Pilgrimage Itinerary


Day1 - Thursday, 6th June
We will depart in the morning from Dublin to Naples. Upon arrival, we will meet our tour escort and enjoy our scenic transfer to the town of Pietrelcina, birthplace of St. Pio.

After lunch we will celebrate the opening Mass of our pilgrimage and afterwards have a walking tour of the quaint and tranquil town visiting the home of the Forgione family where Padre Pio was born, the Church of Sant'Anna where he was baptised and the Church Santa Maria degli Angeli where he celebrated his first Mass. We will travel to nearby Piana Romana where we will see the humble farmhouse of the Forgione family and have time for prayer before the tree beneath which Padre Pio received the invisible stigmata. We will leave Piana Romana and drive through the picturesque countryside arriving at our destination of San Giovanni Rotondo, home to Padre Pio for over fifty years. We will check into our hotel where we will stay for the following four nights.


Day 2 - Friday, 7th June
After breakfast we will celebrate Mass in the ancient church of Our Lady of Grace where St. Pio celebrated Mass, heard confessions and received the gift of the stigmata. Afterwards we will meet with one of the capuchin friars where we will hear more of the life of St. Pio and receive a blessing with the glove and crucifix of the humble friar.

This afternoon we will follow in the footsteps of the humble friar during his time in San Giovanni Rotondo. Despite experiencing great suffering in his own life, through his ministries and great work which saw the realisation of the hospital in San Giovanni Rotondo, he helped relieve the sick and troubled from their own individual sufferings. After visiting the capuchin friary and seeing the cell occupied by the capuchin friar, we will visit the Church of St. Pio of Pietrelcina and have time for private prayer before the mortal remains of this great saint of our time.


Day 3 - Saturday, 8th June
This morning we will travel to the town of Monte Sant'Angelo and celebrate Mass at the Shrine of St. Michael the Archangel, the oldest shrine in Western Europe dedicated to the Archangel Michael. As we make our way back to San Giovanni Rotondo we will visit St. Matthew's monastery where we will have the blessing with the relic of St. Matthew and Holy Oils.

This afternoon we will walk the Way of the Cross which allow us, as Christians, to pause and enter reflectively into those last moments of Jesus's journey of love. Afterwards there will have opportunity to receive the sacrament of reconciliation. This evening we will have the opportunity to participate in the Marian Torchlight procession as we honour the Madonna, for whom St. Pio had a great devotion.


Day 4 - Sunday, 9th June
After breakfast we will celebrate the closing Mass of our pilgrimage in the hospital, �Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza' and have a tour of what is considered Padre Pio's greatest creation In the afternoon we will have time to return to the crypt of St. Pio for private prayer and reflection.


Day 5 - Monday, 10th June
This morning we will depart San Giovanni Rotondo and transfer to Naples airport as we return to our homes, filled with a sense of tranquillity, rejuvenation and peace in our hearts.