Detailed Itinerary
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Day 1 ✠Saturday – January 3, 2026
Head to your local airport and board your overnight flight(s). Your journey to Italy for the finale of the Holy Year begins now—embrace this once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage!
Day 2 ✠Sunday – January 4, 2026
Benvenuti a Roma! Upon arrival, you’ll be met by your personal driver and transferred to your hotel, ideally located just a short stroll from Vatican City. This afternoon, you may choose to begin your pilgrimage with an optional visit to St. Peter’s Square, where the Papal Nativity and towering Christmas tree stand as luminous symbols of the season. Or, simply wander Rome’s cobblestone streets, linger over an espresso at a café, or take time to rest and absorb the atmosphere of the Eternal City.
In the early evening, we gather for Sunday Mass in the hotel chapel, a quiet and prayerful beginning to our journey. Following Mass, you are warmly invited to a welcome reception, featuring local wine, light refreshments, and conversation that begins to knit our group together as a pilgrim community. We’ll then share our first dinner, a joyful meal of connection and laughter, as we set intentions for the sacred days to come. (D)
Day 3 ✠Monday – January 5, 2026
Today we step into the heart of Catholicism—Vatican City. Our morning begins with a guided tour of the Vatican Museums, a labyrinth of galleries that hold some of the world’s most treasured masterpieces. Marvel at Raphael’s luminous frescoes, ancient classical sculptures, and rooms once walked by popes and princes. The crescendo, of course, is the Sistine Chapel, where Michelangelo’s ceiling lifts your gaze—and spirit—toward heaven itself. Afterward, you’ll have time for a leisurely lunch along Borgo Pio, the charming pedestrian street just steps from St. Peter’s Square. This lively quarter, lined with trattorias and cafés, invites you to savor Roman cuisine or sip an espresso as you watch pilgrims and travelers from across the globe pass by.
In the afternoon, we gather for the most profound moment of the day: a prayerful entrance through the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica. Crossing this threshold during a Jubilee Year is both a physical act and a spiritual one—a passage into grace, renewal, and communion with countless pilgrims who have journeyed here before us. Once inside, you’ll have time to linger amid the basilica’s majesty, from Bernini’s soaring baldachino to Michelangelo’s Pietà. (B, ID)
Day 4 ✠Tuesday – January 6, 2026
This morning, pilgrims are invited to take part in one of the most extraordinary liturgical celebrations of the Church: the Feast of the Epiphany Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica. This solemn liturgy marks not only the culmination of the Christmas season, but also the closing of the Holy Year—a moment steeped in history, beauty, and grace. To stand beneath Michelangelo’s dome as incense rises and the choir fills the basilica is to experience the heartbeat of the universal Church.
After lunch, our pilgrimage continues with a walking tour through the historic heart of Rome, where each piazza tells its own story. We begin at the Spanish Steps, a graceful sweep of marble stairs crowned by the Trinità dei Monti, before strolling to the Trevi Fountain—the Baroque masterpiece where legend says a tossed coin ensures your return to Rome. From there, we pass the majestic Pantheon, its ancient dome still the largest of its kind, and arrive at the lively Piazza Navona, with Bernini’s fountains dancing at its center. Our journey concludes in the bustling Campo de’ Fiori, once a Renaissance marketplace and still alive with flavors, voices, and color. As evening falls, we gather here for a festive “Roman Christmas Dinner,” a joyful culinary celebration to close the Christmas season—sharing food, laughter, and gratitude as our day draws to a close. (B, D)
Day 5 ✠Wednesday – January 7, 2026
Our day begins with the unforgettable experience of the Papal Audience in the Pope Paul VI Auditorium, where pilgrims from around the world gather to receive the Holy Father’s words and blessing. To sit in this space, surrounded by the global Church, is to feel the universality of our faith come alive.
This afternoon, we step into cinematic history at the Church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, home to the famous “Mouth of Truth.” Immortalized in the film Roman Holiday, this ancient marble mask continues to captivate with its blend of legend and charm. From here, we cross the Tiber River into the vibrant neighborhood of Trastevere, a district where ivy-clad façades, cobblestone alleys, and the aroma of espresso capture the essence of Rome. In Trastevere, we visit two of its most beloved churches: Santa Cecilia, with its serene atmosphere and striking Baroque interior, and the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere, one of the oldest churches in Rome, its golden mosaics shimmering like a prayer in light. Afterwards, enjoy time to shop, wander, and soak up the lively spirit of this enchanting quarter.
As evening falls, the neighborhood becomes a feast of flavors. Trastevere is known for its lively trattorias and hidden gems, and tonight you’ll have the chance to choose your own dining adventure. After an evening of exploration and cuisine, we reunite for our transfer back to the hotel. (B, ID)
Day 6 ✠Thursday – January 8, 2026
Today we journey into the very heart of ancient and sacred Rome. Our morning begins at the Colosseum, the iconic arena where history and faith intersect. Once a stage for gladiators and emperors, it also stands as a silent witness to the suffering of early Christians, a place where courage and belief left their indelible mark.
From there, we make our way to the Cathedral of Rome—St. John Lateran. Though many think of St. Peter’s as the Pope’s church, it is here, in the Lateran Basilica, that the official cathedral of the Bishop of Rome stands. The oldest basilica in the Western world, it has been a seat of papal power for centuries. Just across the street we pause at the Scala Sancta, the Holy Stairs that tradition holds were climbed by Christ himself before Pontius Pilate—a moment to pray, reflect, and walk in His footsteps.
After lunch, our pilgrimage continues to the Basilica of St. Mary Major, a jewel of Christian art and devotion. Known as Rome’s great Marian shrine, its golden mosaics shimmer with timeless beauty, and it is now the final resting place of Pope Francis. Here, pilgrims for centuries have sought the intercession of Our Lady, and we join our voices to theirs. Our final sacred stop is the Church of St. Alphonsus Liguori, home to the original icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. This beloved image has inspired countless devotions around the world, and here you’ll be invited to place your intentions, which will be included in the ongoing Perpetual Novena celebrated in this holy space.
We close this extraordinary day with a special dinner featuring the flavors of Roman cucina, a perfect way to reflect, share stories, and savor the richness of pilgrimage together. (B, D)
Day 7 ✠Friday – January 9, 2026
Today we journey into the roots of early Christianity, descending into the Roman Catacombs. These sacred underground passageways, carved into the earth by the first believers, reveal symbols and stories of a faith that endured in secret yet flourished with courage. To walk among these frescoes and tombs is to step into the living memory of the Church’s earliest martyrs and saints.
From there, we continue to the Abbazia delle Tre Fontane, the hallowed site of St. Paul’s martyrdom. Tradition holds that three springs miraculously gushed forth where his head touched the ground after his execution, a sign of his unshakable witness to Christ. Today, the abbey is also home to a community of Trappist monks who continue their rhythm of prayer and labor—among their offerings, a small brewery that echoes monastic traditions centuries old.
Our final sacred stop is the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, one of Rome’s four major basilicas. With its luminous mosaics and tranquil cloisters, it invites pilgrims into a space of both grandeur and peace. The remainder of the afternoon is yours to explore Rome at leisure or shop for last-minute treasures. As evening falls, we gather once more for a special farewell dinner, savoring the richness of Roman cuisine paired with fine wine—a joyful close to our days of faith, discovery, and friendship. (B, D)
Day 8 ✠Saturday – January 10, 2026
This morning, you’ll be transferred to Rome’s Fiumicino Airport to begin your journey home. As we depart, reflect on the incredible memories made during this Holy Year pilgrimage. Hopefully, a coin tossed into the Trevi Fountain ensures that you’ll return to Italy one day. Safe travels! (B)
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​Dining Codes:
B = Breakfast
D = Dinner
ID = Independent Dinner​​​
