PILGRIMAGE TO ITALY ~ Join us on a life-changing Pilgrimage through the heart of Italy, under the Spiritual Direction of Fr. Glenn Lopez, Fr. Teodulo Taneo, Fr. Plutarco Opinio, Fr. Mariano Catura, Fr. Hank Sargado & Fr. Alfeo Catura

Dates: October 09-22, 2026 (14 Days)

With Daily Masses at Holy Sites.

• Rome: Papal Audience, History, Art & Faith Basilicas in Rome: St. Peter’s, St. John de Laterano, St. Mary Maggiore, St. Paul Outside the Walls, Santa Croce in Jerusalemme, Holy Stairs, Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel, etc.

• Milan Duomo, Viewing of the original Last Supper painting by Leonardo Da Vinci

• Lake Como Private Cruise

• Turin, the Holy Shroud

• Padua, St. Anthony Basilica & relics

• Venice, St. Mark’s Basilica & his tomb, Gondola Ride

• Florence, Duomo, Basilica di Santa Croce, Art Gallery, Leather Outlet

• Sienna, Cathedral, St Catherine’s relics at Basilica of St. Dominic

• Assisi: St. Francis, St. Clare, St. Acutis

• Loreto, Holy Family’s House

• Lanciano, the Greatest Eucharistic Miracle

• San Giovanni, Padre Pio’s incorrupt body

• Sanctuary of St. Michael’s Cave

• Monte Cassino, St. Benedict’s Abbey

On this pilgrimage, you won't just visit churches - you will encounter the lives of the Saints of Italy and discover how their faith, sacrifices and miracles shaped the Church and continue to inspire us today. This pilgrimage is an invitation to deepen your faith where holiness was lived and love for God transformed the world.

Depart for your overnight flight to Milan. Dinner and breakfast will

be served on board.

Upon arrival to Milano, (Plan on morning arrival of pilgrims), you will meet with your tour escort and proceed to the city center for afternoon city tour and lunch at Vittorino Emmanuel Galleria. After lunch, we have a timed/scheduled guided tour (advanced booking required) at the Cenacolo Vinciano to see the Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci, which beautifully portrayed Christ’s institution of the Eucharist. The painting is housed at the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. We will celebrate Mass here. Then we have a guided visit at Milano Cathedral (Duomo di Milano), world known for its grandeur and beauty. It houses thousands of statues and hundreds of gargoyles and church figures and is revered as the staple of French Gothic Style. Visit the Basilica of St. Ambrose, where the incorrupt remains of Saints Ambrose, Gervase and Protase are enshrined. He was a Roman governor who became the Bishop of Milan. He is known for his eloquent sermons and for his influence on St. Augustine’s conversion. After, drive to our hotel for check-in, dinner at our hotel and a restful night in Milan. Stay for 2 nights.

After breakfast, we will drive to Como San Giovanni. At Como, we will have a guided walking tour of the historic town. Then we take a private/chartered boat cruise around Lake Como with stop at marvelous Bellagio. Take a guided tour of this charming small town, step on the famous staircase, Salita Serbelloni, (lined with shops, & restaurants), the beautiful Villa Melzi gardens and visit the 11 century Basilica of San Giacomo. After a the guided tour and lunch in Bellagio, we proceed to Varenna for a brief guided tour and finally we proceed to our last visit for the day at Villa del Balbianello (entrance tickets must be purchased well in advance for this guided tour), to visit this historic villa and beautiful gardens, where scenes from Star Wars (Attack of the Clones) and James Bond (Casino Royale) were filmed. This is one of the most charming villas on Lake Como, consists of 2 residential buildings, a church, and a portico for weddings and events. After, we continue on the cruise on the lake, pass by George Clooney’s villa and many other beautiful villas and hotels along the lake and finally the cruise ends at Como. We will celebrate Mass at Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta (Como

In the morning after breakfast, we check-out from our hotel, and drive to Turin (2 hrs. drive). We will tour the city of Turin, then proceed to the Sanctuary of Maria Ausiliatrice, The Basilica of Our Lady Help of Christians, completed in 1868. This church was originally part of a home for poor boys founded by Saint John Bosco, which now contains his remains with the relics of other saints. Saint John Bosco had a vision of the Virgin Mary and revealed the site of the martyrdom of the Turinese saints Solutor, Adventor and Octavius. The Basilica dell'Ausiliatrice was built on the site of their death and the church also houses the relics of these saints.

The highlight of our visit in Turin is to see the full-size reproduction copy and digital exhibitions of the Holy Shroud of Turin. The original Shroud is housed at the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist in Turin, it is kept in a special case to preserve it because of its fragility and public displays are very rare. The last time it was displayed was in 2015. The Shroud is one of the world’s most precious and famous relics. The Shroud of Turin is only on display every 10 years or so and there has been many recorded healing miracles and conversion. There have been only a few expositions of the shroud in the 20th century. The Shroud, a piece of herringbone twilled linen cloth measuring 14.5 feet by 3.9 feet, is believed by many Roman Catholics to be the cloth in which Christ’s body was wrapped after his crucifixion. It bears the faint imprint of a man and the apparent signs of wound marks that correspond to those Christ sustained during his crucifixion.

Immediately afterwards, we are on our way to Padua (3 hrs. drive). We will have a guided tour of the Basilica of St. Anthony, a major pilgrimage site, where St. Anthony, one of the Church’s greatest preachers and miracle workers and the patron saint of lost things is honored. We will pray at the Tomb of St. Anthony and an opportunity to see a room full of his relics (his tongue, throat, etc). This room of relics attract millions annually, making it a vital center of Catholic devotion. Mass will be celebrated here. Then, we will pass by Pratto Della Valle, and see the Basilica of Santa Giustina (if time permits), which houses several major relics significant to Catholics, such as the body of St. Luke, relics of St. Matthias, (the Apostle who replaced Judas Iscariot), tomb of St. Giustina of Padua and several other Saints’ relics. Check-in to our hotel in Padua (2 nights stay) for dinner and restful night.

Today is an entire day excursion to the magical city of Venice. Upon arrival to the Venice Tronchetto Terminal, follows a short boat taxi ride to the city and we celebrate the Holy Mass in the Cathedral of St. Mark. After Mass, enjoy an inside guided tour of Golden Basilica of San Marco, known for the great mosaics that depict the Old and New Testament of the Bible, then a tour of the "city paved with water!". Your guided walking tour includes a visit to St. Mark's Square, the largest square in the city and the site of many government buildings; the Bridge of Sigh, a bridge that will bring eternal love to those who drift below it. You will also have the guided tour inside of the Dodges' Palace (Duke's Palace), which served as the seat of the Government for the Republic of Venice for centuries. After lunch, we will enjoy a Gondola ride along the water. The rest of the afternoon is free time to explore Venice on your own, shopping by Rialto Bridge with hundreds of souvenir shops and restaurants and perhaps visit the famous Murano glass factory. Don't forget to enjoy a cappuccino and gelato at one of the cafes in St. Mark's Square, a must do for any visit to Venice. In the early evening, we will return to Padua for dinner and overnight at our hotel.

After early breakfast, we drive to Florence (3 hrs). Upon our arrival, we enjoy a guided tour of Florence's main sights, including the inner visit to the Duomo/Cathedral of Florence with its magnificent Dome by Brunelleschi, Giotto's elegant belfry and the Baptistery with Ghiberti's Gate to Paradise. This Cathedral is an iconic piece of architecture of the city of Florence. It was designed by Filippo Brunelleschi in the 13th century. We also visit the Basilica di Santa Croce (Church of Holy Cross), where many nobles were buried, such as Michelangelo, Galileo, and Machiavelli. Continue walking by Piazza Signorina, Palazzo Vecchio, Uffizi, Ponte Vecchio, and Republic Square to the Santa Maria del Fiore. You will notice that Florence is the land for art lovers. Some of the most world-renowned artists are from Florence such as Dante, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Botticelli, Donatello, and many others. Next, a visit to L'Accademia, the well-known art gallery. At this gallery, you will have the opportunity to view the work by artists such as Botticelli, Ghirlandaio, Pontormo, and the ever-famous sculpture by Michelangelo, David. This afternoon you will have time to explore Florence on your own, shopping for leather goods at a leather outlet. Celebrate Mass at a church nearby our hotel. Drive to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Today we are leaving Florence for Assisi via Siena (1.5 hrs drive). We will have a guided tour through the well-preserved city of Siena, birthplace of Saints Catherine (Virgin and Doctor of the Church and one of the two patron Saints of Italy, with St. Francis of Assisi) and St. Bernardine (known as the “Apostle of Italy” for his efforts to revive the Catholic faith in the 15th century). Siena is also one of Italy’s loveliest medieval cities. Here we will stroll the Piazza Del Campo (the city center), one of Italy’s finest squares and visit the Basilica of St. Francis, containing the miraculous consecrated hosts that were stolen and later found incorrupt. It remained intact since 1730. Hosts are still preserved and displayed for veneration. We will continue on to view the incorrupt head and thumb of St. Catherine at the Basilica of St. Dominic (Her body is preserved in Rome in the Basilica St. Maria Sopra Minerva). We also visit the spectacular Gothic Cathedral of Santa Maria Asunta (Assumption of Our Lady), otherwise called the Sienna Cathedral. This is one of the most stunning Gothic Cathedrals in Italy. The Chapel of St. John the Baptist inside the Cathedral houses the arm of St. Catherine. This church is rich in Biblical mosaics and marble floor scenes.

After a late lunch, we travel to Assisi (2.5 hrs. drive). Today’s visit of Assisi will be outside its walls, to the Chapel, "Porziuncola", one of three restored churches by young Francis that nowadays is enshrined inside the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels. It was in St. Mary of the Angels Basilica where St. Francis spent most of his life. We will visit the rose bush, and the cave where the saint retired for prayer. This Basilica is made up of two structures, both of which you will visit. The first structure is the "Porziuncola" and the second is the "Capella del Transito" which is the place where St. Francis died. We will celebrate Mass here followed by a quick tour of the Basilica. Later we drive to our hotel for check-in, dinner and a restful night. (2 nights in Assisi).

Today is a very special day, as we will spend a full day touring with a local guide, the home of the Saint that inspired our late Holy Father, Pope Francis where he chose his name in admiration of the Saint of Nature and Servant to the Poor. Known for being a humble man himself, St. Francis spent most of his life denying the luxuries of life and preferring to live in simplicity and humility. Following breakfast, we will be exploring and learning about St. Francis and his life. Our guided tour will start from church of Santa Chiara to see the Cross from which Jesus spoke to St Francis, asking him to rebuild His church. You may kneel before the crucifix and pray his prayer. Also visit the tomb of St. Clare at the crypt. Explore the quaint hilltop birthplace of St Francis that still retains something of the atmosphere of the early 1200s, the period when St Francis began his ministry. Contained within the huge 13th-century Basilica is many of the saint's possessions and a series of frescoes depicting his life. We will also learn more about St. Clare, the founder of Poor Clare’s and see her relics/incorrupt body at St. Clare’s Basilica. The foundress of the Order of Poor Clare’s followed the teachings of St. Francis by living a life of poverty and humility. During the walking tour, also stop at St. Francis’ parents’ home and see the prison cell where St. Francis was imprisoned by his father. Their home has since been converted into a church and also stop by his father’s family business shop just right next to their home.

Next you will visit the Santuario Della Spogliazione where Saint Carlo Acutis’ incorrupt body is enshrined. He is the first millennial to be declared Blessed. Continue your tour by walking through this picturesque town, where St. Francis and St. Clare both followed God’s call to rebuild His church. Then we walk down to the Upper & Lower Basilicas of St. Francis, which is the Cradle of Franciscan spirituality, emphasizing poverty, humility, and love for creation. Visit the crypt of the Basilica and pay homage to the tomb of St. Francis. We then celebrate our Mass here. Enjoy some free time - for prayers & shopping for souvenirs. Return to hotel in Assisi for dinner and a restful night.

After a good night’s rest we leave early on our way to Loreto, 3-4 hours’ drive to the Basilica of Loreto (Basilica della Santa Casa), a major Marian pilgrimage site. Loreto is a beautiful little town where a church dedicated to Saint Mary was built already in 14 century. Legend says that the House of the Holy Family was miraculously transferred from Nazareth, while probably some parts of it were brough there by the crusaders. "The Angel of the lord declared unto Mary, and She conceived of the Holy Spirit" - words that in Loreto in the House of the Holy Family touches us even deeper. On the ruins of the house one can see the actual place of the event. Celebrate Mass here.

We will leave Loreto and continue on to Lanciano (2 hrs. drive), which is one of the greatest Eucharistic Miracles in the world and the most scientifically examined miracle in Catholic history. It is a major pilgrimage site in Italy. In the 8th century during the Holy Mass the wine turned into blood and the host into flesh. According to tradition, a Basilian monk, who secretly doubted the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, was celebrating the Mass. At the moment of Consecration, the Host visibly turned into Flesh and wine in the chalice became Blood. Pray in the church before the relic, which is exposed above the altar, then we depart to the town of Padre Pio. Tonight, we will have late dinner and will stay for 2 nights here in San Giovanni Rotondo.

After celebrating Mass at the tomb of Padre Pio, we will have a guided tour of the sanctuary, hear more of the life of the saint, watch some documentary and then visit the museum with many personal belongings of Padre Pio. See the old church, Church of Our Lady of Grace (the older Church), and the altar where he said masses and the crucifix from which he received the stigmata in 1918. We will see the confessional where Padre Pio spent innumerable hours with a multitude of pilgrims, directing them on their journey toward God. We will then continue our guided tour to the Crypt of Padre Pio which is located beneath the Church of Our Lady of Grace (original burial place before the new Sanctury), the Sanctuary of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina (the newer Sanctuary) to venerate the Saint, have the opportunity to view and pray before the incorrupt body of Padre Pio in a glass reliquary. Spend some time for prayers and reflections. Time permitting, visit the Via Crucis (Way of the Cross), an outdoor Stations of the Cross on the hillside, offering a place for meditation and prayer. Before the end of the tour, attend a special blessing for our group with the blood stained gloves of Padre Pio and his crucifix. This is a rare opportunity that is not extended to all groups.

After lunch, enjoy a breathtaking drive of the Gargano Peninsula and then later, a visit to the Grotto of Michael the Archangel, where St. Michael Archangel had been appearing from 5th to 17th century. Six different popes, St Francis and at least four other saints have knelt in prayer at this grotto, seeking the protection of St Michael. Visit of the St. Michael Basilica and town where we will spend some free time on our own. This shrine and little town surrounding it on the top of Mount Gargano shows us a little bit more of the life of the local population have in this part of south-east Italy. Return to San Giovanni for devotions, reflection, and a restful overnight.

Expect a very long day today. We depart very early morning from SGR to catch up our visit to Monte Cassino which closes at noon. We will drive to Monte Cassino, the principal monastery of the Benedictine Order, founded by St. Benedict (patron saint of Europe) around 530 A.D., on the top of the mountain. Enjoy a guided tour of the Monte Cassino Abbey and celebrate Mass here. We will see the tombs of St. Benedict and his twin sister, St. Scholastica, who were both buried here.

After the visit we continue our drive to Rome, enjoy the panoramic drive. Upon arrival in Rome, we will have about 2.5 hours walking tour to the famous historical sites in Rome. Wear good walking shoes! We will make our way to the Trevi Fountain, Piazza Novona, Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi “Fountain of the Four Rivers; Pantheon, Spanish steps, etc. Drive to our hotel for check-in, dinner and a restful night in Rome.

Today, we will start our Christian Tour of Rome and visit 3 of the 4 major basilicas of Rome. We will visit one of Rome’s major basilicas, Santa Maria Maggiore, the most important church in the world devoted to Our Lady. Here we celebrate Mass. Mass has been celebrated every day since the 5th century. After Mass, we enjoy a guided tour of this wonderful Basilica, and spend some personal time for prayers. Then we visit (guided tour) the Basilica of Saint John Lateran, the Pope’s cathedral church where relics of both Peter and Paul remain under the main altar. This is the Cathedral of Rome and was Papal residence from the 5C until the papacy departed to Avignon in France. Today we will also see the nearby Holy Staircase (Scala Sancta) actual stairs that Jesus Christ walked on the day he went to Pilate’s palace in Jerusalem and brought to Rome by St. Helen in the 4th century. Time permitting, we may climb the steps on our knees in memory of Christ’s Passion.

Visit Santa Croce Basilica in Gerusalemm. This large church not far from San Giovanni in Laterano and Santa Maria Maggiore houses a number of relics from the Passion of Christ. These include the Titulus Crucis, the inscribed sign which hung over Christ during his crucifixion; two thorns from Jesus's crown of thorns; and three pieces of the True Cross. Here you'll also find the doubting finger of St. Thomas. At the end we will go to the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. If time permits, our Christian tour in Rome finishes with visit to the Domitilla Catacombs, it is 15 km of subterranean galleries. It is not only the largest catacomb of Rome, it also provides an extensive insight into all phases and phenomena of an Early-Christian necropolis. A subterranean basilica was the centre of a pilgrimage sanctuary with the graves of the martyrs Nereus and Achilleus up until the Middle Ages. With about 80 painted tombs, the Domitilla-catacomb also comprises one of the largest inventories of catacomb painting. Return to our hotel for dinner & a restful night.

Today we have an early breakfast to be on time for the General Audience with Pope Leo 14th at the St. Peter's Square. (Papal Audience: Is scheduled to take place every Wednesday, pending the schedule of the Pope). Following the audience, we will proceed to the Vatican Museums for a guided tour, where we will see art masterpieces of Michelangelo, Bernini, Tapestry Gallery, and Raphael Rooms. We will walk through Geographical maps Gallery, Sistine Chapel with the magnificent fresco of The Last Judgment and many more halls and rooms filled with Christian art, history and inheritance of all civilization. After the museum tour, we will have a guided tour of the heart of the Vatican State, St. Peter's Basilica, where St. Peter was martyred. Here, you’ll have the opportunity to view Michelangelo's Pieta sculpture, pray at the tombs of Pope Benedict XVI and St. John Paul II. You celebrate Mass here in one of the Chapels in the Vatican. Spend some time on prayers and meditation.

Later, we embark on a panoramic sightseeing tour beginning with a drive to Capitoline Hill, where we will enjoy a view of the ancient Roman Forum and see Constantine's Arch and a photo opportunity at the Colosseum. We will end the day with a Farewell Dinner in a nice restaurant in Rome! Tonight is our last night in Italy. Then return to our hotel for a restful night.

(Note: Return your Whisper sets to our Tour Director).

Farewell & Return Flights We bid farewell to our new friends, and to a Pilgrimage which will be in our hearts and memories for a long time to come. After breakfast, we depart for Rome International Airport for our return flights to the US. Arrivederci Italia!

We bid farewell to our dear friends, and to a pilgrimage which will be 

in our hearts and memories for a long time to come!