Italy is undoubtedly one of the top pilgrimage destinations in the world, especially for Catholics seeking to deepen their faith journey. That's why we're excited to offer the Shrines and Eucharistic Miracles of Italy Pilgrimage, an extraordinary opportunity to explore some of Europe's most magnificent churches and basilicas.

 During this pilgrimage, you will visit some of Italy's most awe-inspiring sites of Eucharistic Miracles, such as Lanciano, Orvieto and Assisi. Countless faithful throughout history have witnessed these miraculous events, some of which date back to the 8th century. These events continue to inspire Christians from all walks of life, even today. We believe that experiencing these miracles firsthand will undoubtedly edify each pilgrim's faith journey in an unforgettable way.

 Don't miss this chance to embark on a life-changing pilgrimage to Italy!

DEPOSIT IS NON-REFUNDABLE

Depart the USA from your local airport. Enjoy a full meal and inflight entertainment (movies, music, etc.) on your overnight flight to Rome, Italy. 

Arrive at Fiumicino International Airport – Leonardo da Vinci in Rome.  Proceed to Baggage Claim and to the Arrivals Hall where just outside, you will be warmly greeted by our local Trinity Tour Travels guide and driver who will accompany you throughout the pilgrimage.  Depending on arrival time, our journey begins at The Papal Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls.  Consecrated in 324, the basilica is located 2 miles from the site of St. Paul’s martyrdom and is where St. Paul was buried after his beheading under Emperor Nero.  Mass is celebrated here this day.  Lunch on your own at the basilica’s café with time to browse the adjoining gift shop.  Special items purchased here can be blessed by the pope at the Audience the following day*. Next, we visit the Church of Domine Quo Vadis, located along the ancient Appian Way. According to Christian tradition, it was here that Saint Peter, fleeing persecution in Rome, encountered the Risen Christ. When Peter asked, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus responded, “I am going to Rome to be crucified again.” This profound moment moved Peter to turn back and accept his martyrdom in Rome. The church contains a copy of the marble slab said to bear the footprints of Christ, a tangible sign of this sacred encounter that continues to inspire pilgrims (the original miraculous footprints are housed at St. Sebastian Church nearby) 

Check-in, dinner & overnight in Rome.  

After an early breakfast at the hotel, we attend the Papal Audience in St Peter’s Square which is celebrated at 9:00am each Wednesday by The Holy See* (contingent on the papal schedule). Pilgrims are encouraged to bring special medals, rosaries, and other religious items to be blessed.  Following the pope’s themed speech and prayers, he offers a general blessing.  Mass nearby followed by lunch on your own before a tour of  the magnificent Vatican Museum (Tapestry Gallery, Raphael Rooms, and the Sistine Chapel).  We end the day at St. Peter’s Basilica where we visit Michelangelo's Pieta and the tomb of St. Pope John Paul II prior to a guided walk through the basilica, which ends underground at the Tomb of St Peter.  

Dinner & overnight in Rome. 

After breakfast at the hotel, we visit the Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major.  Here near the altar, lies the Crypt of the Nativity. Encased in a crystal reliquary are relics traditionally believed to be fragments of the wood from the Holy Crib in which the Infant Jesus was laid in Bethlehem. The basilica also holds the tomb of St. Jerome, Doctor of the Church who translated the Bible into Latin. It was in this sacred church that St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits, offered his first Mass as a priest in 1538. St. Mary Major is also associated with the remarkable Miracle of the Snow. It is also the final resting place of Pope Francis. We continue to the Basilica of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme.  Built to house relics of the Passion of Our Lord, this basilica contains an extraordinary collection: a piece of the True Cross, a nail from the Crucifixion, thorns believed to be from Christ’s Crown, the titulus (the sign placed above Jesus’ head), and even the finger of St. Thomas, the Apostle who touched the Risen Lord’s wounds. We then visit the Papal Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, the cathedral of the Diocese of Rome and the official ecclesiastical seat of the Pope. Known as the Mother of all Churches in the world, it is the oldest of the 4 papal basilicas, originally established by Emperor Constantine in the 4th century. Within its grand interior are colossal statues of the Twelve Apostles, standing as timeless witnesses to the Church’s foundation on their faith. Notably, St. Paul is included in place of St. Matthias, reflecting his foundational role in the spread of the Gospel. The two “holy heads” of Sts. Peter and Paul are enclosed in 2 ornate reliquaries high above the altar in this magnificent basilica.  Across from the basilica we visit the Scala Sancta (Holy Stairs), believed to be the very staircase that Jesus ascended during His Passion to face Pontius Pilate. These marble steps were brought to Rome by St. Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine. Today, they are encased in wood to protect them, but pilgrims can ascend them on their knees as a powerful act of penance and devotion. Small openings in the wooden risers allow glimpses—and sometimes physical contact—with the original marble. Mass time and location to be confirmed.  Lunch on your own nearby and leisure time in the city center for visiting The Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain and Navona Square (schedule permitting).  

Dinner & overnight in Rome. 

After breakfast, we travel southeast along the winding and beautiful Apennine Mountains from Rome to Monte Cassino (2 hours).  We visit the stunning Benedictine Abbey of Monte Cassino, site of the first house of the Benedictine Order established by St. Benedict of Norcia around 529.  A guided tour of the impressive abbey where Mass is celebrated this day. A brief stop at the abbey’s gift shop prior to our departure to San Giovanni Rotondo (3.5 hours).  Lunch on your own en route before arriving to the beloved hometown of St. Pio de Pietrelcina  where the saint spent the last decades of his life prior to his death in 1968. 

Check-in, dinner & overnight in San Giovanni Rotondo  

Breakfast at the hotel and we begin our day learning about Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, the “Home for the Relief of Suffering,” the world-renowned hospital founded by St. Padre Pio in 1956. This institution was not only a medical center, but a mission of mercy—Padre Pio envisioned it as a place where science and prayer would unite to care for the whole person, body, and soul. Today, it stands as a living legacy of his compassion for the sick and suffering and is considered one of the best hospitals in Italy.  We visit the Sanctuary of Santa Maria delle Grazie, where Padre Pio spent most of his priestly life. Here, we visit the confessional where the saint tirelessly heard confessions for hours each day, offering penitents both mercy and spiritual insight—many testified that he had the mystical gift of reading souls. At the nearby Sanctuary of Padre Pio, we venerate his incorrupt body and tour his modest living quarters, which include relics and personal effects that offer a glimpse into his humble and holy life. This afternoon, we travel through the stunning landscape of the Gargano Peninsula to the sacred town of Monte Sant’Angelo, home of the Sanctuary of St. Michael the Archangel (.5 hours). This grotto is one of the most ancient and revered pilgrimage sites in Western Europe. According to tradition, St. Michael the Archangel appeared here in the years 490, 492, and 493, consecrating the cave as a place of divine protection against spiritual warfare. Mass is celebrated here this day with lunch on your own and time to explore this charming medieval village. Return to San Giovanni Rotondo for Candlelight Procession schedule permitting. 

Dinner & overnight in San Giovanni Rotondo. 

Breakfast and check-out and we begin our travel to Assisi.  En route we stop in the town of Lanciano (2 hours). Here at the Church of St. Longinus, we visit the site of what many believe is the greatest Eucharistic Miracle of the Catholic Church. In the 8th century, a monk offering Mass was said to be plagued by doubts regarding transubstantiation.  At pronouncing the words of consecration, the host was miraculously changed into flesh and the wine into blood.  Since that time, countless pilgrims have visited to venerate the monstrance which contains the miracle now scientifically examined and preserved . Mass followed by lunch on your own nearby before our travel to Loreto (2 hours).  Here we visit  the magnificent Marian Shrine, Basilica della Santa Casa.    Inside this revered basilica, we see the Holy House of Nazareth, which, according to tradition, is the very home where the Blessed Virgin Mary was born, raised, and received the Annunciation from the Archangel Gabriel. It is believed to be the place where “the Word was made flesh”,  where Our Lady proclaimed the Magnificat and where the Holy Family lived, raising the child Jesus. Catholic tradition holds that angels miraculously transported the Holy House to Loreto for protection during times of war in the Holy Land. Within the basilica, we also visit the beautiful image of the Madonna of Loreto, one of 500 Black Madonnas throughout Europe. Travel to Assisi (1.5 hours). 

Check-in, dinner & overnight in Assisi. 

After an early breakfast at the hotel, we begin our day tour of Assisi.  We first stroll to the impressive 13th century Basilica of St. Francis which contains a series of frescoes depicting his life as well as houses several of the saint's personal possessions. Here, we also visit the final resting place of this humble saint.  

En route to the main square in Assisi, we visit the birthplace of St. Francis while taking in all the charm of this quaint medieval city!  We stop to tour the Basilica of Santa Chiara (St. Clare),  the spiritual sister and dearest friend of St. Francis, who founded the Order of the Poor Clares.  Here, we see her incorrupt body, along with many of her relics and possessions.  We visit The Santuario della Spogliazione where we see the tomb of St. Carlo Acutis before traveling to Norcia, birthplace of St. Benedict and home of the Monastero di San Benedetto (1.5 hours). Perched above the ancient town of Norcia, this monastery is home to the Benedictine Monks of Norcia. They continue today to live by the Rule of St. Benedict: Ora et Labora: Pray and Work.  To assist the monks is following the Benedictine Rule, “The Birra Nursia” was begun!  The brewing of crafted, award-winning beer provides the opportunity to work, pray and to help fund the reconstruction of the 16th century monastery that was destroyed the earthquake of 2016.  An unforgettable lunch is provided in this beautiful setting while we partake in the fruit of the monks’ labor…a beer tasting!   Return to Assisi this evening for leisure time. Mass time and location to be confirmed. 

Dinner & overnight in Assisi.   

Following breakfast at the hotel, we ride through the beautiful surrounding areas of Assisi in Umbria and Tuscany (1.5 hours) to visit the town of La Verna.  We visit The Sanctuary of La Verna where St. Francis received the stigmata in 1224.  Long considered a serene place for contemplation and prayer, St. Francis was given this location in 1213 as a spiritual center of retreat. A chapel was built for him in 1218 and just years later he would receive the stigmata in this sacred place. Mass is celebrated here this day in one of the many chapels now found there. Lunch on your own in La Verna prior to our return to Assisi. Leisure evening to continue to explore the winding roads and charming alleys of Assisi. 

Dinner & overnight in Assisi. 

Breakfast and check-out before we travel just outside the walls of Assisi, for Holy Mass and to visit The Basilica di Santa Maria degli Angeli (Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels).  It is comprised of two sections; the "Porziuncola", where St. Francis first understood his calling and renounced the world to live in poverty, and the "Capella del Transito",  the small room where St. Francis died in 1226. We visit the beautiful Rose Garden where St Francis and other friars lived, as well as the cave where the humble saint retired to pray.    We begin our travel back south this afternoon to tour the extraordinary town of Orvieto (2 hours).  This small city sits on top of a volcanic rock overlooking the valley below. We tour the magnificent Cathedral of Orvieto, which houses the Eucharistic Miracle of Bolsena-Orvieto which took place in 1263.  The stained corporal bearing  spots of Precious Blood is contained in a golden reliquary in the Chapel of the Corporal.  Lunch on your own in one of the many quaint cafes nearby followed by free time for shopping and exploring before departing to Castel Gandolfo, “The Pope’s City”,  for our special Farewell Dinner. 

Check-in, Farewell Dinner & overnight in Castel Gandolfo.  

Following our final breakfast at the hotel, we bid farewell to this beautiful and holy part of the world and travel back to Rome (Fiumicino International Airport) for our departure to the USA.  Ciao Italia! 

A note from Trinity Tours Travels: 

We are honored to have you travel with us and appreciate your trust in  

Trinity Tour Travels for your pilgrimage!  Though every effort will sincerely be made to follow the above itinerary, it should be considered as a template of the journey, rather than a “contract” of sites to be visited.  There are times when local religious or national holidays, weather, traffic challenges, etc., may cause us to make changes in our schedule.  This MAY result in a change in the sequence of sites visited or, on the rare occasion, the missing of some certain site visits entirely.  

As with all in life, we encourage the acceptance of possible change with a cheerful heart…after all, it is sometimes the unexpected that often makes the most beautiful memories!  Enjoy your trip to the fullest and relish every moment!