8-day pilgrimage to Italy in the footsteps of St. Francis

Arrival to Rome, Italian passport control and security. Visit to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Divine Love, then transfer to a hotel in the vicinity of Rome, check-in, dinner and overnight stay.

Breakfast and drive to Orvieto – the city of a Eucharistic Miracle, where the Corpus Christi feast day was inaugurated. Visit to the Cathedral with the famous Chapel of the Corporal, holy mass. A short panoramic drive to Bolsena, to the Basilica of St. Christina (the Sanctuary of the Eucharistic Miracle), climb down to the catacombs.
A short visit to Bagnoregio – the birthplace of St. Bonaventure. This is one of a few cities in Italy unreachable by car; pilgrims can only get here on foot; it’s located at the very end of long, characteristic bridge.
Dinner and overnight stay.

Breakfast, a whole-day city-tour of Assisi: the Church of San Damiano, where Christ spoke to St. Francis from the cross (now displayed in the Church of St. Clare). Later, a walk through the medieval town: visit to the Basilica of St. Clare and the saint’s relics. Then, the Cathedral of St. Rufinus (where St. Clare and St. Francis were baptised) and lastly the Basilica of St. Francis with his tomb and famous frescos by Giotto. In the afternoon, a short drive down to Porziuncola to visit the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels.
Later, a drive to Rivotorto, where St. Francis stayed for two years (1209–11) and where the Monastic Rule of the Franciscans was written.
Return to the hotel, dinner and overnight stay.

After breakfast, drive to Spoleto where young St. Francis received revelations at the age of 23. Visit to the early-Romanesque churches of San Salvatore and San Ponziano, the Roman theatre ruins, and later Devil’s Bridge. Drive to Perugia, where St. Francis was imprisoned during 13th century wars – visit the cathedral with the tombs of two popes and Mary’s ‘ring’.
In the afternoon, a short stop at Castiglione del Lago on Lake Trasimeno. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

Breakfast and drive to Cascia – the town of St. Rita, holy mass. Later, a drive along a picturesque, mountainous road to Norcia – the birthplace of St. Benedict.
Return to the hotel, dinner and overnight stay.

Breakfast, drive to Gubbio – a medieval town in the north of the Umbria region, where St. Francis talked to a legendary wolf with a cross in his hands. Walk along the medieval streets of Gubbio: visit the cathedral with the rosette, the „doors of death” typical for the town, The Council Palace and lastly some free time to try some typical Umbrian cooking. Later, drive to La Verna – a small Tuscan sanctuary, where in 1224, St. Francis received stigmata.
Return to the hotel, dinner and overnight stay.

After breakfast, drive to some more picturesque places in Umbria. Greccio – where St. Francis organised the first living crib. The idea was to discourage would-be pilgrims from going to Bethlehem. Later, visit to Fonte Colombo – another place, where the Franciscan rule was written and a chapel where Brother Leo celebrated mass. The last place during the pilgrimage – Poggio Bustone: the place where St. Francis sent brothers to different countries in the world.
Return to the hotel, dinner and overnight stay.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport in Rome, check-in and flight back home.