2025 Jubilee: Italy Pilgrimage with St. Matthew Catholic Church

Our pilgrimage begins as we depart Miami (MIA) on our overnight fight(s) to Rome, Italy. Drinks and meals will be served during our flight(s).

In the morning, we will head to Saint Peter’s Square for the Papal general audience with Pope Francis (subject to the Pope’s schedule). Afterward, we will have a private Mass nearby. Following a brief lunch break, we’ll embark on a tour of the Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica. Dinner and overnight in Rome.

We will have the opportunity to walk through the Holy Door at St. Peters Basilica

After breakfast, we will embark on a historic tour of Ancient Rome. We will stroll along cobblestone streets, lined with majestic stone pines, and visit the Colosseum, a grand amphitheater of the ancient world. Passing by the Roman Forum, we will witness the ruins of ancient government buildings. Our next stop is the San Gregorio Magno al Cielo Convent, the Roman motherhouse of the Missionaries of Charity, where we can connect with the spirit of Saint Teresa of Calcutta. Dinner and overnight in Rome.

Today is dedicated to the Major Basilicas. We will start at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls and visit the burial site of St. Paul, next we’re off to the Church of St. Mary Major where pilgrims can view what is said to be the wood relics of the Holy Crib of the Nativity of Jesus. And finally, we visit the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, the “Mother of all Churches in the World,” and the cathedral of the Diocese of Rome. Here, we will celebrate Mass and have the opportunity to climb the Lateran Steps. After our tours in Rome, we will board our motorcoach and transfer to Assisi. Dinner and overnight in Assisi.

We will have the opportunity to walk through the Holy Doors at each Basilica

After breakfast, we start our day with Mass and a tour at the Basilica di San Francesco d’Assisi. After lunch, we will proceed to the Basilica di Santa Chiara to see the Saint’s body and pray for her intercession in front of the San Damiano Cross. St. Clare was the foundress of the Order of Poor Clare’s. Next, we will visit the Cathedral of San Ruffino, Chiesa Nuova and San Damiano, where Saint Clare built her community. We will also visit Santuario della Spogliazione, to view the tomb of Blessed Carlo Acutis, the first millennial to be declared Blessed and is set to be canonized. Dinner and overnight in Assisi.

Morning departure for the medieval city of Siena, St. Catherine’s home. We’ll visit the Duomo di Siena celebrate mass and adore the Eucharistic Miracle of Siena: consecrated hosts that have remained uncorrupted for over 200 years! Before we return to Assisi, we will make a stop in Rivotorto where St. Francis of Assisi started his life of austerity. We return to Assisi to visit St. Mary of the Angels where St. Francis spent most of his life. Here we’ll visit the Chapel Portiuncola, the rose bush and the cave where the saint retired for prayer. Dinner and overnight in Assisi.

Today we will make our way down into the valley of Assisi where we visit the beautiful Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels, home of the Chapel Portiuncula, where St. Francis lived and worked after founding the Franciscan order, and where Mother Mary appeared to Francis in 1216.After lunch our journey continues southward to Orvieto, a city perched atop a volcanic rock, offering stunning views of the surrounding valley. Here, we will visit the site of the Eucharistic Miracle of Orvieto, a significant event dating back to 1263. The stained corporal, displaying the stains of the Precious Blood, is housed in a golden reliquary in the Chapel of the Corporal. Here we will celebrate Mass. After visiting Orvieto, we will board our motorcoach and head to Rome. Farewell dinner and overnight in Rome.

With a renewed sense of pilgrimage and an invigorated love of our Catholic faith, we will board our plane for our flight(s) home.