With A Pilgrimage Chaplain
May 20, 2025
Amsterdam, Switzerland, and Spain
On March 25, 1945, on the 600th anniversary of the Eucharistic miracle of Amsterdam, Ida Peerdeman claimed to have seen the Blessed Virgin Mary, who introduced herself to her as the “Lady of All Nations.” Ida saw 55 more apparitions, lasting until 1959. Over the span of 15 years, Our Lady revealed to Ida in advance several events and showed her an image of herself, later painted by artist Heinrich Repke based on the description of Ida. Today, that image is kept in a chapel built in 1973 in the southern part of Amsterdam.
The village of Einsiedeln in Switzerland is home to the miraculous image of Our Lady of Einsiedeln. The shrine located here dates from sometime in the 9th century, when a hermit from one of the local monasteries, Saint Meinard, built a hermitage in what was the open countryside and brought with him a wooden statue of the Madonna.
Known for giving hospitality to strangers, Meinard took in two travelers and fed them. They turned out to be thieves and beat him to death. In 940, some of the Benedictine Monks turned the hermitage into a small chapel where the statue was kept. The chapel is said to have been consecrated by Christ himself on September 14, 948. The bishop who was to consecrate the new site had a vision in which the church was filled with a brilliant light as Christ approached the altar. The next day, when he went to perform the ceremony, he heard a voice saying the chapel had already been divinely consecrated. The miracle was confirmed by Pope Leo VIII 16 years later in a papal bull. After the death of St. Meinard, the image of Our Lady of Einsiedeln was placed in the chapel for veneration. Numerous miracles have been attributed to her intercession.
Set sail on a unique pilgrimage adventure to the Shrines of Our Lady of All Nations in Amsterdam and Our Lady of Einsiedeln in Switzerland, plus a relaxing 7-night captivating Rhine River Cruise in the comfort of a first-class cruise ship with a Pilgrimage Chaplain on May 20-29, 2025. You may also opt to join a 4-day extension to Spain to the Shrines of Our Lady of Pilar in Zaragoza and St. Ezequiel Moreno in Monteagudo.
Begin your pilgrimage with a Mass at the Shrine of Our Lady of All Nations in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Enjoy a panoramic tour of the city. In the afternoon, transfer to the Amsterdam Passenger Cruise Port for your embarkation on board AmaWaterways AmaCerto for the start of your 7-night Captivating Rhine River Cruise.
Like a fallen leaf floating atop the water, the AmaCerto of AmaWaterways floats effortlessly down Europe’s most fascinating waterways. Feel relaxed and well-rested in your spacious and well-appointed staterooms. Enjoy the cruise ships’ luxurious amenities. Savor exquisite cuisine at a variety of dining venues and more. Take part in the daily shore excursions in the different towns of Germany with an English-speaking guide in Dusseldorf, Rhine Gorge, Rudesheim, Ludwigshafen, Strasbourg, Breisach, Basel.
End your 7-night Rhine River Cruise in Basel, Switzerland. Head for the pilgrimage town of Einsiedeln to visit the world’s largest nativity scene, the Diorama Bethlehem, and the Shrine of Our Lady of Einsiedeln.
Travel in style and comfort on board a luxury river cruise ship, the AmaCerto by AmaWaterways. Grow deeper in your faith through the daily masses and inspiring homilies of your Pilgrimage Chaplain. Visit beautiful cathedrals and UNESCO World Heritage Sites on your daily shore excursions. Join a 10-day slow and easy Pilgrimage to the Shrines of Our Lady of All Nations (Amsterdam) and Our Lady of Einsiedeln (Switzerland) with 7-night Captivating Rhine River Cruise plus an optional 4D extension to the Shrines of Our Lady of Pilar (Zaragoza) and St. Ezequiel Moreno (Monteagudo) in Spain with a Pilgrimage Chaplain on May 20-29, 2025. May the experience of this pilgrimage give each pilgrim the resolve to follow God’s path in the years to come.
The Diorama Bethlehem in Einsiedeln is the world’s largest nativity scene, with more than 500 carved wooden figures. The famous Panorama is a circular painting that is more than 300 feet long and 40 feet high, depicting Jerusalem and the Crucifixion.
Ask your friends to write their prayer petitions on a piece of paper, which you can drop in a box at the Shrine of Our Lady of Einsiedeln.
Every meal is a dining experience on board the AmaCerto cruise ship where you are served gourmet meals including free flowing drinks to your hearts content.
The Abbey Church at Einsiedeln is a baroque feast for the eyes in gleaming white with elaborate gold and pastel decoration.
Walk through the iconic UNESCO World Heritage “La Petite France” district of Strasbourg, a picturesque place which appears to have been lifted straight from the pages of a fairytale.
Spiritually-focused journeys
Insightful pilgrimage chaplains
Quality accommodations
Expertly-crafted itineraries
Friendly and bonded groups
Senior citizen friendly
The whole pilgrimage is a new and fulfilling moment in my life. It’s a nice feeling being with the Lord in His important day. And also, gaining new friends and becoming my new extended family is something I will treasure. I hope that this is just the beginning and we’ll continue to get in touch with one another despite the distance.
Brenda
Hello Co-Pilgrims,
It was indeed a wonderful Pilgrimage: very rich in history, a thanksgiving of blessings, a spiritual renewal and nourishment, and finally ending in a test of Faith.
Thank you so much Pilgrim Leader, Ging Igual, for standing beside us up to the last stretch of our 13-day journey - more particularly in the handling of an unexpected situation (cancelled flight in Mexico and re-direction of flights to make sure the 38 Pilgrims reach LA for their respective flight bookings). Ging, you were an angel to us so blessed with energy, passion, love and Milagrosa. We really felt the presence of Our Lady of Guadalupe fielding angels every step of the way.
The Pilgrimage to California Mission Churches and Our Lady of Guadalupe gives me personal inspiration for the work and activities of the next chapter of my lifetime: farming with promotion of agriculture for millennials (inspired by the scenic view of farms in California), tourism (which is a major industry in all places we visited), and support for a favourite major seminary in Tagaytay and a scholarship fund for deserving individuals (thru a non stock non profit institution).
Thank you to my Co-Pilgrims and prayer partners for the prayer support, sharing of life experiences and friendships; Fr. Tony, thank you for your spiritual reflections and service; Fr. Jerry Orbos for an overflowing spiritual reflections and enabling us to have the needed personal encounter with Jesus and Mama Mary (it was like a 12-day Holy Retreat); and the Executive Resources for making a very nice pilgrimage package a part of our lifetime.
Ms. Emma
Lord, we cannot find words enough to say how grateful we are to You. Our pilgrimage made us realize that Your love for us is more than what we deserve.
To all our co-pilgrims, thank you for making us feel we belong to this new family. To Fr. Dante, thanks for your prayers and pieces of advice for our spiritual nourishment. To Sis Lea, for taking care of each one of us. To Sis Joy, thanks for the contagious joys and laughters.
To our prayer partners, Sis Maribel, Melvy and Didick and Bro Mon and Sis Jot, thank you for your prayers. We will pray for you, too!
To The Pilgrim’s Center - Executive Resources, thank you for accommodating us in this Eastern Europe Pilgrimage.
God bless us all always!
Albert and Adee
Dear Pilgrims' Center:
My husband Aldo & I would like to praise & commend our Pilgrim Chaplain Fr. Dante Venus & our Tour Leader Bro. Monty for the very successful & memorable pilgrimage to Italy & the Holy Land we were very fortunate to join on March 26-April 8, 2018.
It was very hectic to be sure, but still they managed our time very well that we were able to visit more places than was promised in the itinerary, and we are very appreciative of that. Likewise, the solemnity of the whole pilgrimage experience was still observed despite many of us in the group, myself included, often forgetting that we were pilgrims & not tourists 😉😉, taking photos, selfies, etc. instead of, or before focusing on what the local guide was explaining or on the scripture readings. I cannot fault us pilgrims on this because for many of us seniors, and I speak for my husband & I, that trip might be our first & last time to visit those places, so we made sure they were properly documented. Nonetheless, it was a truly spiritually uplifting & life-changing experience for us. We continue to thank our Lord for making that experience of a lifetime possible. Indeed, nothing is impossible for God! Thank you very much to Fr. Dante, Bro. Monty & to each of us pilgrims in the group for the prayers, love, care & concern shown to each other. Let us continue to pray for and with each other. It is my hope that we meet each other again soon, to strengthen our bonds of friendships.
Most sincerely, Leclec Cabusora
Leclec Cabusora
My husband and I just came back from a wonderful trip to Israel - with Franciscan Fr Reu Galoy. Thank you Pilgrim Center for the arrangements. We are so happy and satisfied with all that you have done for us. Kudos to Yanyan and Monty from Pilgrim Center, and Fr Reu and Ronin for your caring services. It was a spiritual journey and we felt the abiding presence of the Lord all throughout.
Ann Arguelles Cortes
Our pilgrimage was worth all the hardships (I was having leg pains). We had an excellent leader in the person of Adrian, two priests Fathers Val and Ron, who gave us very nice pieces of advice and homilies, and of course the members of the group who were all very nice. Looking forward to join another pilgrimage.
Emily Bautista
It was the most profound experience I had in my whole life....Walking with the Footsteps where Jesus walked made my life more grateful and humble....My faith become stronger as I express it...A growing faith is a sharing faith....TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!! SHALOM!
Carmen Nierra
Vir & I would like to express our gratitude for a wonderful pilgrimage we had from Sept 5-18. From checking-in last Sept 5 & all during the tour, we felt the care from a family. No words can ever describe how thankful we are.
I almost cried last Sept 8, (my birthday) when we (2 of us have the same birthday) were given a surprise mini celebration when after our dinner, we were given a cake. I really felt the love of a family then.
All these things made possible because of your capable coordinator Ms. Ging Igual. She's such a wonderful leader. Kudos to her.
Rest assured that i will refer your company to all my friends who are planning to go on pilgrimage .
Good day & may God always guide & protect all of you in the Pilgrims' Center/ Executive Resources, Inc.
Cora and Vir Franca
I am honored to be included in this pilgrimage. The Pilgrims' Center has very good itineraries worth remembering. No hours wasted. They took very good care of us in spite of our big number of 47 people. The daily mass and homilies of Fr. Manny Cruz held in different shrines and churches were very inspirational and transforming. Accommodations were nice most especially the one on top of the Mountain with an awesome view built in 1909. It's like travelling back in time. I definitely would want to do it again with Pilgrim Center.
Peter Joseph Mapua
The Pilgrims' Center always gives you the best. They let you feel like an Executive in terms of personal service & attention especially during pilgrimage. Their choices of pilgrimages and pilgrim chaplains are outstanding. You go back home very fulfilled and immersed...
Marlene Silvestre
with Fr. Allan Morris Abuan
READ MORE +