Arrive at Fiumicino International Airport -Leonardo da Vinci- in Rome. Upon arrival, you will proceed to Baggage Claim and then on to the Arrivals Hall where you will be greeted by our local Trinity Tours Travel Tour Guide and Driver who will accompany you throughout the pilgrimage. You will check into the hotel in Rome, where you will have a brief time to unpack, relax, and even explore some of Rome on your own (depending on arrival time). Late afternoon this first day, you will attend a Mass of Thanksgiving for safe travels followed by a Welcome Dinner at the hotel. After dinner, pilgrims will be invited to join a walk to St Peter's Square for the Rosary.

After an early breakfast at the hotel, we will attend the Papal Audience in St Peter's Square, which is celebrated at 9:00am on Wednesday mornings when the Pope is in Rome. Pilgrims are encouraged to bring special medals, rosaries and other religious items to be blessed, as following the Pope's themed speech, prayers and homily, he offers a blessing! Following the Audience, we head toward the Trevi Fountain area for lunch and some free time. This afternoon, we visit St John Lateran, known a the "Mother of all Churches in the World", and cathedral of the Diocese of Rome. This is the oldest of the four major papal basilicas. Founded in 324, it is located just outside Vatican City. Here you will see larger than life, magnificent sculptures of the Twelve Apostles (St Paul takes the place of St Matthias). We cross the street from the cathedral to visit the Scala Sancta (the "Holy Stairs"), the marble staircase (encased in wooden ones) which led to the praetorium of Pontius Pilate in Jerusalem. It is on these stairs that Jesus climbed to meet Pilate on his way to trial during His Passion. The marble stairs are visible through small openings in the wooden "risers" and at some spots, pilgrims may touch the marble through these openings as they climb the stairs (traditionally on knees).

Following this extraordinary experience, we proceed to the Basilica of St Mary Major, another papal basilica. Under the high altar of this basilica is the Crypt of the Nativity ("Bethlehem Crypt") encased in a crystal reliquary. Pilgrims can view what is said to be the wood relics from the Holy Crib of the Nativity of Jesus. St Mary Major is the burial site of St Jerome, Doctor of the Church, who translated the Bible into Latin. It is also the place where St Ignatius of Loyola celebrated his first Mass as a priest in 1538. St Mary Major is also known for "The Miracle of the Snow".

Dinner and overnight in Rome.

Following breakfast at the hotel, we return to St Peter's Square to our St Peter's Basilica, built on the site where the apostle, Peter, was martyred by upside down crucifixion. We will visit Michelangelo's Pieta and the tomb of St John Paul II prior to a walk through the basilica, which ends underground at he Tomb of St Peter. Mass will be celebrated in a small chapel within St Peter's Basilica.

Following is a visit to the Vatican Museum, where we walk through the Tapestry Gallery, Raphael Rooms, the Sistine Chapel and many more rooms filled with Christian paintings, sculptures and artwork from the Greek and Romans until modern times. After lunch, we proceed to one of the earliest roads built in ancient Rome (312), the Appian Way, where we visit Chiesa del Domine Quo Vadis. It is here tradition holds, that St Peter met the Risen Christ, asking, "Lord, where are You going?" "I am going to Rome to be crucified again" replied Jesus. What makes this location particularly amazing is that Jesus is said to have left behind a marble slab with His footprints which has been venerated by pilgrims for centuries.

This afternoon, we visit the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls, the burial site of St Paul, and the Basilica di Santa Croce in Gerusalemme which houses several relics of the Passion of Jesus (including a rusted nail from the Crucifixion, pieces of the True Cross, Thorns from the Crown & the sign over His Cross) and the doubting finger of St Thomas in a reliquary.
Dinner and last overnight in Rome.

After breakfast, we board the bus for a beautiful and scenic drive from Rome, southeast to Monte Cassino, site of the Roman town of Casinum. Here we will see the site of the first house of the Benedictine Order, established by St Benedict of Nursia around 529. We continue our journey east to San Giovanni Rotondo, home of St Pio of Pietrelcina for many decades until his death in 1968. Upon arrival, we will check into the hotel and have a bit of free time prior to Mass at Santa Maria delle Grazie, Padre Pio's beloved church.

Dinner and overnight in San Giovanni Rotondo

Following breakfast at the hotel, we will tour Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, the hospital founded by Padre Pio and return to Santa Maria delle Grazie, to visit the church and confessional where Padre Pio committed himself to hours of listening to Confession as he was incredibly devoted to the sacrament. It was said that he could read souls, and pilgrims have long been known to leave tiny papers with intentions near his confessional. At this shrine, we will also see the incorrupt body of this great saint, along with his living quarters.

Next, we will board the bus to travel along the beautiful area known as the Gargano Peninsula to Monte Sant'Angelo (grotto of St Michael) where St Michael is said to have appeared in the years 490, 492 & 493. Mass will be celebrated in the grotto this day. Lunch and free time in this charming and quaint area prior to returning to the hotel. This evening, as scheduling allows, we attend the weekly 9:00pm candlelight procession at the Sanctuary of Padre Pio following dinner at the hotel.

Overnight in San Giovanni Rotondo.

We depart for Assisi early this day following breakfast. On the way, we stop in the town of Lanciano to visit the Church of St Longinus, the site of what many believe is the greatest Eucharistic Miracle of the Catholic Church. In the 8th century, a monk offering mass was said to be plagued by doubts regarding transubstantiation. At pronouncing the words of consecration, the host was miraculously changed into flesh and the wine into blood. Since that time, countless pilgrims have visited to behold the monstrance which contains the miracle. Lunch and mass here this day.

We return to the bus and continue to the magnificent Marian shrine in Loreto, Basilica della Santa Casa. Here, within the basilica, we will visit the beautiful Madonna of Loreto and Holy House of Nazareth. Traditions holds that this is actually the small house where "the Word became Flesh", and where Mary was born, raised and greeted by the angel Gabriel. Furthermore, it is said this is where Mary prayed the Magnificat, the home in which Jesus was raised and where the Holy Family Lived. Tradition also maintains that angels carried the Holy House to its current location.

We travel on to the pristine city of Assisi later this day (home of St Francis and St Clare) and check into our hotel.
Dinner and overnight in Assisi.

After breakfast, we will stroll to the huge 13th century Basilica of St Francis which contains a series of frescoes depicting his life as well as several of the saint's personal possessions. Here, we will also see the tomb of this humble saint. En route to the main square in Assisi, we will see the birthplace of St Francis, the Chiesa Nuova, the Roman forum and the Temple of Minerva. We will make our way to the Basilica of Santa Chiara (St Clare) who founded the Order of the Poor
Clares, where we will see many of her relics and possessions as well. Next, we will visit the Santuario della Spogliazione, to visit the tomb of Blessed Carlo Acutis (first millennial to be declared Blessed). This afternoon, as we continue our walking tour through this picturesque town, we have time for personal prayer, shopping and lunch. In the afternoon, we board the bus to travel outside the walls of Assisi, to visit Basilica di Santa Maria degli Angeli (Basilica of St Mary of the Angels). It is comprised of two sections; the "Porziuncola", where St Francis first understood his vocation and renounced the world in order to live in poverty, and the "Capella del Transito", the small room where St Francis died in 1226. Mass will be celebrated here this day.

Dinner and overnight in Assisi.

After an early breakfast at the hotel, we will ride through the beautiful mountains of Umbria to the city of Gubbio. Gubbio is the site of the terrorizing fierce wolf who relentlessly attacked livestock as well as locals in the 1220's. He was known to wait outside the city gates to assault his prey and no weapon used could destroy him. The city became under siege of this menacing ferocious wolf and St Francis set out to tame him. After approaching him and making the sign of the cross, the wolf submitted and remained completely at his mercy. Mass will be celebrated here this day. After lunch, we continue to the Sanctuary of La Verna where St Francis received the stigmata in 1224. Farewell Dinner and overnight in Assisi.