Experience Italy
Significant Feast Days
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9-Day Itinerary
Day 1 Depart your city for Rome
Day 2 Arrive in Rome, travel by bus or train to Assisi, the medieval hillside hamlet of St. Francis and St. Claire, watch the sunset from the castle
Day 3 Visit the Basilicas of St. Francis and St. Claire, the Temple of Minerva, spend time exploring Assisi and St. Mary of the Angels
Day 4 Take a morning train or bus to Rome. Afternoon walking tour of Ancient Rome: Piazza Navona, various churches, pantheon and Spanish Steps
Day 5 Pray at Saint Paul Outside the Walls Basilica, witness the Colosseum and Roman Forum (entrance optional), enjoy the Gesu and Trevi Fountain
Day 6 Explore the Catacombs of St. Callisto, St. John Lateran, the Holy Stairs and Santa Croce
Day 7 Marvel at St. Peter's, the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel
Day 8 Spend time in St. Mary Major and Santa Prassede. Possible Papal Angelus and free time
Day 9 Depart Rome for your city
Mass will be celebrated daily within the itinerary.
Specific locations and events within the daily itinerary are subject to change depending on actual travel dates.
Day 2 Arrive in Rome, travel by bus or train to Assisi, the medieval hillside hamlet of St. Francis and St. Claire, watch the sunset from the castle
Day 3 Visit the Basilicas of St. Francis and St. Claire, the Temple of Minerva, spend time exploring Assisi and St. Mary of the Angels
Day 4 Take a morning train or bus to Rome. Afternoon walking tour of Ancient Rome: Piazza Navona, various churches, pantheon and Spanish Steps
Day 5 Pray at Saint Paul Outside the Walls Basilica, witness the Colosseum and Roman Forum (entrance optional), enjoy the Gesu and Trevi Fountain
Day 6 Explore the Catacombs of St. Callisto, St. John Lateran, the Holy Stairs and Santa Croce
Day 7 Marvel at St. Peter's, the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel
Day 8 Spend time in St. Mary Major and Santa Prassede. Possible Papal Angelus and free time
Day 9 Depart Rome for your city
Mass will be celebrated daily within the itinerary.
Specific locations and events within the daily itinerary are subject to change depending on actual travel dates.
About Italy
The Basilica of St. Francis began construction just six months after the death of its patron. St. Francis was born around 1181-1182 to a wealthy family in Assisi. After receiving a vision from God, Francis gave up his comfortable lifestyle and chose to live in poverty to help the poor and bring God to all people. He founded the Franciscan Order of Friars and the Order of the Poor Clares. He preached about love, simplicity and peace until his death in 1226. Francis became the patron Saint of animals, Italy, the environment, and more. There are actually two basilicas within this church. The crypt houses the tombs of St. Francis and his first companions.
St. Mary of the Angels houses the portiuncula, the little church that St. Francis rebuilt when asked by God to “Rebuild My Church”. The Benedictines from the local monastery offered to give him the portiuncula, but Francis refused since he did not want to own any property. Instead, they came to an agreement that the Franciscans would rent it from them for the price of two fish per year. Still today there is an annual ceremony where the Benedictines come to receive their payment for the rent. The Basilica was built between 1569 and 1679 to encompass the Portiuncula. Behind the basilica is a rose garden, where special dog roses grow. Tradition holds that when St. Francis was tempted to impurity, he threw himself into the thorns of the rosebush to avoid giving into temptation. As soon as his body touched the thorns, they fell off and the bush became the dog roses (roses without thorns) that still grow there today.
The Pantheon was initially built as a temple to the Roman gods, sometime between 27 BC and 14 AD. It was reconstructed in 126 AD, and in the 7th Century it became a Roman Catholic Church dedicated to Mary and the Martyrs. Every year on the feast of Pentecost, a shower of red rose petals are poured through the opening in the top.
The Basilica of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme was consecrated around 325 AD and has housed relics of the Passion, including pieces of the True Cross and two thorns from Jesus' crown of thorns.
St. Peter’s Basilica is one of the largest churches in the world and is located on the burial site of St. Peter, the apostle and first Bishop of Rome. Tradition and evidence hold that St. Peter’s tomb is directly below the altar. A small shrine was built on his tomb a few years after his death and the first Basilica was built by Constantine the Great in the early 4th century. The present day Basilica was built between 1506-1626. St. Peter met his martyrdom when he was crucified upside down in the Circus of Nero. Christian followers buried him just outside the circus. The basilica houses many beautiful works of art and treasures including Michelangelo’s Pieta. There are 150 popes buried here, including St. Peter and the late Pope St. John Paul II.
St. Mary Major was the first church built in honor of our Lady, in the early 430s, by Pope Sixtus III after the Council of Ephesus proclaimed that Mary was the Mother of God. The basilica houses many beautiful mosaics and treasures, including the Holy Crib of the infant Jesus. The basilica was originally called Our Lady of the Snows because the legend says that on the 5th of August a snow fell on this hill as a sign to build a church in honor of Our Lady. The legend is still celebrated by dropping white rose petals from the dome during the celebration of the mass.
The Holy Stairs are the stone stairs that Jesus ascended when being condemned to death by Pontius Pilate. They were brought to Rome from the Holy Land by St. Helena, mother of Constantine the Great. Pilgrims are invited to walk up the steps, or ascend on their knees, while offering their prayers and intentions. Underneath the glass on a few steps you can still see drops of Jesus’ blood.
The Trevi Fountain is the largest Baroque fountain in Rome. In 19 BC, a source of pure water was found about 8 miles from the city. An aqueduct was built to supply water to ancient Rome. The fountain’s location marks the junction of three roads and aqueducts that met to supply water to the city. It served Rome for 400 years until Gothic enemies cut off the aqueducts. It was not until the early 18th century that Pope Clement XII organized a design contest to revive the fountain. A traditional legend holds that if visitors throw a coin into the fountain, they are ensured a return to Rome.
St. Paul outside the Walls is one of the four major basilicas in Rome, dedicated to the Apostle St. Paul. The altar of the church is built directly over the tomb of St. Paul. Over the early centuries, popes modified and built up the church to become a large, grand Basilica. Since it was built outside the Aurelian Walls, it was subject to invasions by Roman enemies and was damaged in the 9th century. The monastery and basilica were rebuilt in the 10th century. From 2002-2006 excavations to uncover the sarcophagus of St. Paul proved to be successful.
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The Basilica of St. Clare is the home of the Poor Clares, the cross of San Damiano from which Christ spoke to St. Francis, and the tomb of St. Clare. Clare lived during the time of St. Francis and also came from a wealthy family. Inspired by the life of St. Francis, she left her wealth and family behind to live a life of prayer and poverty. She was buried in this Basilica, which was built after her death. In addition to her tomb, the crypt also contains other relics of St. Clare.
Santa Maria sopra Minerva is a former temple to the goddess Minerva that has been converted into a Catholic Church. It was originally built in 100 BC, and the front façade is still original. Everything behind the façade was rebuilt and dedicated to Our Lady.
Il Gesu is the Baroque Church of the Jesuit Order founded by St. Ignatius of Loyola and built between 1568-1584. The tomb of St. Ignatius is located in the St. Ignatius Chapel on the left-hand side of the altar.
The Roman Forum is a rectangular plaza that was the center of Roman public life for centuries. It was originally a market place and was also used for processions, elections, public speeches, criminal trials, gladiator matches, and many commercial affairs. The original level of the Forum and its first buildings date back to the 7th century BC. As centuries passed, soil and debris built up, raising the ground level, and new roads/paths were paved over top. By the 8th century, the buildings of the Forum were already falling into ruin and many monuments were buried beneath the rising ground level. The Christians converted the old buildings and temples into churches. In the 18th century excavations began to uncover the ancient monuments. Today, for a small fee, individuals are able to walk through the streets of the Forum and witness the ruins that are continuously being restored and preserved.
The Colosseum, also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, was built of concrete and stone in 70 AD. It was the largest amphitheater in the Roman Empire and is still the largest amphitheater in the world. The Colosseum was used for public spectacles such as gladiatorial contests, mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions of Christians, re-enactments of famous battles, and dramas based on Classical mythology. Since the Colosseum is a place where Christian martyrs died, the Catholic Church has consecrated it and declared it sanctified by the blood of Christian martyrs.
St. John Lateran is the oldest of the four major basilicas in Rome, and was completed in 324 AD. The Papal throne was placed in the very front of the church, making it the Cathedral of the Bishop of Rome. Until 1309 the attached residence was the home for the Popes. The official seat of the Pope was temporarily moved to Avignon France, before returning to Rome. From then on the Popes have lived in the apartments attached to St. Peter’s Basilica. Despite the fact that the Holy Father lives at the Vatican, his parish, as the Bishop of Rome, is still St. John Lateran. Many treasures are housed in the basilica, including the stone table of the Last Supper and the heads of Sts. Peter and Paul in the baldachino,
Piazza Navona is a very famous piazza with restaurants, large fountains and the Church of St. Agnes. The site was built as an open-air stadium where Romans could come and watch the games. It was known as the Competition Arena. In the 15th century the city market was moved to the Piazza, and it is often the center of festivals and arts. The Church of St. Agnes in Agony was built in the mid 17th century.
St. Peter in Chains was first rebuilt in 432-440 AD to house the relic of the chains that St. Peter wore while he was imprisoned in Jerusalem. Details about the earlier church are unknown. Pope Leo, according to tradition, was comparing the chains from Jerusalem to the chains of St. Peter’s final imprisonment in the Mamertine Prison in Rome, the two chains miraculously fused together. These chains are located in the reliquary under the main altar of the basilica.
The Catacombs of San Callisto were underground burial chambers for the early Christians and Jews. The excavations began in the 2nd century until the late 4th century. The Roman custom at the time was to cremate bodily remains, but the Christians and Jews believed in burying the remains because of the bodily resurrection at the Second Coming of Christ. Some residents of these catacombs consist of popes and martyrs, including St. Cecilia, the patroness of musicians.
Santa Prassede is a small church located around the corner from St. Mary Major. It houses the pillar where Jesus was scourged. The designs and mosaics in the church are in the Byzantine style. The church also houses the bones of over 2,000 martyrs of the early Church. In the middle ages, thieves threatened the remains of the martyrs in the catacombs, so the Church decided to move them within the protective city walls to this location. The remains are safely kept in two sarcophagi underneath the altar.
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