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Religious Tours
12-day Tour
Day 1:
Depart Canada
Our spiritual pilgrimage begins as we board our transatlantic
flight to Warsaw. Meals and refreshments will be served aloft.
Day 2:
Arrive Warsaw
After arrival in Warsaw we are met by our local representative
and transferred to our hotel. Delight in the "new"
Warsaw, which has been lovingly restored after the devastation
of World War II.
Day 3:
Warsaw
We begin with morning mass at St. Stanislaw Kostka
Church, where martyred Solidarity priest Father Popieluszko worked and
is buried. Visit the bustling Old Town Square, where horse-drawn
carriages carry visitors past beautifully rebuilt Baroque houses and
Renaissance-style storefronts. Traditional Polish cafes and shops
surround the square, which has been restored to its 13th-century charm.
Stroll the streets of this historic area, which is mostly closed to
traffic, and explore its beautiful churches and castle. See the
birthplace of Madame Curie, Chopin’s monument and the Royal Castle,
residence of Polish Kings.
Day 4: Warsaw
/ Krakow
Depart Warsaw and drive to the city of Immaculata-Niepokalanow,
home of the Basilica of the Blessed Virgin Mary and a Franciscan
monastery founded by St. Maximilian Kolbe, at present one of the
most important places of pilgrimage in Poland. Continue to
Czestochowa, a city which has been the principal center of
Catholicism in Poland for the last 600 years and is a shrine for
pilgrims. Visit Jasna Gora Monastery with religious, historic
and artistic value. Our guide will show us the Gothic Chapel of
Our Lady in which hangs the famous Black Madonna Icon on a
magnificent silver and ebony alter. Tour the treasury and
celebrate mass at the Shrine. Proceed to Krakow, our home for
the next three nights.
Day 5:
Krakow
We begin with morning mass and a visit to the Convent of Sisters of
Mercy in Lagiewniki, where Saint Faustina, the Apostle of Divine Mercy,
lived and died. Next, visit the Gothic Royal Castle and the Cathedral
remodeled in the beginning of the 16th century according the new
Renaissance taste. Drive to the Old Town to visit St. Mary’s Church,
famous for its wooden alter, and see the ancient Market Square and Cloth
Hall. This afternoon drive to Auschwitz, site of the infamous death
camps where millions were killed during World War II. Return to Krakow.
Day 6:
Krakow
Begin our day at Wadowice, the birthplace of Pope John Paul II. His
museum is in his family house. Continue to a place that was a popular
pilgrimage place for the Pope when he was a young man: Kalwaria
Zebrzydowska, where in the 17th century the Palatine of Krakow founded a
Franciscan Monastery. On the slope of the hill and in the valley is an
architectural ‘Way of the Cross’ comprising 42 Mannerist and Baroque
chapels and some small Calvary churches. This afternoon we drive to
Wieliczka to see the oldest salt mine in Europe, a world-class tourist
attraction. It is a unique place where many generations of Polish miners
have created a world of underground salt lakes with a rich interior of
decorated chapels including the famous Blessed Kings Chapel, plus other
galleries and workings made of salt. Wieliczka salt mine is listed by
UNESCO as an object of World Cultural Heritage. Return to Krakow.
Day 7:
Krakow / Prague
Depart this morning for the Czech capital of Prague. En route
stop at Velehrad to visit the Shrine in memory of the two
missionaries from Byzantium, "Cyril and Methodius",
who brought Christianity to the Czech lands. In 1985 His
Holiness Pope John Paul II conferred the "Golden Rose"
on Velehrad, a Papal distinction conveyed to only three other
venerable places of pilgrimage - Lourdes, Guadalupe and
Czestochowa. Continue to the "Golden City" of Prague,
one of Europe’s most attractive capitals.
Day 8:
Prague
Spanning the River Vltava, Prague ranks as one of the most
beautifully preserved cities in Europe. The town is famous for
its Gothic and Baroque architecture. Visit the Shrine of Loretto,
one of the most important shrines in Europe. Wonder at the
graceful enormity of Prague Castle and St. Vitus Cathedral, the
Church of Our Lady of Victory and the statue of the infant Jesus
of Prague. After mass, cross the historic Charles Bridge, built
in 1400, and admire its Baroque statuary. Recall the timeless
masterpieces of Mozart, Wagner and Berlioz while viewing the
city’s many theaters and opera houses.
Day 9:
Prague
/ Bratislava
This morning depart Prague for Bratislava. On the way
stop in Brno to visit the Capuchin Church of Saints Peter and Paul.
After mass depart for Bratislava, capital of Slovakia, which is situated
on the Danube.
Day 10:
Bratislava
/ Budapest
Visit St. Martin’s Cathedral and depart for Budapest. En
route, stop at the only Benedictine Abbey in Hungary, where will
celebrate mass. The Holy Father visited the Pennonhalma Abbey on
the occasion of its 1,000 anniversary celebration. Proceed to
lovely Budapest which straddles the Danube. The Buda Hills rise
on one side of the river, housing the city’s ancient past.
Pest is on the other side, modern and inviting. The two are
linked with a series of elegant bridges.
Day 11:
Budapest
Visit Heroe’s Square, one of the largest and most inspiring spaces in
Budapest, with its towering stone column and statue of the Archangel
Gabriel. See the interior of Parliament, the massive, neo-Gothic
building that stands majestically on the Danube. Discover the magic of
Fishermen’s Bastion, with seven stone towers overlooking the famous
river, and the distinctive Castle District with St. Mathias Church.
After mass, return to our hotel. This evening a special farewell dinner
will be arranged in our honor at a local Hungarian restaurant.
Day
12: Budapest / Canada
Following breakfast transfer to the airport for our flight back home.
This itinerary is only a small taste of what we have to offer.
For
more information or a customized itinerary and competitive quotation, please
complete our Expression
of Interest or contact us at
1.888.923.9183.
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