Evans Marian Shrines Pilgrimage 11 days

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Created: 17.06.2016

Monday, July 10 - St. Benedict - Day 1 - DEPART USA -Today we depart Newark on our overnight flight to Lisbon. We enjoy in-flight movies, dinner and breakfast aloft.  Tuesday, July 11 - St. Benedict - DAY 2 - LISBON/ SANTAREM /FATIMA - We arrive in Lisbon airport where we are met by our Tour Manager.  We are given a short orientation tour of Lisbon and brief visit to the Church of St. Anthony, located at the very site where St. Anthony of Padua was born.  We proceed to the Church of the famous Eucharistic Miracle at Santarem. We celebrate Mass here. We continue to Fatima for dinner and overnight. Wednesday, July 12 - DAY 3 - FATIMA - This full day is devoted to visiting the Basilica and Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima and nearby hamlets of Aljustrel and Valinhos.  We celebrate Mass (private or concelebrate) at the Chapel of Apparitions.  We visit the birthplaces of Francisco, Jacinta and Lucia, the Loca de Anjo and the Holy Way.  In the evening, we join the International Rosary Procession. Dinner and overnight at our hotel. Thursday, July 13 - DAY 4 - FATIMA/ SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA - Following Mass at one of the Chapels or the Chapel of Apparitions, we journey northwards into Spain, near or parallel to the Camino de Santiago Portuguese Coastal Way.  We stop at Porto, Portugal???s 2nd largest city, known for its Port wine.  We visit one of the wineries for port wine tasting and light lunch.  On to Santiago de Compostela, the final destination of the ancient pilgrimage to the Shrine of St. James, one of the most famous shrines in the western world. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.  Friday, July 14 - DAY 5 - SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA - This morning, our walking tour includes the Cathedral, the plazas around it and the Old City.  We visit the tomb of St. James in the crypt beneath the high altar, then attend the Pilgrim???s Mass at noon.   The rest of the day is free to explore Santiago???s medieval buildings and charming streets on our own. Tonight, dinner is at a local Galician restaurant.  Saturday, July 15 - DAY 6 - SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA/BILBAO -  Following our walk to Mass at the Cathedral of Santiago we return to our hotel for breakfast and then head to Bilbao with its great architectural and dynamic infrastructures. Short panoramic tour. Lunch on our own is taken along our route. Dinner and overnight in Bilbao.  Sunday, July 16 - DAY 7 - BILBAO/ LOURDES - This morning, we continue eastward along the Basque coast via San Sebastian and cross the border into France. In late afternoon we arrive in Lourdes and celebrate Mass at one of chapels before heading to our hotel for dinner and overnight. In the evening, we join the Torchlight Marian Procession. Monday, July 17 - DAY 8 - LOURDES - This day is spent in devotion to Our Lady of Lourdes.  We begin with Mass (concelebrated) at the Grotto. For those who wish, we proceed to the legendary healing waters of the miraculous Lourdes spring.  We take an orientation tour of the Shrine of Lourdes, followed by a walking tour to the Boly Mill, the birthplace of St. Bernadette, the Cachot, the former jail, where she lived during the apparitions and the local parish church. The rest of the day is free for personal devotions to Our Lady of Lourdes. Again, tonight, following dinner at our hotel, we have the option of participating in the Torch Light Procession.  Overnight at our hotel Tuesday, July 18 - DAY 9 ??? LOURDES/TOULOUSE/                                  BARCELONA - After an early breakfast, we depart Lourdes and drive to Toulouse a city in southern France known as 'La Ville Rose' (the Pink City) for its dusky-pink brick buildings. We celebrate Mass at the Basilica of St Sernin, a Romanesque church with 128 relics, including the sacred remains of, St. Thomas Aquinas, St Bartholomew and St Barnabas. Afterwards, we traverse the Pyrenees southward arriving entering northern Spain. Late lunch on our own in one of the restaurants in Cadaques.  We continue to Barcelona for dinner and overnight. Wednesday, July 19 - DAY 10 - BARCELONA - After breakfast, we celebrate Mass at the Cathedral, then proceed to the Gothic quarter bisected by the famous Ramblas. We enjoy a spectacular view of the pleasure port from the top of the Montjuic hill, pass by the Exchange and visit the Church of the Holy Family or Sagrada Familia, the still uncompleted masterpiece of Antoni Gaudi. Afterward, we enjoy some of the city???s highlights. Tonight, our Farewell Dinner is at a local restaurant with a Flamenco show.  Overnight at our hotel.  Thursday, July 20 - Day 11 - BARCELONA/USA - Today we make our way home with memories of a lifetime.