0121UA5 - Jubilee Holy Year Italy Pilgrimage 10 days from Orlando

Today, we depart Orlando to connect with our overnight flight to Rome aboard a wide-bodied jet. We enjoy dinner and breakfast aloft.

This morning, we arrive in Rome and are met by our Unitours Tour Manager. We board our motorcoach for our ride to Assisi. Following lunch on our own along the way, our first stop is in the lower town for a visit and Mass at the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels and the Portiuncula, Francis' Church of the Little Portion. We thank St. Francis for two of his most notable gifts to humanity, the Nativity Scene, and the Stations of the Cross. We continue to the upper village and our hotel for “welcome” dinner and overnight at our hotel.

Today we begin at the Basilica of St. Francesco with Mass. After our visit of the Basilica and the tomb of St. Francis, we begin our walking tour of the village. Included is a visit to the Church of St. Clare to view the crucifix that spoke to St. Francis. Kneeling before it, Francis composed the following prayer, which is considered to be among the oldest of his writings: “All Highest, Glorious God, cast your light into the darkness of my heart. Give me right faith, firm hope, perfect charity, and profound humility, with wisdom and perception, O Lord, so that I may do what is truly your most holy will.” In 1240AD, a band of Saracen soldiers were attacking Assisi and had reached the cloistered convent of a now sickly St. Clare. In fear that the soldiers would harm her sisters, she prayed in front of the Blessed Sacrament for protection. Tradition tells us that Our Lord assured her His protections and when she held the monstrance in front of the soldiers, they fled! We pass by the famous Temple of Minerva in the Piazza del Comune. This afternoon, following lunch on our own, we enjoy this picturesque hillside village at our own pace. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.

This morning, following an early morning departure from Assisi, we travel south through the Umbrian countryside. We stop at Orvieto for a visit and Mass at the breathtaking Cathedral, which is known as the jewel of Italian architecture. Inside the Cathedral is the Chapel of the Corporal, which houses the chalice cloth, involved in the Eucharistic Miracle. In 1263AD, Peter of Prague--a pilgrim priest who was struggling to believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist--was celebrating Mass at the crypt of St. Christina in Bolsena. While speaking the words of the consecration, blood started to drip from the consecrated host. Subsequently Pope Urban IV instituted The Feast of Corpus Christi. We continue southward, enjoying lunch on our own along the way, before arriving in the wonderful town of Sorrento, along the Mediterranean. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.

Today, we leave Sorrento by steamer across the Bay of Naples to the Island of Dreams - Capri. We tour the island, including Anacapri, and weather permitting, the beautiful Blue Grotto. Following Mass at one of the churches here, we return to Sorrento for dinner overnight.

This morning we motor along the Sorrento Peninsula on the famous Amalfi Drive, with stops along the way, including the splendid jet set village of Positano. Afterwards, following a stop for lunch on our own, we continue to Pompeii, the Roman City of 65,000 that was destroyed, yet preserved by the volcanic ash of Vesuvius in 79AD. We celebrate Mass at the church of the Holy Rosary visited by Pope St. John Paul II shortly before his passing and a site of a Eucharistic miracle. We continue to Rome for dinner and overnight.

Today, we visit Vatican City where we celebrate Mass below St. Peters. Afterwards, we view the treasures of the Vatican Museum. We marvel at Michelangelo’s restored frescoes in the Sistine Chapel and the wonders of St. Peter’s, as well as the famous Bernini altar columns, one Bernini engraved his own Rosary on and one rumored to contain the spear of St. Longinus, the roman centurion who pierced the side of our Savior and was healed by the blood and water that flowed from it! While here, we pass through the 1st of the “Holy Doors”, during our Holy Year Pilgrimage. This afternoon, following a break for lunch on our own, we tour the Basilica of St. Mary Major, and pass through the “Holy Doors” there to mark our 2nd set of doors on our Holy Year pilgrimage before traveling to the Church of St. Peter in Chains to view Michelangelo's most celebrated sculpture, the "Moses." We return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

This morning we enjoy tours of two unique Churches in Rome: Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini which houses “The Chapel of the Bones” and The Gesu Church, the main Jesuit church where St. Ignatius is buried as well as the relic of St. Francis Xavier’s arm. This afternoon, following a stop for lunch on our own, we visit the Holy Stairs and Basilica of St. John Lateran. While there, we pass through the 3rd set of “Holy Doors” on our Holy Year pilgrimage. We continue to the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls or the 4th and last set of “Holy Doors” to pass through. This huge, imposing Basilica, second only to St. Peter’s and one of the largest churches in the Christian world, contains an unusual gallery of papal portraits: 265 tablets portraying the popes of the past. We conclude our day at the Callistus Catacombs, a burial place of early Christians. We celebrate Mass here and view the 2nd and 3rd century fresco paintings. We explore the culinary delights of Rome tonight as dinner is on our own. Overnight at our hotel.

This morning, we make our way to St. Peter's for an audience with Pope Francis, if he is in residence. Following Mass at a church near St. Peter’s Basilica, we enjoy lunch on our own and free time for shopping, rest, or personal adventure. We conclude our day as we celebrate our “farewell” dinner and overnight at the hotel.

This morning, we make our way home to Florida with memories of a lifetime.