The year 2025 will be a Jubilee Year in Rome, which means that visiting pilgrims may obtain a Jubilee plenary indulgence when walking through the Holy Doors of the Basilicas. This beautiful pilgrimage will spend eight nights in Rome! Visit St. Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican Museums, the Major Basilicas, the Scala Santa, the Colosseum, the Catacombs, receive the Sunday Papal blessing, and much, much more. Attend the SSPX International Pilgrimage in Rome, joining traditional Catholics from all over the world! Then, travel to Florence to visit the Convent and Museum of San Marco, the Church of Santissima Annunziata, and its magnificent Duomo. Spend a day in the medieval town of Assisi and render homage to St. Francis and St. Clare. Benefit from daily Mass, and enjoy the safety and ease of group travel with fellow traditional Catholics!

HIGHLIGHTS AT A GLANCE

Rome: St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel, St. Lawrence Outside the Walls, Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, St. John Lateran, the Scala Santa, St. Mary Major, the Colosseum, the Spanish Steps, Sant’Andrea delle Fratte, Il Gesu, Santa Maria sopra Minerva, St. Sebastian Outside the Walls, the Catacombs, St. Paul Outside the Walls, Tre Fontane Abbey, and attend the Sunday papal blessing

Florence: Convent and Museum of San Marco, Church of Santissima Annunziata, the Duomo, Ponte Vecchio

Assisi: St. Francis, St. Clare, St. Mary of the Angels Basilica housing the Porziuncola Chapel

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

GENERAL TERMS/CONDITIONS

TRAVEL INSURANCE

ITINERARY

Day 1. Monday, August 11: Transatlantic flight to Florence

Day 2. Tuesday, August 12: Florence

Welcome to Italy! Upon arrival in Florence, enjoy a walking tour of the downtown and browse the shops along the famous Ponte Vecchio, the oldest bridge in Florence. Have lunch on your in the city. Tonight, enjoy a welcome dinner with fellow travelers at your hotel in Florence. (WD)

Day 3. Wednesday, August 13: Florence

A full day in Florence. Begin with the Convent and Museum of San Marco, with a short visit to its church to render homage to St. Antonino, archbishop, and patron saint of Florence. Continue to the church of Santissima Annunziata to pray before the miraculous painting of Our Lady and the relics of St. Julianna Falconieri. Afterwards, visit its magnificent cathedral, the fourth largest church in Europe, and admire its beautiful baptistery doors. Choose from many great options to have lunch on your own. The rest of the day is at leisure. Dinner on your own and overnight in Florence. (BB)

Day 4. Thursday, August 14: Florence – Assisi

Today, journey to the medieval city of Assisi. Visit St. Mary of the Angels Basilica housing the Porziuncola Chapel, where St. Francis spent most of his life; the rose bush; and the cave where the saint retired for prayer. Afterwards, visit the 13th-century Basilica of St. Francis, housing his relics; and pay homage to St. Clare at her Basilica. Dinner and overnight in Assisi. (BB, D)

Day 5. Friday, August 15: Rome

Head to the Eternal City! Upon arrival, enjoy a panoramic driving view of Rome. After lunch on your own, visit St. Peter’s Basilica, the world’s largest church and the center of Christianity. The church is built on the site where St. Peter died a martyr and where he was buried in 64 AD. Walk through the massive, jubilee doors to gain the Jubilee Year indulgence, touch the beloved statue of St. Peter, and admire Michelangelo’s Pieta. Pray before the incorrupt body of St. Pius X and render homage to the many buried popes. Visit also the Treasury, which contains church ornaments, statues, papal miters, and various objects, usually gifts of kings or princes. Dinner and overnight at your hotel in Rome. (BB, D)

Day 6. Saturday, August 16: Rome

This morning, begin your visits to four of the major basilicas by heading to the Basilica of St. Lawrence Outside the Walls, erected directly over St. Lawrence’s tomb and also housing the relics of the first martyr, St. Stephen. Next, visit the Basilica of Santa Croce de Jerusalem which contains fragments of the Cross, a nail, two thorns from Christ’s crown, a piece of the sponge that was offered to Him, a fragment of the scroll that hung on the Cross, and one of the 30 coins of Judas. Earth from Calvary lies beneath the floor. After lunch all together, admire the mother of all churches, St. John Lateran, the Pope’s Basilica, from which he makes solemn declarations ex cathedra. Nearby, visit the Scala Santa, the sacred stairs upon which Our Lord walked after His scourging. In some places, stains of the Precious Blood could still be seen. Continue to the Basilica of St. Mary Major, housing two of Christianity’s greatest treasures: the manger from Bethlehem in which the Baby Jesus was laid following His birth, and a painting of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Salvation of the Roman people. The basilica was built on the site where a miraculous snowfall occurred in August of 356. Dinner and overnight in Rome. (BB, L, D)

Day 7. Sunday, August 17: Rome

Today, enjoy a walking tour of downtown Rome beginning with the Spanish Steps, in the heart of the Piazza di Spagna. Head to the Church of Sant’Andrea delle Fratte, where St. Maximilian Kolbe celebrated his first Mass and Alphonse Ratisbonne’s conversion took place and then to SS. Apostoli. Then visit Il Gesu, the Jesuit Mother Church and the headquarters chosen by St. Ignatius shortly after he founded the Society of Jesus in 1540. Continue to attend the Sunday Papal blessing. After lunch on your own, in the church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva, one of the few Gothic structures in Italy, which houses the tomb of St. Catherine of Siena, patron saint of Italy, pray before her relics. A devotional chapel made from the room where she died can be visited by entering the sacristy. Enjoy free time and dinner on your own. Overnight in Rome. (BB)

Day 8. Monday, August 18: Rome

After Mass and breakfast at the hotel, enjoy a tour of the world-famous Vatican Museums and admire the collection of art and sculptures from centuries of Church history, including the Sistine Chapel and the Raphael Rooms. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure. Dinner and overnight in Rome. (BB, D)

Day 9. Tuesday, August 19: Rome

An entire free day in the Eternal City to join the SSPX Jubilee events. (BB, D)

Day 10. Wednesday, August 20: Rome

An entire free day in the Eternal City to join the SSPX Jubilee events. Tonight, sample one of Rome’s many incredible restaurants on your own. (BB)

Day 11. Thursday, August 21: Rome

An entire free day in the Eternal City to join the SSPX Jubilee events. Tonight, enjoy dinner at one of Rome’s many amazing restaurants on your own. (BB)

Day 12. Friday, August 22: Rome

This morning, visit the Catacombs of St. Calixtus, the oldest and most important cemetery along the Via Appia. The area includes the tombs of many martyrs and popes, including Sixtus II, a venerated pontiff who was killed with his deacons, one of them St. Lawrence, patron saint of Rome. Continue to the Basilica of St. Sebastian Outside the Walls. The altar to St. Sebastian contains his relics and is placed directly above the area where the saint had been buried in the catacombs. Afterwards, pray before the relics of St. Paul the Apostle inside the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, with its outstanding marble canopy over the high altar. Then, visit Tre Fontane Abbey, where St. Paul was beheaded. Tonight enjoy a farewell dinner with your travel companions to celebrate the end of a beautiful pilgrimage. (BB, FD)

Day 13. Saturday, August 23: Flight Home

Transfer to Rome Fiumicino airport for your homebound flight.

Buffet Breakfast (BB); Lunch (L); Dinner (D); Welcome Dinner (WD); Farewell Dinner (FD)

* In case of unforeseen events, this itinerary is subject to change.

Rome. Basilica St Peter view. SMC 2024. KGerads.jpg

Rome. View from St Peter Cupola. SMC 2024.jpg

Rome. Basilica St John Lateran. SMC 2024.jpg

Rome. Basilica St Mary Major. SMC 2024.jpg

Florence. Convent S Mark. YP2016. IMG_0771.JPG

Assisi. Basilica S Francis. YP2016. IMG_0504.JPG

CHAPLAIN

Fr. Michael Goldade is a graduate of St. Mary’s Academy, and was ordained in 2004 at St. Thomas Aquinas Society of St. Pius X Seminary, Winona, Minnesota. He held teaching positions at St. Joseph’s Academy in Armada, Michigan, and then was appointed prior first at St. Ignatius Retreat House in Ridgefield, CT and then St. Vincent de Paul Church in Kansas City, MO. He is currently rector of St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary in Dillwyn, VA.

Fr. Goldade will be accompanying this pilgrimage and will celebrate daily Holy Mass for the pilgrims.

TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS

At the present time, there are no travel restrictions for US tourists arriving into Italy. Neither on their return to the US. https://it.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/security-and-travel-information/

It is projected that starting in mid 2025, non-European Union (EU) tourists planning to visit Europe’s Schengen Zone (most of Europe) will need to apply for the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS). This new requirement affects travelers from visa-exempt countries, aiming to boost security measures while making the process smoother for short-term visitors. While the ETIAS is not a visa, it does require non-EU tourists to get pre-approval before their trip. (Information taken from www.etias.com)

The ETIAS is likely to cost around $7 per person and it is projected to be a very quick process; however, we would ask travelers to obtain it at least one month prior to travel.

Currently, there is no ETIAS registration site yet. We will be monitoring this possible new travel requirement, and when applicable, we will notify travelers and ask them to acquire their ETIAS independently.

ACCOMMODATIONS

Accommodations for this pilgrimage are in first-class hotels.

Florence: Grand Hotel Mediterraneo Florence or similar - 2 nights
Assisi: Grand Hotel Assisi or similar - 1 night
Rome: Best Western Hotel President Rome or similar - 8 nights

Rooms in double occupancy are for two people to share; they have two twin beds or one double bed. Rooms in single occupancy have a single bed and are for one person to occupy; a “single supplement fee” is added for single occupancy rooms.

FLIGHT SCHEDULE

The current group air reservation is listed below. Please do do not purchase any air tickets until we notify that the group is fully formed with a minimum of 20 passengers. The group air schedule could undergo minor changes from the airlines; if a major change occurs, we will modify the listed flight schedule.

AUG 11 Alitalia flight 629 departs Chicago (ORD) at 3:00 PM and arrives Rome (FCO) at 7:20 AM AUG 12

AUG 12 Alitalia flight 1675 departs Rome (FCO) at 9:55 AM and arrives Florence (FLR) at 10:50 AM

AUG 23 Alitalia flight 628 departs Rome (FCO) at 9:20AM and arrives Chicago (ORD) at 1:10 PM

TRIP PACE

The pace for this pilgrimage is “on the go”.. There is daily walking and standing. Pilgrims must be in active enough condition to walk 3-4 hours and stand for 2-3 hours per day. We strongly recommend preparing oneself by walking before the trip, building up to at least 2-3 miles per day.

Sometimes walking is up or down slopes, and at times sidewalks and terrain will be uneven. Pilgrims must have full mobility and be able to climb several stairs, since many of the visited places have no other access. A certain pace must be kept by all pilgrims in order to cover the scheduled sightseeing. Some days may have several hours on the motor-coach.

Also see the “PHYSICAL HEALTH & FITNESS” section in the General Terms & Conditions.

PRICING INFORMATION

Pilgrimage price per person (pp) with air from Chicago O’Hare (ORD): $4,605 (includes estimated air taxes & surcharges)
Land-only pilgrimage price in double occupancy: $3,515 pp
Single supplement: $795
Non-refundable deposit of $250 pp is due by: May 9, 2025
Balance due by: June 10, 2025

WHAT’S INCLUDED

Scheduled roundtrip transatlantic flights (air-inclusive package)
Accommodations in first-class hotels
Daily Holy Mass
Deluxe motor-coach for scheduled transfers and sightseeing
Daily meals per the itinerary
Services of a professional English-speaking tour escort
Admission fees for all included sightseeing
Porterage for one suitcase per person at the hotels
Service charges, government fees
What’s not included:

Travel insurance
Gratuities to tour escort, local guides, driver, and church stipends

Also see the “NOT INCLUDED” section in the General Terms & Conditions.