a Pilgrimage Chaplain
May 6, 2025
Portugal, Spain, France, Italy
A pilgrimage is not like a vacation. In fact, making a pilgrimage to shrines is an eloquent expression of trust in God. Pilgrims carry in their hearts their faith, history, joys, anxieties, hopes, and particularly prayers. At shrines, we meet the tender love of the Father, who has mercy on all. And that mercy is so often made known to us through our Blessed Mother, Mary, who teaches us to welcome God in our lives.
~ Pope Francis
Mary, as a mother, knows how to place our needs before Jesus. Join a Pilgrimage to the Marian Shrines of Portugal, Spain, France, and Italy with a Pilgrimage Chaplain on May 6 – 20, 2025.
Begin your pilgrimage with a Mass at Lisbon, Portugal’s Church of St. Anthony. In 1195, St. Anthony of Lisbon, also known as St. Anthony of Padua, was born on the spot where the Church of St. Anthony now stands. The Lisbon Cathedral, where St. Anthony was baptized, is located across from the church.
Next stop is Fatima, where you will stay at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima for two nights. The fame of this place is the result of the apparitions of Our Lady of the Rosary to three shepherd children: Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta.
Head from Portugal to Salamanca, a famous university town in Spain, where you may stop for lunch and photos at the Plaza Mayor. Travel to Burgos to celebrate Mass in the Cathedral of Saint Mary of Burgos, popularly referred to as Burgos Cathedral, highly acclaimed for its Gothic style of architecture.
Make your way to Lourdes, France, to spend two nights at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes. Nestled in the majestic Pyrenees mountains, Lourdes is renowned for its breathtaking scenery and serene atmosphere. The sanctuary is the site of an apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary seen by Bernadette Soubirous in 1858, who was later canonized. Pray the rosary and spend time in quiet reflection at the Grotto of Massabielle, the Blessed Mother’s apparition site. Not to be missed is the evening rosary procession, where “Ave Maria” is sung in unison and the rosary is recited in different languages.
Enjoy a leisurely drive along the Mediterranean coastline of the French Riviera, where you will have an overnight stay in the elegant city of Nice. Continue with your pilgrimage to Assisi in Italy, hometown of Saints Francis and Clare. Assisi is a place where spirituality seamlessly blends with the natural beauty of the Italian landscape. Explore the quaint village where the spirit of St. Francis lingers by strolling along its narrow, cobblestoned alleys and sacred sites. See the breathtaking Basilica of San Francesco, which has been recognized as a masterpiece and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Offer your intentions before the remains of St. Francis, which are kept in the basilica’s crypt.
Leave Assisi for Loreto to visit the Basilica of the Holy House, a shrine believed to be the house where our Blessed Mother was conceived and born and where the Holy Family lived. Head for Lanciano to visit the Church of St. Legontian, site of an eight-century Eucharistic Miracle. Journey on to San Giovanni Rotondo, where Padre Pio spent most of his life. Visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Grace (Santa Maria delle Grazie), where Padre Pio used to say Mass and hear confessions. See also his cell, his confessional, and the crucifix from which he received his stigmata. Make your way to Manopello to visit and celebrate mass at the Santuario del Volto Santo (Shrine of the Holy Face), where a piece of linen cloth depicting the face of Jesus Christ is stored in the church.
Wind down your pilgrimage with a two-night stay in Rome, the heart and home of the Catholic Church. Dubbed the greatest open-air museum in Europe, Rome will steal your breath away. Head for the Vatican City and pass through the Holy Doors of the four Papal Basilicas: St. Peter’s Basilica, St. Mary Major, St. Paul Outside the Walls, and St. John Lateran.
Visit and pray at different shrines dedicated to Our Lady, for it is Mary who shows us that being followers of Jesus always involves listening to His Word and meditating on it in our hearts. Join a Pilgrimage to the Marian Shrines of Portugal, Spain, France, and Italy with a Pilgrimage Chaplain on May 6 – 20, 2025. May this pilgrimage help each pilgrim to be like Mary, to be listeners and doers of the Word.
1) A US$ 500.00 deposit 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, visa fee, and travel insurance payment.
2) Full payment in U.S. dollars is required before ticketing but in no case shall it be later than 30 days before departure date.
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 (PHP1,620.00), airport taxes, 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, tips for drivers, guides, tour escorts, and other expenses not mentioned in the itinerary terms and conditions.
THE PILGRIMS’ CENTER – 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! ***