Day 1 - USA / GREECE

Our journey begins as we depart the USA on our overnight flight en route to Thessaloniki, Greece. Meals served in-flight.

Day 2 - THESSALONIKI

We arrive in the afternoon and meet our Pilgrimage Tours' tour director. We embark on a city tour with its Byzantine churches and beautiful old and new quarters. We celebrate Mass at the Basilica of St. Demetrius, the place of Martyrdom Synagogue where Paul preached. Dinner and overnight in Thessaloniki.

Day 3 - THESSALONIKI / PHILIPPI / KAVALA

This morning we depart to the port city of Kavala via the plains of Macedonia following the ancient Roman "Egnatia" road. In Philippi we see the place where St. Paul first preached in Europe. We see the ruins of temples, columns and the theatre. We'll visit the museum with antiquities from the area. Continuing on to Kavala, we visit the beautiful port where Paul landed when he sailed from Troas. Return for dinner and overnight in Thessaloniki.

Day 4 - THESSALONIKI / KALAMBAKA / METEORA

Traveling to the west, we stop at the New Testament town of Beria on the terraced foot of Mt. Vernon to see the Monument where Paul preached. In Vergina we enter the recently excavated palace of King Phillipos, father of Alexander the Great. Next we visit the spectacular cliff top Monasteries of Meteora where monks have dwelt for centuries. Visitors are allowed to visit two of the five extant sanctuaries atop the rock islands. We celebrate Mass here. Dinner and overnight in Kalambaka.

Day 5 - KALAMBAKA / DELPHI

We continue on to Delphi on the slopes of Mt. Parnassus. Delphi's beautiful pastoral setting epitomizes the pre-Christian Greek shrine, where extraordinary natural beauty is combined with religion and theater. We visit the Temple of Apollo, where St. Paul must have spoken to the people about the Living God, and continue to the extensive ruins of the Theater and the Athenian Treasury. Dinner and overnight in Delphi.

Day 6 - DELPHI / ATHENS

This morning we start our tour at the Delphi Museum to see the famous Bronze Charioteer along with other items that date back to the time of St. Paul prior to departure to Athens. We'll take brief driving tour of classical Athens prior to checking into our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 7 - ATHENS / CORINTH

"Then Paul stood up in the Areopagus and delivered this address...(Acts 17:22)

We visit the Agora where St. Paul, "preached to them Jesus and the Resurrection" and the Areopagus on Mars Hill where Paul was brought before the council and made his famous, "Men of Athens" speech. Conditions permitting, we have Mass outdoors here. We also tour the city of Athens, visiting the legendary Acropolis, the Parthenon and the Temple of the Winged Victory. We'll visit the Ruins of the temples of Proplaia, Athena Nike and Zeus as well as other sites from the Golden Age of Greece. In the afternoon we depart Athens following the land route along the Saronic Gulf that St. Paul took to ancient Corinth in 50 AD, where he worked with Aquila and Prisca and wrote his first Epistle. We visit the market place where Paul preached to the Corinthians. We also visit the sixth century BC Temple of Apollo, the Museum of Corinth and the Bema Seat of St. Paul. Dinner and overnight in Athens.

Day 8 - ATHENS / ROME

This morning we depart Athens for our flight to Rome. We arrive at Rome's Leonardo da Vinci Airport, and board our deluxe motorcoach for the ride into the Eternal City. Like countless pilgrims before us, we enter via the ancient Appian Way, tracing the route taken by the apostles Peter and Paul nearly 2000 years ago. En route to the center of Rome we visit the Catacombs of St. Calixtus. We then visit the Mamertine Prison where the Apostles Peter and Paul were held prisoner. We will also see much of classical Rome, including the Colosseum, Palatine and Capitoline Hills, the Imperial and Roman Forums, Constantine's Arch and the Circus Maximus where Christians were martyred at the games. Mass is celebrated at St. John Lateran Basilica, the Pope's cathedral church where relics of both Peter and Paul remain under the main altar. Dinner and overnight in Rome.

Day 9 - ROME

After breakfast our day begins with a celebration of Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, site of St. Peter's tomb. While at the Basilica we see a young Michelangelo's masterpiece, the deeply moving, magnificent Pieta. Then we visit one of the great art collections in the world, the Vatican Museums. We see the Tapestries Gallery, the Belvedere with its marvelous statues. We also visit Raphael's Rooms, the Pincio Garden and Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel that has been restored to its original beauty. The rest of the day is free for your choice of activities. Dinner and overnight in Rome.

Day 10 - ROME - Papal Audience

Following Mass this morning, we will go to the Vatican for an Audience with the Holy Father. The afternoon is free for prayer, reflection, relaxation or shopping at religious gift shops. Dinner and overnight in Rome.

Day 11 - ROME

This morning we visit St. Paul's Outside the Walls, Rome's second largest church next to St. Peter's. It is here that the Apostle Paul was martyred and buried. We will then visit St. Mary Major, the most important church in the world devoted to Our Lady, with its splendid mosaics. We celebrate Mass here where Mass has been celebrated every day since the 5th century. Next we visit St. Peter in Vincoli where St. Peter's chains are found. Finally, we visit St. Clemente church and San Croce in Gerusalemme, which houses pieces of the True Cross. Dinner and overnight in Rome.

Day 12 - ROME / USA

Following breakfast, we transfer to Rome's Leonardo da Vinci Airport for our flight home to Los Angeles. Though our pilgrimage draws to a close, its blessings will last a lifetime and its graces are certain to draw us closer each day to the Lord.