Fr. Mark Demanuele, MSSP
Bro. Bo Sanchez
March 14, 2025
Malta and Italy
“Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold.”
~ Acts 28:1-2
St. Paul was the first Christian to arrive in Malta, and his arrival altered the history of the country. Spread throughout the Maltese archipelago are over 365 churches and several chapels, making the islands an open museum of Christianity. Acts of the Apostles Chapters 27 and 28 recount the shipwreck of St. Paul in Malta during his journey from the Holy Land to Rome. This accidental journey would forever change Malta into an enduring beacon of Christian faith.
Jubilee Year is a special time of pilgrimage where pilgrims are granted the opportunity to receive a plenary indulgence. The Jubilee Indulgence is a concrete manifestation of God’s mercy. 2025 marks 25 years since the Rome Jubilee of 2000. The theme for Jubilee Year 2025 will be “Pilgrims of Hope” and will officially begin on Christmas Day 2024 with the opening of the Holy Door in St. Peter’s Basilica, ending on the feast of the Epiphany in 2026.
Embark on a Pilgrimage to Malta with the Shrines of Italy with a Pilgrimage Chaplain led by Bro. Bo Sanchez on March 14-28, 2025. Visit wonderful places and shrines related to the life and work of the Great Apostle Paul in Malta and avail of the Jubilee indulgence in Rome, a rare opportunity that happens only every 25 years.
Begin your pilgrimage in the old historic town of Valletta, the capital city of Malta, officially recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980. Visit the Collegiate Parish of St. Paul’s Shipwreck, also known as the Church of St. Paul’s Shipwreck, which contains the precious relic of the wristbone of St. Paul and part of the column where the saint was beheaded in Rome. Admire breathtaking views of the Grand Harbor at the Upper Barrakka Gardens, the highest point of the city walls. Not to be missed is a visit to St. John’s Co-Cathedral, home to the famous and priceless painting “The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist” by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio.
On to Floriana to visit St. Publius Parish Church dedicated to St. Publius, one of the main patron saints of Malta and the first bishop of Malta. Proceed to the town of Vittoriosa to visit the Church of St. Lawrence. Head for Senglea Point to visit the Parish Church of Our Lady of Victories with the statue of Maria Bambina and the miraculous statue of Jesus the Redeemer.
Journey on to St. Paul’s Bay, where the apostle came ashore after being shipwrecked. View St. Paul’s Island with the statue of St. Paul and the tower ruins. Drive to the town of Mosta for a guided visit to the Sanctuary Basilica of the Assumption of Our Lady, Malta’s largest and most famous church. In Rabat, visit St. Paul’s Church built on top of the grotto; St. Paul’s Grotto, where St. Paul is said to have lived for three months, preached, and healed the sick; and St. Paul’s Catacombs. Next stop is Mdina. Visit St. Paul’s Cathedral, or the Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Paul, the seat of the Roman Catholic Church in Malta, which it shares with St. John’s Co-Cathedral in Valleta. St. Paul’s Cathedral was built on the site where St. Paul converted the governor and future saint Publius to Christianity.
Next stop is Mellieha to visit the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Mellieha and the church carved into the rock. Take the ferry to Gozo, Malta’s sister island. Visit the city’s important sights, including the awe-inspiring Basilica of the National Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of Ta’ Pinu, a national shrine of miracles.
Continue with your pilgrimage in Syracuse, Italy. Visit the city’s important sights, including a visit to St. John’s Catacombs, where St. Paul preached. Head for Mount Etna and then proceed to Taormina, a chic resort town popular for those wanting a taste of the Sicilian Dolce vita.
En route to Sorrento, visit the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Messina and board the ferry to Villa San Giovanni. Travel onwards to Sorrento, where you will board a fast jetfoil to Capri, a world- famous island well known for its jaw-dropping natural beauty. Not to be missed is a visit to the Blue Grotto, a beautiful cave that has been used as a bath since the Roman times. Next stop is Pompeii, an ancient Roman city buried during the great eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, then travel onwards to Naples and San Giovanni Rotondo to visit the Shrine of St. Padre Pio.
Wind down your pilgrimage with a two-night stay in Rome. Not to be missed is the opportunity to gain plenary indulgence as you pass through the holy doors of St. Peter’s Basilica, St. Paul Outside the Walls, St. John Lateran, and St. Mary Major.
St. Paul the Apostle is considered the spiritual father of the Maltese. His shipwreck in Malta, as described in the book of the Acts of the Apostle (Acts 27 & 28), changed the course of the nation’s history. Visit places where St. Paul, the Great Apostle, left his footprints and inspired a nation. Celebrate the 2025 Jubilee Year on your visit to Rome and become a “Pilgrim of Hope.” Join a Pilgrimage to Malta with the Shrines of Italy with a Pilgrimage Chaplain led by Bro. Bo Sanchez on March 14-28, 2025. Be prepared to encounter God and be filled with His abundant grace and blessings.
• Passport with six (6) months validity from the date of departure
• One (1) Visa Application Form
• Two (2) pcs. passport-size pictures
• Original Bank Certificate (both Pesos and/or US Dollars) – must include account type, current balance, account opening, and six (6) months average
• Original or certified true copy of Bank Statement for the last (3) months
• Affidavit of Support and Consent (signed and notarized by the sponsor if financially incapable)
• If married, copy of Authenticated Marriage Contract
• Copy of hotel voucher (to be supplied by ERI)
• Photocopy of International Credit Cards (if available)
• Travel Insurance with a minimum coverage of Php2.5 Million (valid for 30 days)
If employed:
• Employment Certificate – must be in company’s letterhead and must include the applicant’s position, date hired, compensation, and company’s address, telephone number, and email address
• Certificate of Compensation 2316
If in business:
• Original and Photocopy of Business Registration, DTI or SEC
• Original and Photocopy of Latest Income Tax Return
• Personal appearance by the applicant
• Processing Time: 15 – 30 days
VISA FEE: Php 9,500.00*
* Subject to change without prior notice!
1) A US$ 500.00 deposit (for economy) / US$1,000.00 deposit (for business class) is required upon reservation together with a photocopy of a passport (valid for 6 months from date of departure), Pilgrim’s Profile with a passport-size photo, copy of latest arrival stamp in Manila, visa fee (if applicable), and travel insurance payment.
2) Final payment in USD is due on or before June 1, 2020.
3) The following cancellation charges will apply:
> 45 days before departure date – US$ 500.00
> 30 days before departure date – 50% of the Tour Cost
> 20 days prior to departure date – Full tour cost will be forfeited.
> US$ 300.00 Admin Fee for any visa denial.
BASIC TOUR COST DOES NOT INCLUDE: Philippine Travel Tax (Php1,620 or $32.00), visa fees and documentation expenses, insurance, hospitalization and other medical expenses, tours and transportation during free periods, porterage of extra pieces of luggage in excess of maximum allocation, drinks and beverages taken during meals, items of personal nature such as laundry, telephone, fax, room service, and other expenses not mentioned in the itinerary terms and conditions.
EXECUTIVE RESOURCES, INC. has arranged for the various tour services to be performed under the responsibility of various contractors. Executive Resources, Inc., its employees or its sub-agents therefore only act as agents for the contractors providing the various services described in the tour and accept no responsibility or liability in connection with losses or accidental expenses due to delays of schedule, overbooking, defaults or “force majeure.” All tours and arrangements are subject to the general conditions specified by each contractor. Tour itineraries and prices are subject to change without prior notice. When making a tour booking, the passenger acknowledges and accepts the foregoing conditions. When making a tour booking, the passenger acknowledges and accepts the foregoing conditions.
*** RATES AND ITINERARY ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE! ***