Italy Pilgrimage with Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church
Italy Pilgrimage
Ten days in Rome and on Lake Maggiore for the 200th anniversary of the Rosminian Institute of Charity, from St. Peter’s and the Holy Stairs to the Sacra di San Michele and the Borromean Islands, with Mass every day.
Your host parish
Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church
A parish served by the Rosminian Fathers
Blessed Sacrament is one of three parishes in the United States served by the Institute of Charity, the religious order founded by Blessed Antonio Rosmini in 1828. This pilgrimage marks the order’s 200th anniversary.
The parish choir travels with the group, singing at Mass at the Sacra di San Michele and giving recitals in Rome and on Lake Maggiore.
“Adore, be silent and rejoice.”
Blessed Antonio Rosmini
Rosmini’s last counsel to a friend, given at Stresa in 1855. We keep the bicentennial of his Institute of Charity on Lake Maggiore, and celebrate Mass at the Sacra di San Michele, in the care of his Rosminian Fathers since 1837.
Day eight · Sunday, July 2 · Sacra di San Michele, Piedmont
Italy, June 25 to July 4, 2028
Ten days, eight nights in Italy: four in Rome for the papal basilicas, the Holy Stairs and Vatican City, and four in Stresa on Lake Maggiore for the Rosminian bicentennial, the Sacra di San Michele and the Borromean Islands, with Mass each day.
Begins in Rome and ends in Stresa
OvernightVisit
Nights: 4 Rome, 4 Stresa.
Depart for Italy
Our pilgrimage begins as we depart the United States on our overnight flight to Rome, Italy.
Arrival in Rome
Upon arrival at Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport, our local professional tour escort will greet us and accompany us by motorcoach to our hotel. After check-in, we gather this evening for a welcome dinner to begin our pilgrimage together.
The Papal Basilicas and the Holy Stairs
This morning we visit two of Rome’s great papal basilicas. We begin at the Basilica of St. Mary Major, where we celebrate Mass before the icon of Our Lady, long venerated by the faithful as a gift of St. Luke the Evangelist. We continue to the Basilica of St. John Lateran, the Cathedral of Rome and the mother church of all churches in the world.
We ascend the adjacent Holy Stairs (Scala Sancta) on our knees in prayer, venerating the marble steps that tradition holds Christ himself climbed at His Passion, brought to Rome from Jerusalem by St. Helena, mother of the Emperor Constantine. We continue to the Basilica of St. John at the Porta Latina, and the Missionary College of Blessed Antonio Rosmini, where we visit with the Rosminian seminarians and present a short recital in the basilica.
Papal Audience and Vatican City
We set out early to take our places in St. Peter’s Square by 7:30 for the Wednesday General Audience with the Holy Father. Following the audience, we celebrate Mass at a church near the Vatican. In the afternoon we visit the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel, where Michelangelo’s ceiling and Last Judgment draw the eye and the heart toward heaven, and conclude at St. Peter’s Basilica, built over the tomb of St. Peter the Apostle, the first pope, where we pray before Michelangelo’s Pietà and stand beneath Bernini’s great bronze canopy above the papal altar.
Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul and Santi Ambrogio e Carlo al Corso
On the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, patrons of Rome, we walk through the heart of the city, from the Pantheon to the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. In the afternoon we continue along the Via del Corso to the Basilica of Santi Ambrogio e Carlo al Corso, entrusted to the care of the Rosminian Fathers, where we join the celebration of Holy Mass, followed by a reception.
Depart Rome for Stresa
This morning we bid farewell to Rome as we fly north to Milan. Upon arrival, we continue by motorcoach to the charming lakeside town of Stresa, beautifully situated on the shores of Lago Maggiore and surrounded by the breathtaking scenery of the Italian Alps. After checking into our hotel and taking time to settle in, we gather this evening to enjoy dinner together.
Rosminian Bicentennial Celebrations
Today we visit the International Centre for Rosminian Studies and join the main celebrations for the 200th anniversary of the founding of the Rosminian Institute of Charity, set against the peaceful backdrop of Lago Maggiore.
Sacra di San Michele and Sant’Ambrogio di Torino
Following breakfast, we journey by bus to the Sacra di San Michele, the mountaintop Monastery of St. Michael, which has been entrusted to the care of the Rosminian Fathers since 1837 and is the final resting place of the Kings of Savoy. There we celebrate Holy Mass; our choir has the privilege of leading the congregation in song.
The Borromean Islands and Choir Recital
This morning we set out to enjoy an excursion to the picturesque Borromean Islands of Lake Maggiore, renowned for their beautiful gardens, historic villas, and breathtaking alpine scenery. In the afternoon, our choir presents a recital at a local retirement community, bringing comfort and inspiration through song.
Return Home
After breakfast, we transfer to the Milan Airport for our return flight home, renewed in spirit and blessed by the sacred places we’ve visited and the time spent in community.
What’s included
Everything below is covered by the package price.
Your hotels in Rome and Stresa
Four-star hotels throughout: four nights in Rome and four nights in Stresa on the shore of Lake Maggiore. Hotels are subject to final confirmation; if a hotel changes, it is replaced with one of the same standard.
“As a Catholic family, they understand the meaning of a pilgrimage.”
“Working with Canterbury has consistently been a positive experience for me and for my pilgrimage participants and Parishioners.”
“They go out of their way to accommodate the group’s needs.”
Questions pilgrims ask
Short answers to what most people want to know before they put down a deposit.
It is a touring pilgrimage by motorcoach, with one flight from Rome to Milan. Expect about 2 to 3 miles of walking on a typical day in Rome, with cobblestones and stairs, the Holy Stairs climbed on your knees for those who wish, and the steep climb at the Sacra di San Michele; the days on Lake Maggiore are gentler. Days usually start with a wake-up call around 7am, departure by 9am and a return to the hotel between 5pm and 6pm.
You can have a room to yourself, with a single room supplement of $995, or share a room. If you would like to share, we will do our best to match you with a roommate. If we cannot find a match by March 27, 2028, the single room supplement applies. Couples, families, friends and singles are all welcome, and plenty of pilgrims come on their own.
Lunches, donations at Masses, souvenirs and laundry. A typical lunch costs about $15 to $20. Tips for restaurant and hotel staff are included; tips for your tour director and driver are at your discretion: as a guide, $8 to $10 per person per day for your tour guide and $6 to $8 for your driver. Travel insurance if you choose it, and a 3% fee if you pay by card. Abroad, we recommend paying for most things by credit card, which is accepted almost everywhere and comes with protection that cash does not; bring a couple hundred U.S. dollars in cash for emergencies. When a card machine or ATM asks whether to pay in dollars or in the local currency (euros in Italy), choose the local currency; it is almost always cheaper.
Cancel in writing. Up to March 27, 2028 (90 days before departure), everything you have paid is returned except $200. After that date, the $450 deposit and any costs we cannot recover are kept. Travel insurance may cover a cancellation, depending on the reason.
The group travels from Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, a parish served by the Rosminian Fathers, with the parish choir.
More answers in the FAQ below and in our Support Center, or call us at +1 (800) 653-0017.
Price per person
Per person, including roundtrip group airfare. If you book your own flights, the price is reduced by $1,000.
Shared rooms are always doubles with two beds. If you would like us to match you with a roommate, tell us when you book and we will do our best. Please note that if we cannot find you a match by the final payment date of March 27, 2028, the single room supplement will apply.
Couples, families, friends, singles, all are welcome!
Some pilgrims come as a couple, some bring the whole family, some come with a friend from the parish, and plenty come on their own. Everyone is welcome.
$200 per person is non-refundable.
Final payment is due 90 days before departure. Payment plans are available if you would like to make smaller payments before then.
Check
ACH bank transfer
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Cash, money order or cashier’s check
Italy for the Rosminian bicentennial
June 25 to July 4, 2028, with Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church. Reserve today with a $450 deposit per pilgrim.
Questions? Call +1 (800) 653-0017 or email hello@canterburypilgrimages.com.
Secure your spot today with a $450 deposit per pilgrim.
Frequently asked questions
This is an active program that covers a good amount of ground each day. Expect a wake-up call around 7am, departure by 9am and a return to the hotel between 5pm and 6pm. You should be able to walk 2 to 3 miles a day at a moderate pace, with uneven surfaces, stairs, cobblestones and some steep slopes, including the climb at the Sacra di San Michele.
Yes. Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond the return date, and passport cards are not accepted for international travel. We need your passport details at least 90 days before departure.
Rates are per person based on two pilgrims sharing a room. Shared rooms are always doubles with two beds. If you are travelling alone we will try to match you with a roommate of the same gender; if we cannot, the single room supplement applies.
Yes. Arranging your own airfare lets you use airline miles, choose your seats or travel on different dates, and the price is reduced by $1,000 per person. Tell us at registration so we can line your arrival up with the group’s in Rome on June 26 and its departure from Milan on July 4.
Final payment is due on March 27, 2028, 90 days before departure. Payment plans are available if you would like to make smaller payments before then.
We strongly encourage travel insurance for all of our pilgrims, and we partner with Allianz Travel Insurance to offer affordable coverage. Most of our pilgrims choose the Classic Plan. Insurance can be quoted and purchased after registration.
A pilgrimage is not a vacation or excursion but a unique spiritual journey that provides many opportunities to deepen your relationship with God and enrich your Catholic faith by bringing Scripture to life. Pilgrimages offer the opportunity to let Christ draw you near.
More questions are answered in our Support Center, covering booking, payments, travel insurance, passports and what to expect on pilgrimage.
