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A 12-Day Pilgrimage to Central Europe
Including Prague, Vienna, Budapest,
Auschwitz, Krakow, Czestochowa, Warsaw and
more.
Day 1 - Monday
USA / PRAGUE
Today we depart the USA for our overnight flight to
Prague. Meals will be served in flight.
Day 2 - Tuesday
PRAGUE
Upon our arrival in Prague we meet our Pilgrimage Tours™ tour
director who will remain with you until the end of your
tour. Next we  depart for
downtown Prague where we see Christian Prague’s most
beloved relic, the Holy Infant Child in the Church of Our
Lady Victorious. At the shrine we see the Holy
Infant of Prague statute and museum after celebrating
Mass. We continue with sightseeing in the historic
Old Town Square. This is the site of the famous 15th
century astronomical clock that is a fascinating display
of dials and hands and figures. Below the neo-Gothic
Old Town Hall we see 27 marble crosses set into the
ground. Nearby, we see the Church of St. Nicholas
and the gothic Tyn Church dating from the 14th century. In
this church you will find, among other interesting relics,
the tomb of the astronomer, Tycho Brahe. Dinner and
overnight in Prague.
Day 3 - Wednesday
PRAGUE
This morning we go to Prague’s most notable
monument, the Prague Castle. Inseparable from the
hundred-spired landscape, it creates a picturesque view.
We enter the St. Vitus Cathedral for Mass and to see some of
the most prized relics of Czech history including tombs of
Czech kings, coronation jewels, and some outstanding
artworks. At the castle gallery we see paintings of the
most important masters of Renaissance: Titian, Leonardo da
Vinci, Raphael, Breughel, Holbein, Dürer and many others.
Within the Castle complex, we also visit the All Saints Church
rebuilt in Renaissance style, the Romanesque St. George church
and the old convent. The afternoon is free for
exploration in Prague. Dinner and overnight in
Prague.
Day 4 - Thursday
PRAGUE / VIENNA
After breakfast, we depart for Vienna with a stop at the
Klosterneuburg Abbey. We celebrate Mass at the Monastery
Cathedral. Next we visit a holy mountain in the heart of
the Czech Republic, the sanctuary of Svata Hora. The
hilltop shrine features a renowned miraculous statue of the
Virgin Mary and a spectacular basilica with a magnificent
silver altar, frescoes and paintings. Next we stop at
Melk Abbey along the Danube River. Over 900 years old,
Melk Abbey is one of the finest religious sites in Austria
where black robed monks still stroll amidst marble sculptures
and frescoed walls. Here we will see its glorious
gardens, the Emporer’s gallery, Marble Hall and the
Library. Continue along to Vienna for dinner and
overnight.
Day 5 - Friday
VIENNA
The Hofburg Palace Chapel is our destination for a performance
by the Vienna Boys Choir this morning followed by a visit to
Vienna’s landmark, St. Stephen’s Cathedral where we celebrate
Mass. While there, we’ll see the miraculous image of Our
Lady of Mariapocs, tour the Cathedral and its catacombs, and
those who wish may climb the 343 steps to the top of the
Cathedral spire. Next, we’ll take a tour of the Imperial
Palace, viewing the private rooms of Emperor Francis Joseph and
those of his wife, Empress Elisabeth, as well as the Treasuries
with the magnificent crown jewels. Back in the city
center, we go to Karlsplatz with its Church of St. Charles
Borromeo and Otto Wagner's Stadtbahn pavilions. The
remainder of the day is at leisure for sightseeing in
Vienna. Dinner and overnight in Vienna.
Day 6 - Saturday
VIENNA / BUDAPEST
 This morning we
depart Vienna en route to Budapest with a stop at the
Pannonhalma Abbey, rich in religious and historical
importance, sitting atop St. Martin Hill. In 1996,
Pope John Paul II made a pilgrimage to the mountaintop to
join the monks in their celebration for the 1000th
anniversary of the monastery’s founding. Next we
visit Our Lady of Remete, site of a miraculous image of
the Virgin Mary. It was here that in 1991, Pope John
Paul II kneeled and prayed before the image. We also
take time to stroll through the outdoor Marian sanctuary
located on the grounds. We continue on to Budapest
for dinner and overnight.
Day 7 - Sunday
BUDAPEST
This morning we visit the Basilica of St. Stephen. During
his years as king, Stephen built churches, monasteries and
hospices for pilgrims to help spread the Christian faith.
Featuring magnificent works of art and architecture, the
basilica’s greatest treasure lies in a small chapel to the left
of the main altar. Here, in a glass casket you will find
the country’s most sacred object, the mummified hand of St.
Stephen. Next we visit the 13th century church of St.
Matthias, officially named the Church of Our Lady. Later
in the day we visit the Fisherman’s Bastillon and the new
extension of the National Art Gallery in the Castle
District. In the afternoon we enjoy a visit to Lajosmizse
for the Puszta horse and carriage show and its old world
atmostphere. Return to Budapest for dinner and
overnight.
Day 8 - Monday
BUDAPEST / AUSCHWITZ / KRAKOW
This morning we
depart Budapest for Krakow via Slovakia. Before arriving
in Krakow, we will visit the favorite childhood shrine of the
Holy Father, Kalwaria Zebrzydowska. Known as “Polish
Jerusalem”, the sanctuary is Poland’s second-most famous
pilgrimage destination. Here we visit its hillside
grounds and visit some of its many beautiful chapels and
participate in some of its daily processions. Next we
visit the Auschwitz concentration camp where St. Maximilian
Kolbe spent the final days of his life and was martyred during
World War II. Here we take a guided tour of the grounds
prior to visiting the Auschwitz Museum. We continue on to
Krakow for dinner and overnight.
Day 9 - Tuesday
KRAKOW
This morning we visit ancient Krakow, for centuries the
residence of the Polish Kings. On Wawel Hill, we find
both the Krakow Cathedral a nd the Wawel Royal
Castle. We embark on a guided tour of the Cathedral
to include a visit to the Shrine of Saint Stanislaus and
the Cathedral Treasury and Museum. Next we visit the
Shrine of Blessed Faustina at the Convent of the Sisters
of Our Lady of Mercy. Our day in Krakow ends with a
visit to the 14th century Gothic St. Mary’s Basilica,
located in the heart of Old Town Krakow in Market
Square. Inside we see the world-famous Altar of the
Virgin Mary, the largest of its kind in Europe. Here
we also find the Altars of Our Lady of Loreto and St.
Stanislaus. Finally we explore its two most visited
chapels, Our Lady of Czestochowa and St.
Anthony.
Day 10 - Wednesday
KRAKOW / CZESTOCHOWA / WARSAW
This morning we depart for Czestochowa and enjoy a visit to the
monastery at Jasna Gora and one of the most famous Marian
Shrines in Europe. It is here that the miraculous icon of
Our Lady with the Child Jesus, also known as the Black Madonna,
is located. Also venerated as the “Queen of Poland”, it
has become the country’s national symbol. Here we
celebrate Mass, followed by a visit to the library and the
treasury where many valuable were hidden during the war.
En route to Warsaw, we make a brief visit to Niepokalanow, the
City of the Immaculata, and its Franciscan friary where St.
Maximilian Kolbe lived and worked. Here we see the
Franciscan Minor Basilica, a Statue of St. Maximilian Kolbe and
the site on which John Paul II celebrated Mass in 1983.
We depart for Warsaw for dinner and overnight.
Day 11 - Thursday
WARSAW
This morning we get an orientation tour of
the city, visiting Old Town with its local galleries as well as
the Royal Way beginning at Castle Square and the excavations of
the fortifications that once surrounded Warsaw, as well as the
14th century Gothic Bridge. Located on the left bank of
the Wisla River, the historical quarter of the city has been
restored to its pre-war condition. We visit the church
dedicated to St. Stanislaus and also visit the convent where
Blessed Faustina first joined the religious order. Next
we visit the historical churches of St. John’s Cathedral, the
Holy Cross Church and Popieluszko. We continue along the
Royal Route to see the famous statues, aristocratic residences
and Lazienki Park with its famous Chopin monument. Our
day ends with a visit to the Royal Castle. Dinner and
overnight in Warsaw.
Day 12 - Friday
WARSAW /
USA
After
breakfast, we transfer to the airport for the flight
home. Though our pilgrimage has come to an end, the
blessings of our encounters with the Lord, Our Lady, and the
saints are certain to strengthen and encourage us throughout
our lifelong pilgrimage.
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