a few years, I want to share my experiences and discoveries with you. So, this is not an ordinary pilgrimage to Rome! I have specially chosen the churches, restaurants, and tours to reflect the best of my own experiences while living abroad. I hope that you will join me on this pilgrimage to a place where we can experience the universality and greatness of our Catholic faith and to enjoy the pleasures of the bella vita, which Rome provides like no other city. 

~Don Giovanni

Father John Stokely

Sunday

- Overnight flights from USA to Rome.

- Scheduled flight: AA 718 PHL>FCO 6:40PM (arriving 9:05AM on 07Oct).

- Meals served on the flight. (D,B)

Faith, history, and art combine in Rome to flood the heart, mind, and eye, bringing the stories from the New Testament to life - many of these stories rendered by the most talented artists ever to live. Nothing you see in Rome is incidental. Seeing detail upon stunning detail, will make you realize just how much care and craftsmanship has gone on for centuries to provide what we now wrongly consider as past.

Monday

- Upon arrival in Rome, meet our professional tour manager after the baggage claim area.

- According to arrival time, we visit the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls and celebrate Mass.

- Break for an independent lunch at "Eataly," the right place to start learning about the high-quality Italian food and drinks.

- Continue to hotel for check-in.

- Dinner at the hotel and overnight stay. (D)

Proposed Hotel:

Starshotel Michelangelo (4*, or similar hotel)

Via della Stazione di San Pietro, 14

Roma

**Program on this day depends on arrival time.

Tuesday

- Following early breakfast, start the day with Mass at the Vatican Grotto, followed by a guided tour of St. Peter's Basilica, followed by a visit to the Vatican Scavi.

- After break for lunch, visit the Vatican Museums, including the Sistine Chapel.

- Balance of the day at leisure.

- Welcome Dinner tonight will be at a local restaurant. (B,D)

According to the encyclical letter Fides et Ratio promulgated by Pope Saint John Paul II, there is a strong relationship between faith and reason. In centuries of history we have understood the importance of the human value of art and its contribution, in harmony with the Divine Word, as an instrument of evangelization. Every artist could, through words and images, create the "imago" between iconology and iconography, with competence of intent and technique of execution. Today we can admire all this in a unique place. The itinerary of the Vatican Museums contains a show of art, history, and faith in comparison with all the "Divine feeling" of the world. If the Sistine Chapel explains how much Michelangelo wanted to leave a message of faith to humanity, until today and forever, the Raphael Rooms are an obligatory path in our history because we do not lose the thread between “fides et ratio,” between our faith and the reason.  

 Wednesday 

-Early breakfast so to be among the first groups to reach St. Peter’s Square, to get the best seats to attend the Papal Audience.

- Time at leisure to rest and for an independent lunch.

- This afternoon explore Imperial Rome area, helping us to understand the importance that Rome had in the spread of the Catholic Faith. Our guided tour includes: the Colosseum (inside) everlasting symbol of the greatness of Rome and the stage for the historical fights of the gladiators; Arch of Constantine, erected to commemorate the victory of the emperor over Maxentius in the 4th century AD; the Roman Forum with its important buildings and all around temples and columns and arches of triumph erected to commemorate gods of Roman history.

- Once reaching the Capitol Hill, we cross Piazza Venezia to reach Piazza SS. Apostoli and celebrate Mass at San Silvestro in Capite.

- Dinner tonight at Abbruzzi (TBC).

- Return to the hotel for overnight. (B,D)

Christianity was deeply influenced by the Roman cultural institutions. To take one lasting example, the head of the Roman Catholic Church, the Pope, takes his title from the old Roman office of "pontifex maximus" -- the high priest.

Thursday

- Following breakfast, walk along Via Della Concilizione and reach Castel Sant’ Angelo. Crossing the river over the Bridge of the Angels, we reach the Church of St. Philip Neri: Santa Maria in Vallicella.

- Walk to Piazza Navona and visit the Church of Sant’Agnese.

- Continue to San Luigi de’Francesi to marvel at Caravaggio’s masterpieces: The Calling of St. Matthew, The Inspiration of St. Matthew, The Martyrdom of St. Matthew. 

- Lunch (included) at Osteria del Sostegno  [or Bar Vitti]. (TBC).

- This afternoon continue the walking tour to the Pantheon (inside), Trevi Fountain, and Church of St Ignatius.

- Finally reach Piazza San Lorenzo in Lucina, and celebrate Mass at the Church of San Lorenzo in Lucina.

- Return to the hotel for overnight. 

- Dinner is on our own tonight. (B,L)

 Friday

- Breakfast at hotel.

- Transfer to Castel Gandolfo, a hilltop town overlooking a blue volcanic lake, and summer home of the Popes since the 16th century, to visit the Papal Palace and Gardens, including the Roman Amphitheatre, the antiquarium, the crypto portico, and the sculpted Barberini gardens. Celebrate Mass. 

- Continue to Frascati.

- Panoramic tour of town, followed by Mass at local church (TBD).

- Enjoy a winery tour and lunch in the heart of Frascati DOCG country.

- Sit and relax while sipping wine with amazing views of Rome in the distance as Father John offers his presentation, "Wine in the Bible."

- Return to Rome for rest of day at leisure and overnight.

- Dinner on your own. (B,L)

 Saturday

- Depart the hotel by bus, drive for a short distance to reach Piazza del Popolo, the

entrance to one of the most beautiful places in the world, located at the top of a triangle of streets known as the Trident (via del Babuino - via del Corso - via di Ripetta). This great access to the heart of Rome is tied to the history of pilgrimages, particularly to those related to the celebrations of the Holy Year in 1670, and the arrival of Christina, Queen of Sweden, convert to Catholicism. Enter the square through Porta del Popolo that will welcome us with a Latin message engraved by Bernini: "Felici faustoque ingressui," that is "For a Happy and Propitious Entrance"

- Walk along Via del Babuino to reach the Spanish Steps, see the Column of the

Immaculate Conception commissioned by Pope Pio IX in the year 1854 to celebrate the proclamation of the dogma.

- Visit the Basilica of St. Andrea delle Fratte to see the Miracle Chapel which contains the venerated icon of Our Lady who, in 1842, appeared to a young French Jew, Alphonse Ratisbonne, who immediately converted to Christianity from Judaism and later founded the Congregation of Our Lady of Sion.

- Visit the pretty Church of St. Maria in Via to drink a sip of the miraculous water that flows from the ancient well. On the night between 26 and 27 September 1256, the waters of the well owned by Cardinal Pietro Capocci overflowed and he saw the stone slab, depicting the Virgin Mary, floating on the water. After a short prayer, he managed to take it gently in his hands. The water, unstoppable before, returned into the well. Since then, Rome has its little Lourdes.

- Continue along Via del Corso , visit the Church of San Carlo al Corso to celebrate

Mass.

- Break for lunch at Babette (TBC).

- This afternoon enjoy time at leisure for shopping.

- Dinner will be at the La Amatriciana (TBC).

- Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight. (B,L,D) 

"Rome is not a city like the others. It is a large museum, a living room to cross at the tip toe."  ~ Alberto Sordi, Roman actor

Sunday

- Breakfast at hotel.

- Celebrate Mass at local church (TBD).

- Free day in Rome:  our Tour Manager will offer suggestions for activities and restaurants.

- Dinner and overnight at hotel. (B,D)

OPTIONAL DAY TRIP TO ASSISI:

A private coach will transport pilgrims from the hotel to Assisi (approximately 2,5 hr drive) for a tour by a private guide. Depending on time of departure and return (TBD), participants might attend Mass in Assisi, and meals will be on your own. Return the same day to hotel in Rome for overnight. 

COST: $150/person. Register by logging in to your account, or contact Michael at Cloverdale Travel (info@cloverdaletravel.org).

 Monday

- Following breakfast, depart the hotel to reach the medieval quarter of Trastevere. Start the day at Santa Maria in Trastevere, probably the first official place of Christian worship in Rome. According to the legend, it was built by Pope Callistus I in the 3rd century and was finished by Saint Julius I in 340.

- Continue to the Church of St. Francis a Ripa, the first Franciscan Church in Rome built over the cell where St Francis used to stay when he was in Rome. His cell is well

preserved and has been enriched with an ingenious mechanism (built by a Franciscan friar in 1708).

- Continue to the church of Santa Maria dell’Orto, built to preserve a miraculous painting of the Virgin Mary in the year 1488 by the “confraternite” (confraternities) of the area. Confraternities had their beginnings in the early Middle Ages. The main object and duty of these societies were, above all, the practice of piety and works of charity. Rome was, of course, rich in confraternities and some of them are still very active today, especially here at Santa Maria dell’Orto, with many events during the year.

- Next visit the Church of San Bartolomeo, where the relics of Saint Bartholomew the Apostle are preserved. This church is also a shrine dedicated to the New Martyrs here on the Tiberine Island.

- Crossing the river reach the Ghetto. Enjoy lunch at Giggetto al Portico D’Ottavio (TBC), a characteristic and timeless place where we can taste traditional Roman dishes such as artichokes alla giudia, handmade fettuccine, and agnolotti, and the typical ricotta and black cherry cake.

- After lunch continue walking through the narrow streets of the Ghetto, to reach the

Church of the Gesu, where St Ignatius is buried. Visit the church and the rooms of St.

Ignatius, then celebrate Mass.

- Return to hotel for time at leisure.

- Tonight enjoy the Farewell Dinner at Lo Scarpone (TBC). (B, L, Farewell D)

The history of Confraternities is connected with the history of the Church herself. Actually, lay associations were a requirement that Christians felt at an early stage to realize Christ's love under the evangelical principle: “For now, these three continue: faith, hope and charity: and the greatest of these is charity (1 Corinthians 13:13)

 Tuesday

- Breakfast at hotel and check out. 

- Transfer to Rome's International Airport,  Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino (FCO).

- Schedule flight: AA 719 FCO>PHL 12:10PM (arrival 3:40PM)

- Meals served on flight.

- Arrival in USA.

This is an active itinerary that requires about 15,000 steps walking each day, sometimes on uneven surfaces, including stairs. Begin to prepare through a daily walking program. 

As a pilgrimage, we will commit ourselves to working together to cooperate and support one another, realizing that different foods, cultures, and experiences are why we are traveling! The unexpected is God's way of sharing with us something (or someone) we otherwise would not have encountered.  Be ready to travel in patience and trust. 

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