0919BA7 - Tyburn Martyrs & England’s Catholic Heritage 11 days from Pittsburgh

Today, we depart from Pittsburg on our overnight flight to London. We enjoy 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 into London, where we enjoy a panoramic tour of the city highlighting some of the world's most famous landmarks, Trafalgar Square, Nelson's column, Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, and Piccadilly. Our drive includes a visit to the beautiful Westminster Abbey, the coronation church and burial place of English monarchs since William the Conqueror was crowned here on Christmas Day 1066AD, by the archbishop of Canterbury. We enjoy a late lunch on our own by the River Thames and a private Mass before transferring to our hotel. The remainder of the afternoon is at leisure before our special “Welcome” dinner and overnight at our London hotel.

Today after breakfast, our guided tour of London includes many famous sites, blending the traditions of the past with all the vibrancy of a modern millennium city. We visit Westminster Cathedral, which was finished in 1903 in the Christian Byzantine style. Cardinal Manning chose the site in 1884, which had been in disuse since the Reformation (note that freedom for Catholic worship was not allowed until 1828). We marvel at vastness and fine proportions of this Catholic cathedral and such interesting items as the 15th century alabaster statue of Virgin and Child. We attend a private Mass at the cathedral (subject to availability). Following a break for lunch on our own, we visit St Ethelreda's Church, Ely Place before concluding our day at the ancient Tower of London and view the crown jewels. This evening, dinner is on our own. We can choose from London’s many popular restaurants. Overnight at our hotel

This morning after breakfast, 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 traveled 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. Upon arrival we celebrate a private mass at St Thomas of Canterbury RC Church (subject to availability). We enjoy a lunch on our own and a guided tour of Christchurch 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. Dinner and overnight at our hotel in London.

Today after breakfast, we journey westwards from London to Windsor Castle and view the splendor 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. 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 of an ancient university, is one of most famous and interesting towns in Europe. The university was first mentioned in the 12th century and one of the many theories about how it began was that it developed from the monastic schools of St. Frideswide's priory. We enjoy a walking tour of the classically beautiful colleges, including a visit to Christ Church College. We return to London in time for dinner on our own and an evening at leisure. We celebrate a private Mass (at the church closest to the hotel/ this could be at the beginning 8am or at the end of the day) with transfer included. We return to our hotel in London for overnight.

This morning after breakfast, we leave London and journey southwestwards to the beautiful cathedral town of Winchester, the capital of England during the reign of King Alfred the Great. This beautiful cathedral has the longest nave in Europe and is on the same site as the Saxon cathedral. The relics of St. Hedda, Bishop of Winchester are still in the cathedral, as are the relics of St. Swithin, Bishop of Winchester, which are buried under the shrine in the cathedral. One of the best-loved of English saints, St. Swithin was famous for his charity and church building. We continue our journey to holy Glastonbury, the first Christian settlement in England. According to legend Our Lord himself walked here in Glastonbury and the Mother of God sailed here from the Holy Land. They also tell of the coming of St. Joseph of Arimathea, who planted the famous Glastonbury thorn, which flowers at Old Christmas each year. Many other Saints were venerated at Glastonbury. We enjoy a tour of the site and town and view the thorn, the emotive and beautiful ruins of the Abbey of Glastonbury, where we celebrate Mass at St. Mary's Church. We then drive to the lovely Georgian City of Bath for dinner and overnight at our hotel.

We start the day with a private Mass at St John the Evangelist's Church (subject to availability). After Mass we enjoy breakfast at our hotel. Bath was founded by the Romans but with the coming of St. Boenna, a disciple of St. Patrick, a Christian presence was established. We visit the fine Roman Baths and Pump rooms and the beautiful Bath Abbey, with its soaring fan-vaulted ceiling. After a stop for lunch on our own, we drive through the Cotswold to Stratford-Upon-Avon, the birthplace of the literary genius Sir William Shakespeare. Here, we visit the birthplace of the bard and enjoy photo stops at Holy Trinity Church and his wife Anne Hathaway's picturesque little cottage. We enjoy dinner and overnight at our hotel in Stratford-Upon-Avon.

This morning after breakfast, we leave the midlands and journey to York arriving by lunchtime. York is one of England's finest and most beautifully preserved historic cities. Here St. Constantine was proclaimed Emperor of the Roman Empire. After lunch on our own, we enjoy a walking tour of the historic center, taking in the narrow medieval cobbled streets known as the 'shambles'. We visit the Cathedral of St. Peter, York Minster (closed for groups on Sundays/except for pilgrims), estimated to contain more than half of all medieval stained glass in England! We see the beautiful Rose Window and the Great East Window, which depicts the beginning and the end of the world in over a hundred small scenes taken from the Books of Genesis and Revelation. Hidden on a side street in the “Shambles” District of York, is a shrine of a notable saint, St. Margaret Clitherow. Born in 1556 of Catholic parents she was under the eye of anti-Catholic spies and arrested and imprisoned for two years for starting a “Catholic School”. She secretly harbored priests and stored their garments while they were away. Her home was raided, and the secret revealed. She was sentenced to death in1586AD and on March 25 executed by the placement to a heavy door loaded with large stones but before they put that on her, they placed a rock under her spine so that her back would break in the process! She was pregnant at the time of her execution. We attend a private Mass at York Oratory (subject to availability) We enjoy dinner and overnight at our hotel in York.

This morning after breakfast, we start our day with a visit to the famous Jorvik Viking Center where a time-car journey takes us back 1,000 years to an accurate reconstruction of Viking York. We will also see the amazing 20th century excavation, which revealed a whole Viking Street, which has been carefully preserved. Afterwards we drive the short distance north of York to visit Ripon, one of the three original Christian centers of Yorkshire. Here we view the original crypt of St. Wilfrid's Saxon Church, which is enclosed, in Ripon cathedral. St. Wilfrid was most active in missionary work and initiated the great English missions to the Continent, which were to bring the light of Christ to all Northwest Europe. While here we celebrate Mass. Return to York for dinner and overnight at our hotel.

This morning after breakfast, we enjoy Mass at a local church before travelling south to London, arriving in time for our “farewell” dinner and overnight at our hotel.

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