Created: 17.05.2017

Monday, September 3 - Labor Day - Day 1 ??? DEPART USA ??? Today we depart Jacksonville on our overnight flight to Lisbon. Tuesday, September 4 - DAY 2 - LISBON/SANTAREM/FATIMA - We arrive in Lisbon Airport, where we are met and given a short orientation tour of Lisbon.   We proceed to St. Stephen, the Church of the Eucharistic Miracle in Santarem.  We celebrate Mass here.  We continue to Fatima for dinner and overnight.  In the evening, we join the International Rosary Procession.  Wednesday, September 5 - 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 visit the birthplaces of Francisco, Jacinta and Lucia to whom the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared 6 times, from May 13 to October 13, 1917.  We join the English concelebrated Mass at the Chapel of Apparitions, where most of the apparitions took place.  In the evening, we once again join the International Rosary Procession.  Dinner and overnight at our hotel. Thursday, September 6 - Day 4 - FATIMA/BRAGA/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 briefly in the magnificent church and sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte, outside of Braga, the city known as the Portuguese Rome.  Penitent pilgrims would make the zig-zagging climb up the 577 steps to the Bom Jesus on their knees.  The Sanctuary may be reach by funicular.  Continue to Santiago de Compostela, site of one of the most famous shrines and destination of an ancient pilgrimage route of St. James. (Camino De Santiago). After checking in at our hotel, we explore the Old Town and the Plaza de Obradoiro area. Tonight, we enjoy dinner at a Galician restaurant. Friday, September 7 - DAY 5 - SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA/SANTO DOMINGO DE SILOS/BURGOS- This morning, we celebrate Mass at the impressive Cathedral. Beneath the high altar, at the crypt, we venerate St. James relics.  After we tour the Cathedral and its plazas, we depart Santiago de Compostela and travel to Astorga, one of the most beautiful towns in Spain and one of the main routes of Camino de Santiago.  Here, we briefly visit the Cathedral and its museum which houses the jeweled Reliquary of the True Cross. Opposite the Cathedral is Antonio Gaudi???s Palacio Episcopal, originally built as a Bishop???s Palace, now home of medieval religious arts and Museo de los Caminos. We continue to Santo Domingo de Silos, a Romanesque monastery, where at 7pm, we pray the Vespers with the monks who are famous worldwide for their Gregorian chants.  Transfer to our hotel for dinner and overnight. Saturday, September 8 - Birth of Mary - DAY 6 - BURGOS/AZPEITIA/LOURDES - After breakfast, we visit the magnificent Burgos Cathedral, one of the largest in Spain.  We drive to the Sanctuary of St Ignatius of Loyola in Azpeitia where we celebrate Mass.  We visit the Basilica and the Chapel of Conversion in his home, where the founder of the Jesuits changed his life to devote himself to God. We continue northwards and stop briefly in San Sebastian before we cross the border into France.  In late afternoon, we arrive in Lourdes for dinner before joining the Torchlight Pilgrim???s Procession.  Overnight at our hotel. Sunday, September 9 - Rosh Hashanah - Day 7 - LOURDES ??? Today, we begin with Mass (concelebrated) at the Grotto. For those who wish, we proceed to the legendary healing waters of the miraculous Lourdes spring.  Afterward, we take an orientation tour of the Shrine of Lourdes. Our walking tour will take us to 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, we have the option of participating in the Torchlight Procession. Monday, September 10 - Rosh Hashanah - Day 8 ??? LOURDES - This morning, we celebrate Mass at one of the chapels in the Shrine.  Afterwards, this full day is free for our private devotions or exploration of the shrine.  Tonight, after dinner at our hotel, we have the option of participating in the Torchlight Procession.  Overnight at our hotel. Tuesday, September 11 - Rosh Hashanah         Day 9 - LOURDES/ZARAGOZA/MADRID -  Early this morning, we depart Lourdes and travel to Zaragoza, where we visit and celebrate Mass at the Basilica of Nuestra Senora del Pilar, the number one Marian site in Spain. According to tradition, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to St James in 40 AD to comfort him and assure him that his efforts will not be in vain. At the time, St James was disheartened by his evangelization efforts in Spain. This is the first recorded Marian Apparition in history and the only one which took place during the earthly life of the Blessed Mother. We continue to Madrid for dinner and overnight. Wednesday, September 12 - Day 10 - MADRID ??? Today, we celebrate Mass at the Cathedral, then explore the artistic Madrid, including the Gate of Alcala, Retiro Park, the Puerta del Sol and the Royal Palace.  We visit the famous Prado Museum, Spain???s national art museum which features one of the world???s finest collections of European art.  Time permitting; we continue our tour of the highlights of Madrid, including the Gran Via Plaza de Espana, the Viaduct, Plaza Major, the Bull Ring, Independence and Cibeles Squares. Tonight, dinner is at a restaurant with Flamenco show. Overnight at our hotel. Thursday, September 13 - DAY 11 - EXCURSION TO AVILA/ SEGOVIA -  This morning, we drive to the charming village of Avila, the birthplace of St. Teresa of Jesus, one of the Church???s greatest and most influential mystics. Here we visit the Cathedral and celebrate Mass at the Convent of the Incarnation, where St. Teresa lived for three decades and St. John of the Cross, her spiritual director and confessor lived for the last two years of her life. We continue to Segovia, a picturesque city famous for its religious and cultural heritage.   We visit the tomb of St. John of the Cross at the Monastery of San Juan de la Cruz, then the Segovia Cathedral, one of the town???s famous landmarks and the last great Gothic Cathedral built in Spain.  Our brief panoramic tour of Segovia includes the remarkable ancient Roman Aqueduct and the famous Alcazar Castle.  Before returning to Madrid, we visit the Basilica at the Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, a monastery and austere-looking palace built by King Philip II.  Dinner and overnight at our hotel. Friday, September 14    Day 12 - MADRID/USA - Today we make our way home with memories of a lifetime.

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