Fr. Manny Cruz
September 23, 2022
Germany, Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria & Romania
The Oberammergau Passion Play is performed in an open air stage in the Bavarian town of Oberammergau, Germany. A play of life and death, promised in a moment of mortal threat, and so began the history of the Oberammergau Passion Play in 1633.
During that time, the Black Plague was sweeping through Europe. The villagers of Oberammergau vowed that if their town was spared, they would perform the Passion of Christ every 10 years. Since then, until now, the people of the town of Oberammergau has been honoring this pledge from generation to generation.
From May 16th to October 4th 2022 the 42nd Passion Play will take place in Oberammergau. Watch the most important Passion Play in the world. Join a 16-day Pilgrimage to Oberammergau Passion Play with Bavaria and the Balkan States with Fr. Manny Cruz leaving on September 23, 2022.
Your pilgrimage begins with a Mass at the Catholic Church of St. Johann Nepomuk in Munich, Germany. This awe inspiring church is an 18th century Baroque and Rococo church built by the Asam brothers. Visit Munich’s Marienplatz (which translates to “St. Mary’s Square), the city’s most famous square.
Experience the magical world of castles, castle ruins and palaces on your full day royal castle tour to Fussen and Schwangau. Onwards to Bad Kohlgrub where you will stay for two nights.
Head for the awe inspiring Pilgrimage Church of Wies, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Miraculously preserved, the church is a masterpiece of Bavarian Rococo architecture. It was built to house the miraculous statue of the Scourged Saviour after tears were seen coming from the wooden statue of Jesus. Head for Oberammergau to watch the world famous Passion Play.
Travel onwards to the shrine of the Chapel of Grace in Altotting, which houses the miraculous image of Our Lady of Altotting or Black Madonna of Altotting.
Leave Germany for Austria and head for Salzburg. Visit the city’s major sights including the Shrine of Our Lady of Maria Plain, home to a miraculous image of the Virgin Mary.
Depart for the city of Esztergom in Hungary to visit the awe inspiring Esztergom Basilica or the Primatial Basilica of the Blessed Virgin Mary Assumed into Heaven and St. Adalbert. It is the largest church and the tallest building in Hungary. Head for Budapest, the capital of Hungary. Due to its scenic setting and its architecture, Budapest is nicknamed “Paris of the East.”
Leave Hungary for Romania where you will feast your eyes on gothic, baroque and renaissance architecture, as well as a wealth of historical attractions in Brasov. Travel onwards to Bran to visit the Bran Castle, famously known as Dracula’s Castle. Head for Sinai, Romania’s most famous mountain resort, well known for the majestic Peles Castle. Journey on to Bucharest, Romania’s Capital City.
Wind down your pilgrimage in Sofia, the capital and largest city of Bulgaria. Dotted with onion-domed churches, Ottoman mosques and stubborn Red Army monuments, Sofia is guaranteed to be a must-see destination.
Embark on a 16-day Pilgrimage to Oberammergau Passion Play with Bavaria and the Balkan States (Germany, Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Romania) with Fr. Manny Cruz leaving on September 23, 2022. Let this pleasant journey be a path that will bring you into a deeper encounter with Jesus.
Enjoy a walking tour along the picturesque pedestrian-only Council Square or Piata Sfatuluj in Brasov, Romania
The altarpiece depicting the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Esztergom Basilica is the largest painting in the world painted on a single piece of canvas!
Sofia in Bulgaria is famous for its mineral water springs where you can drink it for free!
Be inspired by the faithfulness of the villagers of Oberammergau who has kept their vow to have a Passion Play every ten years, without interruption for over 380 years.
Get a feel of the city and learn to love the culture that is uniquely Munich at the Marienplatz, the city’s main square since 1158.
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. Jerry Orbos, SVD
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• Passport with six (6) months validity from the date of departure
• Old passports
• One (1) Visa Application Forms
• 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 (6) months
• Affidavit of Support and Consent (signed and notarized by sponsor if financially incapable)
• If married, a 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 government employee, authority to travel is required
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 non-refundable deposit of US$1,000.00 is required upon reservation together with a photocopy of a passport (valid for 6 months date of departure), Pilgrim’s Profile with a passport-size photo, visa fee, and travel insurance payment. NOTE: Oberammergau package is non-refundable. Name change is allowed.
2) Full payment in U.S. dollars is required before ticketing but in no case shall it be later than 45 days before departure date.
3) The following cancellation charges will apply:
> 60 days before departure date – 50% of the Tour Cost
> 45 days prior to departure date – Full tour cost will be forfeited.
> US$ 500 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 (30 kgs.), 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.
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 subagents 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.
*** RATES AND SCHEDULES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE. ***
