Day 1 September 4, 2025 Overnight flight
Check-in at Orlando airport for overnight flight to Venice.

Day 2 - September 5, 2025 - Venice
Upon arrival at Venice airport, we will be met by our Marian Pilgrimages representative and driver who will remain with us for the duration of our pilgrimage. We will transfer to our hotel and after checking into our rooms and have time to relax before dinner.

Day 3 September 6, 2025 Venice
This morning, we will celebrate the opening Mass of our pilgrimage in St. Marks Basilica and afterwards have time to admire its luminous mosaics. St. Marks Basilica is truly an unforgettable sight and considered one of Italys best loved tourist attractions. Our guide will take us through this amazing city which is a true open-air museum with such memorable sights as Rialto Bridge, the Bridge of Sighs and the Doges Palace. After free time for lunch, we will take a journey along one of the worlds great aquatic thoroughfares, The Grand Canal, gliding past elegant palazzos, once the homes of wealthy merchants. The remainder of the afternoon will be at leisure with the opportunity to enjoy a gondola ride (payable locally).

Day 4 September 7, 2025 Padua
This morning, we will depart Venice and travel to Padua where we will celebrate Mass in the Basilica of St. Anthony. As our guide takes us through the basilica, a treasure trove of masterful art and spectacular architecture, we will hear also of episodes in the life of St. Anthony. We will continue our drive to Florence and after checking into our hotel and have time to relax before dinner.

Day 5 September 8, 2025 Florence
After morning Mass, we will meet our guide who will take us on a walking tour of Florence visiting such sights as the Church of Santa Maria Novella, Cathedral of St. Mary of the Flower, and the famous Piazza della Signoria where we will have time at leisure for lunch. In the afternoon we will visit the famous Uffizi Gallery, known worldwide for its collections of ancient sculptures and paintings from the Middle Ages to the Modern-day period. The collections of paintings from the 14th century and Renaissance period include such masterpieces by Giotto, Michelangelo, and Caravaggio, to name but a few.

Day 6 September 9, 2025 Assisi
This morning, we will drive through the Green Heart of Italy to the town of Assisi, birthplace of St. Francis & St. Clare, and resting place of Blessed Carlo Acutis. After free time for lunch we will visit the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli, a sacred place for Franciscans, and home to the Chapel of the Porziuncola where Francis began to realise his true calling and where Clare was accepted into the Order. the Chapel of the Transito where Francis died and the famous Rose Garden. We will celebrate Mass and afterwards have time for private prayer.

Day 7 September 10, 2025 - Assisi
This morning, we will celebrate Mass at the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi and afterwards meet our guide who will take us through the basilica where we can admire the impressive frescoes. As we walk through the medieval town we will hear of the lives of both St. Francis and St. Clare and how they relinquished lavish lifestyles in favour of a life of charity and prayer. Our tour will conclude in the Basilica of St. Clare, home to the original San Damiano Cross which has been carefully preserved through the centuries and tomb of the founder of the Order of the Poor Clares. The name Carlo Acutis became known throughout the world when on the 10th of October 2020, in the presence of his parents and siblings, he was beatified in the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. The young Carlo had the capacity to enjoy life in a simple way, and just like St. Francis of Assisi was not impressed by material things. After free time for lunch, we will visit the Sanctuary of the Spoliation, the resting place of the first millennial beatified, and future saint, and where the young Francis of Assisi publicly relinquished his lavish lifestyle. In this place of great significance, will hear more of the life of Blessed Carlo Acutis and have time for private prayer at his Tomb.

Day 8 September 11, 2025 Cascia
This morning, we will check out of our hotel and drive to Cascia, town of St. Rita. We will hear of the fascinating life of St. Rita during her forty years spent in Cascia, with a visit to the monastery where St. Rita lived as an Augustinian nun. In the courtyard we will see the famous well where Rita drew water each day and the vigorous vine with its white grapes which have become the symbol of the obedience of Saint Rita and her spiritual fruitfulness. We will celebrate Mass at the Basilica of St. Rita before continuing our drive to Rome. As we drive to our hotel, we will catch glimpses of some of the many ancient monuments scattered throughout Rome, evidence that the Eternal City has a history and an appeal like no other city in the world.

Day 9 September 12, 2025 St. Peters Basilica & Basilica of St. John Lateran
St. Peters Basilica is without doubt one of the holiest temples of Christendom and home to masterpieces by artists of the calibre of Michelangelo and Bernini amongst countless others. After morning Mass, accompanied by our guide, we will explore the basilica and afterwards have time for prayer at the tombs of the great saints; St. John Paul II and St. John XXIII. After free time for lunch, we will drive to the Basilica of St. John Lateran, the Mother Church of all churches and seat of the Bishop of Rome, Pope Francis. After time for private prayer, we will walk to the nearby Sanctuary of the Holy Stairs. According to tradition, the Holy Stairs are the steps which led up to the praetorium of Pontius Pilate in Jerusalem on which Jesus Christ climbed on his way to trial. The sanctuary attracts millions of pilgrims each year who wish to honour the Passion of Jesus Christ.

Day 10 September 13, 2025 Basilica of St. Mary Major & Walking tour of Rome
The Basilica of St. Mary Major is the largest Catholic Marian Church in Rome and home to the venerated image of Salus Populi Romani; an Icon of the Virgin Mother and Child, credited with saving the city of Rome from the plague during the late sixth century. It is before this icon that Pope Francis prays before embarking, and upon returning from each international Apostolic journey. We will celebrate Mass in this wonderful basilica and afterwards spend time in prayer before this precious image of Salus Populi Romani before This afternoon we will embark on a guided walking tour of Rome. Beginning at Trevi Fountain we will walk through the quaint cobbled streets passing by the Pantheon before arriving in the beautiful Piazza Navona where we will have the remainder of the afternoon at leisure.

Day 11 September 14, 2025 Angelus, Catacombs of St. Sebastian & St. Paul Outside the Walls
This morning, we will gather with fellow pilgrims in St. Peters Square for the Angelus. After free time for lunch, we will drive to the Catacombs of St. Sebastian. Known as one of the Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome, the 12-kilometre-long catacombs owe their name to St Sebastian, a soldier who became a martyr for converting to Christianity. Built above the ancient burial grounds is the basilica which has carefully preserved the arrow that allegedly struck St. Sebastian during his murder and a set of marble footprints, which are attributed to Jesus, during his walk to Rome along the Via Appia. We will celebrate Mass and afterwards drive to the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. Since 1300, the date of the first Holy Year, the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls has been part of the Jubilee itinerary to obtain the indulgence and stands on the site that tradition indicates as that of the burial place of the Apostle Paul, the saints tomb being under the Papal Altar.

Day 12 September 15,2025 - Introduction to Medjugorje
We will drive to Fiumicino airport for our morning flight to Split. On Arrival in Split Airport. Meet your Marian Pilgrimages representative and transfer by coach to Medjugorje, with stunning views of the Dalmatian coastline. Upon arrival, check into your guesthouse near St. James' Church. Enjoy dinner and a group meeting to discuss the pilgrimage schedule and get an introduction into Medjugorje. The afternoon takes us to Blue Cross, a place of many apparitions of Our Lady. It is situated at the base of Apparition Hill where Our Lady appeared to the children and where they were hiding from the communist police at the beginning of the apparitions. Many pilgrims venture here to bask in the peace that emanates from this special area. From Blue Cross, we walk to Vickas old house. Vicka is one of the six Medjugorje visionaries and we visit her old family house to see and to pray in the room where she had apparitions over a long period. After dinner, we can attend the evening prayer programme.

Day 13 - September 15, 2025 - Hill of Apparitions
This morning after breakfast, we gather at the statue of Our Lady to walk through the vineyards, to the Hill of Apparitions (Podbrdo). This has been the traditional route taken by millions of pilgrims. The guides regale us with accounts of the first days of the apparitions, especially the first seven days, and tell us of the great spiritual journey the visionaries undertook. We simply climb, in prayer, to the site of the first apparition, the place where Our Lady first appeared to six frightened children in June of 1981.The Joyful Mysteries greet us at several points of our climb where we pray for a short time. This afternoon there is an optional tour to Cenacolo, which is a community for recovering drug addicts. There is a special lesson to be learned from the residents here, by their hard work, perseverance and prayer. After dinner, we attend the evening programme.

Day 14 - September 16, 2025 - Cross Mountain
Our day begins with breakfast, and we then meet at the base of Cross Mountain (Krizevac) to start our ascent. We pray the Stations of the Cross as we make our way to the summit. Our journey is rewarded by taking time for reflection and prayer by the cross located at the top of the mountain. In 1933, the parish of St. James erected a large concrete cross to commemorate the 1900th Anniversary of Jesus' passion and death on the Cross. We make our descent in time for holy Mass. For all those who cannot climb Cross mountain we organise the Stations of the Way of the cross to be said at the Risen Lord Statue at the same time. In the afternoon, following our climb, we will have some free time. This evening, we have a special treat as our programme director, David Parkes, performs for us in concert with an Evening of prayer through song. David is an internationally acclaimed singer and often travels worldwide singing the word of Our Lord.

Day 15 - September 18, 2025 - Depart
Early morning transfer to Dubrovnik Airport for your flight to Orlando. Depart with enriched faith and cherished memories of this pilgrimage.