Marian Pilgrimage to Fatima and Lourdes

ITINERARY

Day 1: Wednesday, October 1 - Depart for Portugal

Depart the USA for overnight flights to Lisbon, Portugal.

Day 2: Thursday, October 2 - Lisbon | Fatima

Upon arrival in Lisbon, meet your local Catholic tour manager, who will remain with the group from Fatima to Lourdes. Board a private motorcoach for Fatima and stop at the Church of the Holy Miracle in Santarem, time permitting. Proceed to world-famous Fatima for a welcome dinner and overnight.

Day 3: Friday, October 3 - Fatima

Celebrate morning Mass at the Chapel of Apparitions, then visit Aljustrel, where the children lived, and Valinhos, where Our Lady appeared after the children returned from prison. Follow the Stations of the Cross along the Via Sacra that culminates in the Chapel of Calvary, which overlooks all of Fatima. Visit the church where the children were baptized, enjoying the remainder of the day for private devotions. In the evening, join pilgrims from around the world in an evening candlelight procession. Experience local dining on your own and an overnight in Fatima.

Day 4: Saturday, October 4 - Coimbra | Bom Jesus | Santiago de Compostela

Travel to the city of Coimbra to celebrate Mass in the Carmelite cloister where Sister Lucia lived. Continue to Santiago de Compostela, following the pilgrimage route, the Way of St. James. Stop for a visit to the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte, Portugal’s most photographed church. Wine tasting lunch included on this day. Check into your hotel for a group dinner and overnight in Santiago de Compostela.

Day 5: Sunday, October 5 - Santiago de Compostela

This morning, visit the beautiful cathedral in Santiago de Compostela and participate in the morning Pilgrim Mass to see the swinging Botafumeiro, an iron censer suspended by a two-hundred-foot rope. The remainder of the day is unscheduled for prayer, devotions or relaxation. Dinner on your own and overnight in Santiago de Compostela.

Day 6: Monday, October 6 - Santiago de Compostela | Burgos

Begin the day with a brief walk on the famous Camino trail. Continue to Burgos and celebrate Mass at the Cathedral, followed by a tour. Enjoy time at leisure for shopping or strolling along the Paseo del Espolon, a tree-lined promenade along the Rio Arlanzon, landscaped with sculptures, fountains and manicured gardens. Enjoy a group dinner in the “gastronomic capital of Spain”. Overnight in Burgos.

Day 7: Tuesday, October 7 - Burgos | Loyola | Lourdes

Depart early from Burgos to Lourdes, France through the Pyrenees Mountains, stopping enroute in Loyola, Spain, the birthplace of St. Ignatius. Visit the 17th-century basilica dedicated to St. Ignatius and his family home. Celebrate Mass in the room where Ignatius experienced his conversion. Proceed to Lourdes and check in to your hotel. Join pilgrims from around the world in the candlelight procession, followed by dinner on your own and overnight in Lourdes.

Day 8: Wednesday, October 8 - Lourdes

Celebrate Mass at the Grotto, followed by a guided tour of Lourdes. Visit the Sanctuary, the Basilica of St. Pius X and the baths where hundreds of miraculous cures have taken place. See a video presentation telling the story of Lourdes. Free time is provided for private devotions and the evening candlelight procession. Overnight in Lourdes.

Day 9: Thursday, October 9 - Lourdes

Celebrate Mass and walk in the footsteps of St. Bernadette, seeing Boly Mill where St. Bernadette was born and the Cachot, an abandoned prison where Bernadette’s impoverished family lived. Walk the life-sized Stations of the Cross, attend the blessing of the sick, and participate in the nightly candlelight procession. Conclude with a farewell dinner to celebrate your spiritual journey.

Day 10: Friday, October 10 - Return to USA

Departure for Toulouse airport and return flights back to the USA.

Itinerary is tentative and subject to change