0408DL6 - England Pilgrimage 10 days from Detroit

Today, we depart from Detroit International for our overnight flight to London. We enjoy complimentary beverages, in-flight movies, dinner, and breakfast while aloft.

We arrive in London this morning, where we are met by our Unitours Tour Manager. We travel by motor coach from London to Windsor Castle and view the splendour of the world's oldest inhabited castle, the late Queen Elizabeth's favorite weekend retreat. We visit the Chapel of St. George, and the State Apartments used for splendid royal banquets. We depart Windsor, traveling through the green pastures of Runnymede, past the John F. Kennedy Memorial. Runnymede was also the site of the signing of the Magna Carta by King John in 1215 AD. From Windsor, we make our way through the delightful county of Oxfordshire to Oxford, known as the city of 'the dreaming spires' due to the proliferation of its turreted and gabled spires and towers. Oxford, a thriving city, an Episcopal Seat and the seat of an ancient university, is one of most famous and interesting towns in Europe. We enjoy a walking tour of the classically beautiful colleges, including a visit to Christ Church College. We conclude our day as we enjoy our “welcome” dinner and overnight at our hotel in Oxford.

This morning, we journey southwest to enjoy a guided walking tour of Bath, a beautifully preserved Georgian City. We visit the fine Roman Baths and Pump rooms and the beautiful, soaring fan-vaulted ceiling. We celebrate Mass before a break for lunch. We continue to the vast plateau of Salisbury plain, to the megalithic stone circle at Stonehenge, an amazing cultural site, whose exact origins and meaning are still a mystery, before returning to Oxford for dinner on our own. We overnight at our hotel.

Today, we visit the birthplace of the bard, Sir William Shakespeare, by travelling through the Cotswold for a day long stroll to Stratford-upon-Avon. While there, we take in the charming atmosphere of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre building, Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, and Holy Trinity Church, where Shakespeare is buried. We celebrate mass at a local church before concluding our day. We then head back to Oxford for dinner on our own and overnight at our hotel.

This morning, we depart from Oxford and journey to London. On arrival we enjoy an abbreviated tour ‘by bus’ of the historic city of London, which provides many places to visit. We are afforded the unique opportunity to ‘make our own pilgrimage’ to see at our own pace the variety of places that London has to offer. We’ll start together with morning Mass at a nearby Catholic church, with the remainder of the day to see and explore the many marvels of this city. Dinner on our own. Overnight in London.

Today, we depart for Aylesford, passing through the Kent countryside to visit The Friars Priory, an ancient religious house of the Order of Carmelites. The word “Aylesford” means “crossing place for all peoples.” In 1242 AD, a group of hermits from Mount Carmel were given land to establish a community by a crusader returning from the Holy Land. In 1538, the Priory changed hands from the Carmelites to private hands at the Reformation and became known as “The Friars.” It was purchased back by the Carmelites in 1949. There, we visit the Shrine of Our Lady of the Assumption and St. Simon Stock. This is where the Blessed Mary presented the Brown Scapular to St. Simon Stock in 1251. We celebrate Mass while there before returning to London, as our next stop is St. Paul’s Cathedral. This cathedral dates to 1666 and was built after the Great Fire of London. We conclude our day with a visit to the London Oratory, also known as the Brompton Oratory, founded by St. John Henry Newman, which serves as the Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Dinner on our own and overnight in London.

This morning, we drive through the town of Rochester, where St. John Fisher was the Bishop for many years. At the time, John Fisher was the only Bishop in England to oppose King Henry VIII. Then we visit the city of Canterbury, one of the most important sites in the spiritual geography of England, with a wealth of historic treasures. To reach Canterbury we drive through Kent, a verdant county of pastureland, which is known as the 'Garden of England'. In the Middle Ages the road to Canterbury was the most travelled road in England, the pilgrimage route to the Shrine of the martyr, St. Thomas a Becket. Other holy men, such as St. Augustine, St. Dunstan, and St. Alphege, also inspired the dedication of monuments in their honor at Canterbury. We stop for lunch on our own along our route and enjoy a guided tour of Canterbury Cathedral where we see St. Becket's Shrine above the High Altar and the Twelve Stained glass Windows that depict his life and miracles. We also view the ruins of St. Augustine's Abbey, the burial place of St. Augustine, England's first Christian missionary, sent here from Rome in 597AD. Mass will be celebrated at a local church along our route. We return to London for dinner on our own and overnight in London.

Today, we visit Westminster Abbey and then embark on a tour of London in the same neighborhood that St. Thomas More attended school. We view the Lincoln Inn where Thomas More studied Civil Law upon his return from Oxford. In the afternoon, following a stop for lunch on our own, we visit the Tower of London where the Royal Family’s Crown Jewels are kept and where Thomas More, and many others such as St. John Fisher, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard were imprisoned before their executions. It is here within the walls of the Tower of London that Thomas More and John Fisher, minus their heads, are buried in unmarked graves in the Royal Chapel of St. Peter in Chains. We also see Tower Hill where Thomas More was beheaded for refusing King Henry VIII’s demand that he swear allegiance to the Act of Succession and to take the Oath of Supremacy of the Crown. Finally, we return to Westminster (Catholic) Cathedral for the 5:30 Mass celebrated with its choir. The Cathedral is dedicated to the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Dinner will be an evening sightseeing cruise along the River Thames. We then return to our hotel for overnight.

- This morning, we travel to Ely Cathedral, formally known as the Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, it was built in 672 AD. It is the oldest original Catholic Church in England and served as a safe haven for Catholics who continued to celebrate the Mass despite the Catholic persecution in the 17th century. The Shrine to St. Etheldreda, an incorrupt Saint, who lived a life of austerity and saved many through her powerful intercessions from Heaven, is nearby. We celebrate Mass at a local church before lunch on our own. The remainder of this final day is on our own to visit your favorite spots in London. We return to London for our “farewell” group dinner and overnight at our hotel.

Today, we transfer to the airport for our return flight home, with memories of a lifetime!