A great sabbatical component!
This program immerses the pilgrim in original Franciscan stories, with time to deepen an awareness of Franciscan history, spirituality and the Rules which guide the Franciscan way of life. You will explore significant places that played a role in the conversion process of SS. Francis and Clare and their followers, visiting sanctuaries that shorter programs cannot include. The hidden power of sacred places will be experienced through extensive lectures, rituals, prayer, Eucharistic celebrations, study and process time shared with pilgrim companions. In addition to visiting most of the significant sites in Assisi, you will spend time in the Rieti Valley and Rome, and experience the beauty of La Verna, Lago Trasimeno, and Cortona.
Details (Actual program may differ slightly) Overseas flight to Rome ROME [4 Days] You will visit St. Peter’s Basilica, St. John Lateran, (the baptistry of the Franciscan Order and the Vatican of Francis’ day), Tagliacozzo, where Thomas of Celano is buried, and San Francesco a Ripa. RIETI [4 Days] Visits to the sanctuaries include: Fonte Colombo, Poggio Bustone, La Foresta and Greccio where Francis dramatized the Christmas event. ASSISI [15 Days] Every significant place associated with SS. Francis and Clare will be visited, accompanied by lectures, readings, study and prayer. Lago Trasimeno, Le Celle di Cortona and La Verna are one day excursions. ROME Depart for USA.
Sample Pilgrimage Program. Franciscan Study Pilgrimage to Assisi and Rome
The actual program schedule varies according to length and days of the week. (E.g.; A Papal Audience is possible only on Wednesdays). This example is provided to give the pilgrim a general idea of the pilgrimage content. Your program will have differences.
Sample Pilgrimage
Day 1 Departure Day
Day 2
- Leonardo da Vinci Airport, also known as Fiumicino Airport
- 2:30 Bus departs for Rome Arrival – Hotel Casa Tra Noi (CTN) Room assignments / settling in
- 6:00 Ritual – Distribution of Pilgrim’s Companion to Franciscan Places Orientation and money exchange
- 7:30 Cena (evening meal)
Day 3
- 06:45 AM Depart for St. Peter’s Basilica
- 07:45 Eucharist at the Tomb of St. Peter
- 08:45 Breakfast at a local café
- 09:30 Meet at Information Center
- 10:00 Visit — St. Peter’s
- 01:00 PM Pranzo (midday meal) at CTN
- 04:30 Lecture
- 05:30 Lecture
- 06:30 Introductions of each other
- 07:30 Cena
Day 4
- 08:00 AM Breakfast
- 08:45 Depart for Papal Audience
- 10:30 Papal Audience
- 01:00 PM Pranzo at CTN
- 03:00 Bus departs for San Francesco a Ripa and tour of Rome
- 04:00 Visit and Eucharist — San Francisco a Ripa
- 06:00 Walking tour of Rome; Cena out on one’s own
Day 5
- 08:00 AM Breakfast
- 09:00 Bus departs for St. John Lateran
- 09:30 Visit
- 10:30 Ritual prelude; Eucharist
- 12:00 PM Bus returns to CTN
- 01:00 Pranzo
- 02:30 Bus departs for Tagliacozzo
- 05:00 Lecture
- 06:00 Eucharist
- 07:00 Cena; Bus returns to CTN
Day 6
- 08:00 AM Breakfast; Free morning to visit Sistine; Chapel / Vatican Museums / etc
- 12:30 PM Pranzo at CTN
- 01:30 Bus departs for Rieti
- 03:30 Arrival at Convento Sant’ Antonio al Monte (CSA)
- 06:30 Orientation
- 07:00 Prayer — preparation for Poggio Bustone
- 07:30 Cena at CSA
Day 7
- 07:30 AM Breakfast
- 08:15 Bus departs for Poggio Bustone
- 09:30 Eucharist
- 10:30 Climb to sanctuary
- 12:15 PM Bus returns
- 01:00 Pranzo at CSA
- 05:30 Lecture
- 07:00 Cena at CSA
- 08:00 Prayer: preparation for Greccio
Day 8
- 08:00 AM Breakfast
- 08:45 Bus departs for Greccio
- 10:00 Eucharist
- 11:00 Visit
- 12:00 PM Bus returns to CSA
- 01:00 Christmas pranzo
- 05:30 Lecture
- 06:30 Prayer — preparation for Fonte Colombo
- 07:00 Cena
- 08:00 Walk into Rieti
Day 9
- 7:30 AM Breakfast
- 08:30 Bus departs for Fonte Colombo
- 09:00 Eucharist
- 10:00 Visit ; Renewal of Commitment
- 12:30 PM Bus returns
- 01:00 Pranzo at CSA
- 05:30 Lecture
- 06:30 Faith sharing
- 07:30 Cena
Day 10
- 07:30 AM Breakfast
- 08:00 Bring luggage from rooms
- 08:15 Bus departs for La Foresta
- 08:30 Eucharist; Historical visit
- 11:30 Bus returns to CSA
- 12:00 PM Pranzo
- 01:30 Bus departs for Assisi
- 04:00 Arrival at Casa Papa Giovanni (CPG) in Assisi
- 06:00 Orientation; Walk through Assisi centro
- 07:30 Cena at CPG
Day 11
- 07:30 AM Prayer on Roof Garden
- 08:00 Breakfast
- 09:00 Eucharist
- 10:30 Lecture
- 11:30 Historical visit – Piazza Comune
- 01:00 PM Pranzo at CPG; Reposo (rest) and reading
- 04:00 Depart for Rocca Maggiore
- 04:30 Historical visit / prayer
- 07:30 Cena at CPG
Day 12
- 08:00 AM Breakfast
- 09:00 Eucharist — Chiesa Nuova; Historical visit
- 01:00 PM Pranzo
Day 13
- 07:30 AM Reflection on San Damiano Crucifix
- 08:00 Breakfast
- 08:45 Depart for Santa Chaira; Personal prayer before the San Damiano Crucifix
- 09:30 Taxis depart for San Damiano
- 10:00 Eucharist; Ritual of the Stones; Historical visit; Pranzo out on one’s own
- 06:00 PM Lecture
- 07:30 Cena at CPG
Day 14
- 07:30 AM Breakfast
- 08:15 Depart for city bus
- 08:45 Bus departs for Porziuncola
- 09:30 Eucharist
- 10:30 Historical visit
- 12:00 PM Picnic ritual
- 05:30 Lecture; Reflection / faith sharing
- 07:30 Cena at CPG
Day 15
8:00 AM Breakfast
Day 16
- 07:30 AM Breakfast
- 08:15 Depart for bus stop
- 08:45 City bus to Rivo Torto; Historical visit
- 09:30 Lecture
- 10:30 Walk to La Maddalena; Refreshment break
- 11:30 Eucharist
- 12:30 PM Taxis return to Assisi
- 01:00 Pranzo
- 04:00 Lecture
- 04:30 Depart for San Rufino; Visit
- 05:30 Baptismal Ritual; Ritual of Departure
- 07:30 Cena at CPG
Day 17
- 08:00 AM Breakfast
- 08:45 Lecture
- 10:00 Depart for Bastia via taxis
- 10:30 Visit
- 11:00 Eucharist; Renewal of Vows
- 12:15 PM Return to CPG
- 01:00 Pranzo at CPG
- 06:00 Lecture
- 07:30 Cena at CPG
Day 18
- 07:30 AM Breakfast
- 08:15 Lecture
- 09:30 Taxis depart for San Damiano
- 10:00 Eucharist
- 11:30 Healing ritual
- 12:15 PM Taxis return
- 01:00 Pranzo at CPG
- 05:30 Lecture
- 07:00 Evening Prayer
- 07:30 Cena at CPG
Day 19
- 06:45 AM Breakfast
- 07:30 Bus departs for Cortona; Introduction to Margaret of Cortona
- 09:30 Eucharist
- 11:00 Bus departs for Passignano
- 12:00 PM Boat ride across Lago Trasimeno to Isola Maggiore; Ritual Quiet time for prayer and reflection
- 04:00 Boat returns
- 05:00 Bus returns to Assisi
- 06:00 Cena at Il Paradiso Ristorante
Day 20
- 07:00 AM Breakfast
- 07:30 Depart for Santa Chiara
- 08:00 Eucharist at the Tomb of St. Clare; Historical visit
- 12:00 PM Lecture
- 01:00 Pranzo at CPG; Free afternoon; Cena out on one’s own
Day 21
- 0 6:45 AM Breakfast
- 07:30 Depart for Porta Nuova
- 08:00 Bus departs for La Verna; Office of the Passion — prayed on the bus
- 09:45 Arrival at La Verna; Bar break
- 10:15 Historical visit
- 12:00 PM Eucharist — Stigmata Chapel
- 01:00 Picnic lunches; Personal mountain visit
- 03:00 Procession
- 04:00 Bus returns to Assisi
- 07:30 Cena at CPG
Day 22
- 07:30 AM Breakfast
- 08:00 Lecture
- 09:00 Taxis depart for Carceri
- 09:30 Historical visit
- 10:00 Eucharist; Personal visit
- 12:15 PM Taxis return
- 01:00 Pranzo at CPG
- 06:00 Lecture; Cena out on one’s own
Day 23
- 0 8:00 AM Breakfast
- 08:30 Depart for Basilica of St. Francis
- 09:00 Eucharist at the Tomb of Francis; Historical visit
- 01:00 PM Pranzo at CPG
- 05:00 Evaluation
- 06:00 Lucernarium; Cena out on one’s own
Day 24
- 08:00 AM Breakfast; Free morning; Packing
- 12:30 PM Closing Eucharist
Day 25
- 04:00 AM Depart Casa Papa Giovanni
- 04:30 Bus departs from Porta Nuova; Arrival at Rome’s Fiumicino airport
- 09:40 AM Flight departs Rome
September 10 – October 4, 2023 • Twenty-Five Days
Pilgrimage
only- Single Room $450 additional
Pilgrimage cost includes: pensioni that is clean, comfortable, secure and well located; three meals per day with few exceptions; transportation by air-conditioned coach; all tips, offerings and sanctuary fees; full services of staff; daily input with lectures and conferences. Snacks and shopping not included. NEW FOR 2023: To offer you the most flexibility in making flight arrangements, we have decided to offer Land Only prices for our pilgrimages this year. If you would like to use a travel agent to book your flights, please contact Barbara Witkowski, at Rex Travel (1.800.777.7739). We ask that all pilgrims meet our staff at Fiumicino Airport (Rome) or Ben Gurion Airport (Tel Aviv) outside of Customs at noon on Day 2 of the pilgrimage (Day 1 is a travel day). Our buses will leave soon thereafter. If you miss the bus, you will be responsible to meet the group at your first hotel.