St. Francis by the Sea: A Commemorative Pilgrimage To Italy

ITINERARY

Day 1: Friday, October 2 - Depart USA

The pilgrimage begins as our group departs from our home airport, journeying toward Italy in a spirit of anticipation and prayer.

Day 2: Saturday, October 3 - Portiuncula & Basilica of 

St Mary of the Angels

On arrival in Rome we meet our Italian tour manager and travel by deluxe motor coach through the Umbrian hills to Assisi. Our first stop is the Portiuncula, the tiny chapel where St. Francis heard Christ’s call to “rebuild My Church.” We linger for personal prayer inside the grand Basilica of St Mary of the Angels that now shelters this holy place, before ascending to Upper Assisi to settle into our hotel. The day closes with a festive welcome dinner and our first overnight in the city of St. Francis.

Day 3: Sunday, October 4 - Feast of St. Francis

After breakfast we join the local community for the Feast day Mass at the Basilica of St Clare, then stroll the medieval lanes on a guided walking tour that threads past frescoes, viewpoints, and quiet piazzas. In the lower town we contemplate the masterpieces inside the Basilica of St. Francis; in the Church of St. Clare, we venerate her resting place and the San Damiano Cross that spoke to Francis. The Anglican Episcopal parish of St. Leonard’s welcomes us for Eucharist, followed by a reception and celebratory dinner. 

Overnight in Assisi.

Day 4: Monday, October 5 - The Hermitage

This morning we drive up the wooded slopes of Mount Subasio to the Carceri Hermitage, where Francis withdrew for silence and prayer. The balance of the day is free for wandering Assisi’s galleries and shops or sitting quietly with a journal. Dinner is at leisure; overnight in Assisi.

Day 5: Tuesday, October 6 - Orvieto to Rome

We check out and continue to the hill top town of Orvieto. After admiring Luca Signorelli’s Last Judgment in the Duomo, we pause in the Chapel of the Eucharistic Miracle for devotion. Lunch and browsing are on your own before we proceed to Rome and settle into our hotel for the first of several nights in the Eternal City.

Day 6: Wednesday, October 7 - Papal Audience & Ancient Rome

Early entry to St. Peter’s Square gives us a place for the Wednesday Papal Audience, a moment to pray for the wider Christian community. In the afternoon we visit the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls and then walk the stones of Imperial Rome—the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Arch of Constantine, and Palatine Hill—recalling the earliest Christian witness. A lively pizza making dinner rounds out the day. Overnight in Rome.

Day 7: Thursday, October 8 - Vatican Museums & Evening Promenade

Our guided tour of the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel offers time to ponder Michelangelo’s ceiling and “Last Judgment.” We will celebrate Holy Eucharist at a chapel to be confirmed, and the afternoon is yours to explore or rest. At dusk we join an informal walking tour linking the Spanish Steps, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, and Piazza Navona. Dinner is independent; overnight in Rome.

Day 8: Friday, October 9 - Scavi, St. Peter's & St. Mary Major

Subject to Vatican confirmation, we descend beneath St. Peter’s Basilica for the Scavi tour, standing near the tomb of the apostle himself. Returning to the basilica’s upper level, we tour its majestic nave and chapels, then continue to the Basilica of St. Mary Major, Rome’s oldest church dedicated to Mary. Evening is free; overnight in Rome.

Day 9: Saturday, October 10 - St. John Lateran & the Holy Staircase

We celebrate Eucharist and visit the Cathedral of Rome, St. John Lateran, before reverently ascending the Scala Sancta—the marble steps tradition says Jesus climbed to meet Pilate. Nearby, Santa Croce in Gerusalemme displays relics of the Passion that invite silent contemplation. A farewell dinner provides one final taste of Roman hospitality and time to share pilgrimage reflections.

Day 10: Sunday, October 11 - Return to USA

With hearts full of Franciscan joy and Roman memories, we transfer to the airport for our group flights home, carrying the peace of Christ and the witness of St. Francis into our daily lives.

Itinerary is tentative and subject to change