Proposed Pilgrimage Itinerary *



Monday, 29th September - Basilica of St. Mary Major

This morning, we will depart from Dublin to Rome. Awaiting us in the arrival's hall will be our Marian Pilgrimages representative and driver who will remain with us for the duration of our pilgrimage. We will relax with lunch in a local restaurant before beginning our pilgrimage with a visit to the Basilica of St. Mary Majors, the largest Catholic Marian Church in Rome. We will celebrate Mass and afterwards have time for private prayer before the venerated image of Salus Populi Romani; an Icon of the Virgin Mother and Child, credited with saving the city of Rome from plague and before which Pope Francis prays prior to his departure and upon his return to Rome after visits abroad. As we drive to our hotel, we will catch glimpses of some of the many ancient monuments, evidence that the �Eternal City� has a history and an appeal like no other city in the world. After checking into our rooms there will be time to relax before dinner.

Tuesday, 30th September - St. Peter's Basilica & Vatican Grottoes

This morning, we will enjoy a guided tour of St. Peter's Basilica, one of the holiest temples of Christendom. Home to artistic masterpieces by artists of the calibre of Michelangelo and Bernini amongst countless others, we will explore the basilica and afterwards have time for prayer before the tombs of the great saints; St. John Paul II and St. John XXIII. Time permitting, we will visit the Vatican Grottoes containing the tombs and sarcophagi of numerous popes, as well as several huge columns from the original 4th-century basilica. This afternoon there will be time at leisure for personal sightseeing. For those interested in visiting the Vatican Museums, please make sure to book in advance (www.museivaticani.va).

Wednesday, 1st October - Basilica of St. John Lateran & Holy Stairs

We will begin our morning with a visit to the Basilica of St. John Lateran, the �Mother Church of all Churches� and the cathedral of the Bishop of Rome, Pope Francis. We will pass through the Holy Door, a passageway that ushers the pilgrim inside the church, a place of encounter and dialogue, of reconciliation and peace which awaits us as �Pilgrims of Hope.� During this Jubilee Year, as we visit such sacred places of worship, we are offered the possibility of gaining a Plenary Indulgence for ourselves or for the deceased. We will walk to the nearby Sanctuary of the Holy Stairs which houses the steps which led up to the praetorium of Pontius Pilate in Jerusalem on which Jesus Christ climbed on his way to trial. The Holy Stairs attract millions of pilgrims each year who wish to honour the Passion of Jesus Christ. In the afternoon, we will visit the Basilica of San Clemente and afterwards enjoy a tour of the excavations of which were encouraged by Joseph Mullooly, a Dominican priest and archaeologist, which reveal 2,000 years of the history of Rome. Our day will conclude with the celebration of Mass in the nearby Pontifical Irish College and afterwards learn of the history of the college that is still a seminary from the many that were once scattered over Europe.

Thursday, 2nd October - Papal Audience, Catacombs of San Callisto, Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls

Subject to Pope Francis being in Rome, this morning we will have the opportunity to gather with fellow pilgrims in St. Peter's Square to attend the Papal Audience. We will have time at leisure for lunch and in the afternoon enjoy a guided tour of the Catacombs of San Callisto which are among the greatest and most important in Rome. Originating in the second century and occupying an area of almost 90 acres, it is the burial place of 16 popes and many martyrs. We will conclude our day with Proposed Itinerary Knights of St. Columbanus Jubilee Year Pilgrimage to Rome & Assisi the celebration of Mass in the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, founded in the place where once was an ancient church built over the tomb of the Apostle Paul.

Friday, 3rd October - Guided walking tour of the main sights of Rome

This morning, we will embark on a guided walking tour through the ancient-cobbled streets of Rome, passing by such famous sites as Trevi Fountain and Pantheon (from outside) before arriving at the lively Piazza Navona where we will have time to relax in the elegant square. The wonderful landscape of the �Green Heart of Italy�, will make for an enjoyable afternoon drive to Assisi, birthplace of St. Francis and St. Clare. Upon arrival, we will check into our rooms and have time to relax and unpack before dinner.

Saturday, 4th October - Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi & Tomb of Blessed Carlo Acutis

This morning, we will celebrate Mass at the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi and afterwards have time for prayer at the tomb of the �Poor Man of Assisi.� Our guide will take us through the basilica, with its impressive frescoes before embarking on a tour of the medieval town as we learn more about the lives of St. Francis and St. Clare. Our morning tour will conclude at the Basilica of St. Clare where we will venerate the original San Damiano cross and have time for prayer at the tomb of the founder of the Order of Poor Clares. After free time for lunch, we will visit the Sanctuary of the Renunciation. This part of Assisi was made famous as the spot where Francis stripped himself of his fine clothes, thus relinquishing his wealthy lifestyle in favour of a life of poverty and prayer. In the Sanctuary of the Renunciation today rest the remains of Carlo Acutis, a young boy who was very much impressed by the figure of Francis of Assisi and who, just like Francis, liked nothing more than to help the poor. Like Francis, he used his skills as a means of evangelisation and has been described by Pope Francis as a �great example for young people today.� This afternoon we will hear about the life of Carlo Acutis and have time for prayer at the tomb of the boy whose story has inspired many to return to the faith.

Sunday, 5th October -Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli & Convent of San Damiano

This morning, we will celebrate Mass in the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli, home to the Chapel of the Porziuncola where Francis realised his true calling and where on Palm Sunday of 1212, he accepted Clare into the Order. Here we will see the Chapel of the Porziuncola, the Chapel of the Transito where Francis died, and the famous Rose Garden where today grows the miraculous roses without thorns. After free time for lunch, we will travel to the Convent of San Damiano. Located in a beautiful setting just outside the walls of Assisi, this morning we will celebrate Mass at the Church of San Damiano and afterwards have a tour of the former home to the Order of the Poor Clares, which will include visits to the Refectory, the Dormitory where St. Clare died and beautiful cloister. We will return to Assisi and have the afternoon at leisure for shopping and private sightseeing.

Monday, 6th October - Closing Mass of our pilgrimage

This morning, we will celebrate the closing Mass of our pilgrimage in the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli and after time for private prayer will drive to Rome, concluding our Jubilee Year pilgrimage.