A Jubilee Year of Mercy
10-Day Ignatian Heritage Journey to Italy
Including Greccio, Assisi, La Storta, Ignatian Rome & Tivoli
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DAY 1: DEPART USA: We depart the USA on our flight to
Rome, with complimentary meals and bever­ages served on
board.
DAY 2: ARRIVE ROME / GRECCIO / ST. MARY OF THE ANGELS / ASSISI: We arrive in Rome and are met by our Catholic
Travel Centre representative who will accompany us throughout
our journey. We board our motor coach and make our way to the
town of Greccio, where
St. Francis began the
tradition of the Christmas crèche. Here we celebrate the opening Mass
of our pilgrimage.
We continue our
journey to the village
of Santa Maria degli
Angeli where we visit
the Basilica of St. Mary
of the Angels, containing the Porziuncola, built in part by
St. Francis and the Mother Church of the Franciscan Order.
Nearby is the site of Francis’ death. We continue to our hotel
to rest from our journey. Dinner tonight is at our hotel. (D)
DAY 3: ASSISI: VISIT OF THE TOWN & EREMO DELLE
CARCERI (HERMITAGE) Today we visit this quiet medieval
town, imbued with the mystical spirit of one of the most fascinating characters of history.
St. Francis was born the son of a wealthy cloth merchant,
and for the first 25 years of his life lived the high life, drinking
and partying with his friends, and dreaming of being a Prince
and Knight. While going off to war in 1204, Francis had a vision
“I have made several pilgrimages with Catholic
Travel and thoroughly enjoyed the guides,
accommodations and great bus drivers!”
- Ms. C.Q. - Tennessee
that directed him back to Assisi, where he lost his taste for his
worldly life. From then on,
his sometimes harsh experiences moved him to live the
rest of his life in poverty.
St. Clare was born in
Assisi in 1194. Like her
mother, Clare was very devout. When Clare was 12,
her father wanted her to
marry a wealthy young man,
but she begged to be 18 first. When she turned 18, she heard
Francis preach and ran away to become one of his first followers.
We begin with Mass at the Tomb of St. Francis. Later, we enjoy a tour of the Basilica of St. Francis, led by one of the Franciscan monks. We continue with a walking tour of the city, visiting
the major sites associated with Ss. Francis and Clare, including
the Chiesa Nuova, built over the home of Francis’ family and the
Cathedral of San Rufino, with the baptismal font of the Saint.
Our visit also includes the
Basilica of St. Clare and St.
Mary Major Church. This
is the site where some 800
years ago, St. Francis dramatically renounced his father’s wealth, disrobing in
the presence of his father
and the bishop.
After some time for
lunch on our own, we meet at the Piazza near St. Clare’s Church
and take taxis up the winding road (buses cannot make these
sharp turns) to the Eremo delle Carceri (Hermitage), secluded
some 2 1/2 miles outside the town of Assisi. Here is where St.
Francis often retired to pray. Here, in the midst of the lush
green forest and the singing birds, one gets a deep sense of the
spirit of St. Francis.
We have some time for prayer and our own private reflections, before returning to the town below for a visit of the
Church of San Damiano. The balance of the day is at leisure to
stroll the streets of this medieval town and absorb the spirit of
Saints Francis and Clare, and ponder their deep commitment
to the poor of their world. Dinner is at our hotel. (B, D)
DAY 4: ASSISI / LA STORTA / ROME: ST. PAUL’S OUTSIDE
THE WALLS: After an early breakfast, we depart for Rome stopping first at La Storta, and important site for Ignatius. In November, 1537, Ignatius was traveling with Peter Faber and James
Lainez towards Rome. Not far outside the city, the three priests
stopped to pray in a small roadside chapel. Here Ignatius had one
of the most famous and important visions of a life full of mystical
prayer. Jesus appeared carrying His cross while from the Heavens, the Holy Father looked down,
and Ignatius heard these confirming words, “I will be there for you
in Rome.” We celebrate Mass in the
chapel, commemorating these very
words spoken to Ignatius.
We continue on to Rome,
where after some time for lunch
on our own, we visit the Basilica
of St. Paul’s Outside the Walls,
where Ignatius and five companions made their solemn vows on
April 22, 1541. The Basilica houses
the Tomb of St. Paul the Apostle, affectionately known as the
Apostle of the Gentiles. Although heavily restored, the present
basilica looks much the same as it did in the 4th century.
The Basilica is one of the four papal basilicas that have a
Holy Door (Porta Sancta in Latin). The doors are normally
sealed shut from the inside so that they cannot be opened. They
are opened during a Jubilee year, when pilgrims enter through
those doors to gain the plenary indulgence connected with the
Jubilee. Pope Francis has declared 2016 to be a Year of Mercy
Jubilee. We will enter through the Holy Doors in all four of the
major basilicas during our pilgrimage. After our visit, we checkin to our hotel for dinner and the evening. (B, D)
DAY 5: ROME: IGNATIAN & JESUIT SITES: This morning, after breakfast, we begin our day dedicated to Ignatius
of Loyola and the order he founded, the Society of Jesus. We
start with what are referred to as ‘The Rooms of Ignatius.’ The
rooms represent the fifth and final residence of Ignatius in
Rome. From his residence in the top floor of the building, Ignatius governed the worldwide Jesuit Order, and from here he
penned his more than 7,000 letters on a wide range of topics.
Here Ignatius drew his last breath on July 31, 1556. He is
buried in the nearby Church of the Gesú (Church of the Holy
Name of Jesus), the Mother
Church of the Society of
Jesus. Marking a transition
between Renaissance and
Baroque styles, the Gesú
became a model for Jesuit
churches around the world.
Next, we will visit the
Church of San Ignazio.
Constructed in pure Baroque style, the Church was completed a half-century after the
Gesú. St. Aloysius Gonzaga and St. John Berchmans are both
buried here. Interesting sidebar: As the funds were not available to build a dome on the church, Jesuit Andrea Pozzo cleverly painted a fake dome over the altar, offering the illusion of
a real dome. You will have to study it closely to discover that
the dome is not real.
This afternoon, after a light lunch at a local restaurant, we
visit the Gregorian University and Biblicum, founded by Ignatius Loyola over 450 years ago. With a small library connected to
it, this school was once called the Collegio Romano. When the
university counted more than a thousand pupils, Pope Gregory XIII commissioned a new, larger edifice. The Pope became
known as “founder and father” of the university and from that
point the school acquired the title of the “Gregorian University”.
Today the Gregorian University includes six faculties and
four institutes and has about 3,000 students from more than
130 countries. Our visit will provide us with an opportunity
to learn about one of the premier universities in Europe and,
indeed, the world. We return to our hotel for the evening. Dinner tonight is on our own. (B, L)
DAY 6: ROME: PAPAL AUDIENCE, ST. PETER’S & VATICAN
MUSEUMS: This morning, after breakfast, we make our way to
Vatican City to attend
the General Papal Audience with Pope Francis (subject to the Holy
Father’s schedule). The
General Audience usually takes place on St.
Peter’s Square.
After some time
for lunch on our own,
we visit the Basilica. We
will enter through St. Peter’s Holy Door. This “Holy Door” is also
known as “Door of the Great Pardon.” Its panels portray scenes of
man’s sin and his redemption through the mercy of God.
With Michelangelo’s dome, it is the most prominent
building inside Vatican City. Built over the site of “Old Saint
Peter’s” constructed by the Emperor Constantine in the fourth
century, the new Basilica began construction in 1506. In addition to many sculptures and monuments by Bernini and other
great artists, we will see Michelangelo’s famous statue of The
Pieta. We also visit the tomb of Saint John Paul II.
Later this afternoon we enjoy a tour of the Vatican Museums, whose treasures include the ancient Rome exhibits with
the famous Laocoon statue, and the High Renaissance murals of
Raphael, which he was painting at the same time Michelangelo
completed the Sistine, another marvel. The restoration of its frescoes reveals startling bright colors - a new light on Michelangelo!
The Sistine chapel was commissioned by Pope Sixtus IV to mark
the Holy Year 1475. Dinner this evening is at our hotel. (B, D)
DAY 7: ROME: SANT’ ANDREA AL QUIRINALE & HISTORIC WALKING TOUR: This morning we visit the Church
of Sant’ Andrea al Quirinale, built on the site of the first Jesuit
novitiate. Former students here include Ss. Stanislaus Kostka,
Robert Southwell, and Aloysius Gonzaga. St. Robert Bellarmine died here on September 17, 1621. Here we celebrate Mass.
Later, we enjoy a walking tour of some of most beloved
tourist sites in central Rome. We start at the Trevi Fountain,
where we toss our tradi­tional three coins into the fountain to
make our three wishes - one for love - one for money - and one
to return to Rome.
Our next stop is the Basilica of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, housing the tomb of the St. Catherine of Siena. We also
visit the Pantheon, originally built to honor all the gods of
Ancient Rome as well as the church of San Luigi dei Francesi
with its three stunning paintings by Carravaggio and the Piazza Navona, with its beautiful fountains. Some may wish to
stop in route for a gelato (an Italian ice cream) at the famous
Giolitti’s. Dinner this evening is at our hotel. (B, D)
DAY 8: ROME: ST. MARY MAJOR, ST. JOHN LATERAN &
ANCIENT ROMAN SITES: We begin today with a visit to the
Basilica of St. Mary Major, in whose Chapel of the Manger, Ignatius offered his first Mass. Ignatius had wanted to celebrate
his first Mass in the Holy Land, but he was unable to do so.
The chapel in Rome was reputed to contain relics of the original manger from Jesus’ time, so Ignatius thought this to be a
suitable substitute location. Curiously, Ignatius waited one year
from his date of ordination before he celebrated his first Mass.
Next, we visit the Basilica of St. John Lateran. This is actually the cathedral for the diocese of Rome. In 1209 Francis
led his first eleven followers to Rome to seek permission from
Pope Innocent III to found a new religious Order. On April
16, 1210, Francis persuaded the Pope to give permission to begin the Franciscan Order. The night before, the Pope had seen
a man in a dream and the man was supporting the tottering
building of St. John Lateran. When Francis appeared before
Pope Innocent, the next day, His Holiness recognized the face
from the dream and consented to Francis’ request.
Then we progress to the Church of San Clemente where in
one spot we see the dramatic conversion of Rome from a pagan city to a thoroughly Christian one. Our visit of continues at
Capitoline Hill, (Campidoglio), whose square was redesigned
by Michelangelo. The nearby Vittorio Emanuel Monument
is home to Italy’s Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We visit the
Church of Cosmas and Damian, one of Rome’s most beautiful
ancient churches and home to some stunning mosaics.
Our walk takes
us past the Roman
Forum, located in a
valley between Palatine Hill and Capitoline Hill. Our final
visit of the day is the
Coliseum. The real
name was the Flavian
Amphitheatre, after
the emperors who built it in the first century A.D. The Coliseum
served as the center for violent sports. Dinner tonight is on our
own to explore the local restaurant scene. (B)
DAY 9: ROME: JESUIT CURIA & TIVOLI: We begin our
day at the Jesuit Curia for a visit and Mass. After Mass, we
journey just outside of Rome, to the area once inhabited by
the Roman elite. Our route takes us past the travertine quarries that have helped Tivoli economically since ancient times,
as almost all of Rome is built of this stone. Even today Tivoli
ships travertine all over the world.
But it is not the travertine that has made Tivoli world fa­
mous but the incredible number of fantastic fountains, gardens
and architectural wonders of its villas. Tivoli, called Tibur by the
ancient Romans, is set on a cliff with a beautiful view of the Ro­
man Campagna. Today we will visit one of two fabulous Villa’s:
Villa d’Este was created by the Cardinal Ippolito d’Este,
grandson of the Borgia pope Alexander VI, in the 16th Century. Villa d’Este is probably the most fantastic villa and series of gardens and fountains ever seen in Italy. As we wander
among the symmetrical gardens set on terraces, marveling
at the beautiful lawns and flowers, every corner turned will
reveal another incredible foun­tain, there will be too many to
count, along with pools and man-made waterfalls.
Hadrian’s Villa built by the emperor in the second century is one of the greatest ancient villas ever de­signed. The villa,
almost a city in itself, contains dozens of buildings, including
a gymnasium, libraries, thermal baths, and a theater. Archaeologists have even found a beach heated with steam pipes hidden under the sand.
After our walk back through time, at one of these spec­
tacular Villa’s, we enjoy a farewell lunch at La Sibilla Restaurant before returning to our hotel. (B, L)
Note: You may wish to visit, instead, the Castle of Roca Pia, the
15th century fortress of Pope Paul III, who presumably gave verbal approval here for the founding of the Society of Jesus.
DAY 10: RETURN TO THE USA: Early this morning we
transfer to the Rome airport with our suitcases overflowing with
memories of our Year of Mercy Jubilee Pilgrimage to Italy. (B)
Package Pricing Information
From $3,499 per person, plus tips. Includes:
• One free trip for each 15 paying passengers. Please inquire on one-free-for-10.
• Economy class roundtrip airfare from NYC (prices available from other cities)
• Accommodations in first class and superior tourist class hotels sharing twin/double
• Professional tour manager from start to finish
• Sightseeing & entrance fees per itinerary
• Meals per itinerary (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)
• Private daily Mass reservations
* Pricing based on travel from November to February, excluding holiday periods, and based on a
group of 40 paying persons. For other seasons and/or smaller group sizes, please inquire.
For More Information Contact:
Scott Scherer, President & Owner
Tel: (800) 553-5233
Email: [email protected]