Italy & Poland Pilgrimage Indianapolis ·  April 2027

Our pilgrimage begins as we depart on our overnight flight to Rome. Meals and refreshments will be served aloft.

After our arrival in the “Eternal City,” we will be met by our Italian pilgrimage manager at the airport and drive north through the beautiful Umbrian countryside to Assisi, a town which welcomes us in the spirit of Sts. Francis and Clare. We will visit St. Mary of the Angels Basilica, site of the Porziuncola, the tiny church in the woods where St. Francis began his ministry and where St. Clare was consecrated. Then we’ll continue on to our hotel to check in for dinner and overnight. (D) Overnight Assisi

We begin our day in the heart of Assisi at the Basilica of St. Francis, where we venerate this saint’s burial place. Continue to the Shrine of Renunciation within the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore. This shrine was built to commemorate the spot where St. Francis renounced his wealth and family and began his life of poverty and service to the Lord. It is now where the tomb of St. Carlo Acutis lies. St. Carlo was recently canonized as the first Millennial Saint. He dedicated part of his short life to cataloging Eucharistic Miracles from around the world. Afterwards we visit the Basilica of St. Clare, which holds the famous San Damiano Crucifix that spoke to St. Francis, and where the golden locks of St. Clare’s hair and St. Francis’s poor patched tunic are kept. We then depart for Rome where we will check into our hotel, our home for the next four nights. (B, D) Overnight Rome

Today we join thousands of pilgrims from around the world to be with the Holy Father at his Papal Audience at the Vatican. Always subject to the Holy Father’s schedule, this unique event lets us listen to his words and receive his blessing in person. In the afternoon, travel to St. Paul Outside the Walls, originally built by Constantine in the fourth century over the site of St. Paul’s tomb. We then descend into the lives of the martyrs as we visit the Catacombs. Here Christians celebrated the Mass in secret and buried the martyrs, including several popes. We’ll return to our hotel with the balance of the day free, including dinner out on our own. (B) Overnight Rome

Our day today is filled with wonder and awe as we steep ourselves in the beauty of St. Peter’s Basilica. We will see the life-like Pietà statue by Michelangelo, stunning paintings, and the chapel of Eucharistic Adoration renovated under the direction of St. John Paul II. Afterwards, journey to St. Mary Major where we venerate the crib of Christ, pray at the tomb of Pope Francis, view the famous icon attributed to St. Luke, and see inestimable artwork that makes Rome renowned throughout the world. This balance of the day is free to explore on your own. Perhaps visit the Spanish Steps, a favorite people watching site in Rome, throw a coin into the Trevi Fountain in hopes of returning to this glorious city, or returning to a site we’ve already seen for more personal time. Afterwards, return to our hotel for dinner and overnight. (B, D) Overnight Rome

After breakfast we head to the Scala Santa, or Holy Stairs, which are prayed by climbing them on your knees because they are so sacred. Christ walked on these 28 marble stairs at the home of Pontius Pilate to be condemned to death. For those who cannot climb the stairs on their knees, parallel stairs also lead up to the chapel. Our prayerful experience continues with a visit to St. John Lateran, the Mother Church of the Roman Catholic faithful and the oldest basilica in Europe. The afternoon is yours to encounter more of the Eternal City. Options include the Colosseum where early Christians were publicly executed for their faith, the Pantheon, a former temple to the pagan gods of Rome, made into a Catholic church dedicated to St. Mary and the Martyr, or visiting the charming neighborhood of Trastevere, with medieval cobblestone streets and religious shrines decorating doorways. This evening return to the hotel for dinner and overnight. (B, D) Overnight Rome

Early this morning we make our way to the airport and catch our flight to Poland. Upon arrival in Krakow we will be met by our Polish pilgrimage manager, who will remain with us for the duration of our time in Poland. Krakow was, thankfully, largely untouched by World War II and is an important focal point of Polish Catholicism. Depending on arrival time, we will be free to explore the Old Town on our own before transferring to our hotel for check-in and dinner. (B-Boxed, D) Overnight Krakow

This morning we’ll explore Krakow’s magnificent Old Town and see the main Market Square, the Church of St. Mary, City Hall Tower, Kanonicza Street where Pope John Paul II resided while living in Krakow, and the courtyard of the Collegium Maius where he was a student. Afterwards, proceed to Wawel Hill and the Cathedral of St. Stanislaw, Poland’s second most important pilgrimage shrine. We will return to the hotel for dinner and overnight. (B, D) Overnight Krakow

Following breakfast, we will travel to Auschwitz to pay respects at the remains of this Nazi concentration camp where over a million people were killed during World War II. Both St. Edith Stein and St. Maximilian Kolbe were sent here, along with hundreds of thousands of other innocent Jews, Christians, and Poles. Afterwards we return to Krakow and spend the rest of the afternoon exploring more of the Old Town on our own before we return to the hotel for dinner and overnight. (B, D) Overnight Krakow

We begin today with a drive to Wieliczka to visit one of the oldest salt mines in Europe, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is a unique place where many generations of Polish miners have created a world of underground caverns including a rich interior of decorated chapels, some dating to the 17th century. This afternoon we will experience a highlight of our pilgrimage when we travel to Lagiewniki, where Saint Faustina, the Apostle of Divine Mercy, lived and died. Enjoy a guided tour of the shrine and venerate the image of Divine Mercy and St. Faustina’s tomb. We will have some time for personal prayer and exploring the grounds. Afterwards, pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy together by a relic of St. John Paul II in the “Have No Fear” center, reflecting on the Divine Mercy our Lord offers each one of us. Return to our hotel in Krakow for dinner. (B, D) Overnight Krakow

Today we walk in St. John Paul II’s footsteps as we retrace much of his early life, beginning with his hometown of Wadowice where we visit the Gothic Basilica of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary, where he received baptism, first communion, and confirmation. See the Baroque nave and the miraculous picture of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, in front of which the future saint prayed daily. Get to know the former Karol Wojtyla in a new way as we explore the museum located in his family home, containing relics of his youth and personal belongings from when he was a local priest. Our next stop is a place that was one of John Paul’s favorite pilgrimage sites from his youth and young adult years, Kalwaria Zebrzydowska. This unique location began in the 17th century, when the Palatine of Krakow founded a Bernardine Monastery and built a replica of the Chapel of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem. The complex grew over the years to encompass replicas of the Tomb of Christ, the Mount of Olives, the Home of Caiaphas, and other sites in the Holy Land, to provide a place of more local pilgrimage for those who could not journey to Jerusalem. Today, 43 chapels and shrines honoring the Way of the Cross, the Mysteries of the Rosary, and the Seven Sorrows of Mary are scattered across the hills and valley over roughly 2.5 miles. Afterwards, return to Krakow where we will gather for our farewell dinner at a local restaurant this evening. (B, D) Overnight Krakow

Early this morning we transfer to the airport in Krakow to board our flight back to the U.S., taking with us the memories and graces from this blessed pilgrimage.