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A 14-Day Baltic
Pilgrimage
Including St. Petersburg, Pskov, Riga,
Vilnius, Gdansk, Warsaw and more.
Day
1
USA / ST.
PETERSBURG
This afternoon we gather at Washington Dulles
International Airport for overnight flight aboard Lufthansa,
connecting through Frankfurt, with meals served in
flight.
Day 2
ST.
PETERSBURG
This morning we arrive in St. Petersburg,
Russia, and meet your Pilgrimage Tours™ tour director who will
remain with you until the end of your tour. After
checking in at our hotel we have an orientation tour of this
grand city spread over 42 islands and established by Peter the
Great. Among the sights, some of the city’s magnificent
churches-Peter and Paul Cathedral, the St. Nicholas’ Cathedral
and St. Isaac’s Cathedral-and the famous Palace Square and
Nevsky Prospekt. Dinner and overnight in St.
Petersburg.
Day 3
ST.
PETERSBURG
Those who wish may rise early for Mass with
the staff and seminarians at Mary Queen of Apostles Seminary,
the national Catholic seminary  for
Russia. Opened in Moscow in 1993 after more than 70
years of persecution and suppression of Catholicism in the
USSR, it moved to St. Petersburg in 1995. Today we
see more of the sights for which this most famous and
sophisticated Russian cities, including Tsarskoe Selo, the
Smolny Monastery and Cathedral, and the Hermitage Museum.
Those who wish may attend a 6:30 pm performance of
Gounod’s “Faust” by the world-famous Kirov Ballet &
Opera Company. Dinner and overnight in St.
Petersburg.
Day 4
ST. PETERSBURG / PSKOV,
Russia
This
morning we depart by motor coach through the countryside to
Pskov, a unique walled city with a rich history. Its
Dovmontov Gorod was built on the foundations of nine churches
built between the 12th and 15th centuries, now in ruins.
In fact, even today Pskov has more churches than restaurants
and hotels combined. We see the gold-domed Troisky Sobor,
founded in the 10th century, as well as Transfiguration
Cathedral and the recently re-opened Assumption Church.
If time permits we will visit the Pechory Monastery, still home
to 60 Orthodox monks. Dinner and overnight in
Pskov.
Day 5
PSKOV / JELGAVA and RIGA,
Latvia
We
depart early this morning by motor coach for Latvia, crossing
briefly through Estonia en route to Riga, situated on both
sides of the Daugava River. Of all the cities in the
Baltics, Riga is the busiest and most urbane. Passing
through Riga, we arrive this afternoon in Jelgava to celebrate
Sunday Mass in the Jelgava Cathedral. In the evening we
return to Riga for dinner and
overnight.
Day 6
RIGA
Today we visit Riga. The skyline of the
Old City is dominated by the steeples of three very different
and beautiful churches: the Dome Cathedral, St. Peter’s and St.
Jacob’s, which is the seat of the Catholic archbishopric.
(Riga is distinguished by being the site of the only Catholic
seminary to remain open in the days of the Soviet Union.)
We also see the National Theatre where Latvia’s independence
was declared on November 18, 1918, and Freedom Monument.
In the afternoon on the shores of nearby Lake Jugla we see the
Open-Air Ethnographic Museum that includes rural Latvian
farmhouses, windmills, churches, and fishermen’s huts.
Dinner is at Reutem’s House with a traditional folk
performance. Overnight in Riga.
Day 7
 RIGA
/ SIAULIAI and VILNIUS,
Lithuania
Our morning begins with a visit to the
lovely beaches of the Jurmala, once a favorite Soviet
get-away spot. Then we set out through the lush,
fertile Zemgale region of Latvia for Lithuania.
Along the way we visit the Hill of Crosses near the city
of Siauliai. Covered with literally thousands of
crosses of every size and sort, this is a traditional
pilgrimage site not to be missed. We continue on to
Vilnius for dinner and overnight.
Day 8
VILNIUS
Vilnius was the center of the Lithuanian
fight for independence from the Soviet Union. Its long
history as a center of faith and freedom is seen in the
presence of a church spire at every turn. Today we see
the major sites including the Adam Mickiewicz Monument, the
Dawn Gate and New Gate, and also the city’s two castles. We
visit the Icon of the Virgin in the Chapel of the Gates of
Dawn, which is revered especially by Polish Catholics (a
replica is in St. Peter’s in Rome), and the cathedral outside
where many anti-Soviet gatherings took place. Dinner and
overnight in Vilnius.
Day 9
VILNIUS / GREAT MASURIAN LAKES,
Poland
Rising early we set out for the Polish border
where we enter the Augustow Forest of mainly spruce and pine,
full of wildlife and known for its dozens of lakes. After
lunch we pass through the Land of the Great Masurian Lakes that
date back to the Ice Age. Dinner and overnight in
Olsztyn.
Day 10
GDANSK
We arrive by mid-day in the medieval (and
modern) port city of Gdansk famed in World War II as the city
the Germans called Danzig. It is known in more recent
history as the home of Lech Walesa and center of the Solidarity
movement. Our sightseeing includes the Main Town, the Old Town,
the wonderfully restored historic waterfront and much
more. Dinner and overnight in
Gdansk.
Day 11
GDANSK / MALBORK /
WARSAW
Shortly
after departing Gdansk this morning we arrive at Malbork, a
Gothic castle of enormous proportions -the largest in
Poland-and the site from which the Teutonic Knights ruled in
the 14th and 15th centuries. Then we continue on to
Warsaw where we get an orientation tour of the city along 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. We also visit the church dedicated
to St. Stanislaus Kostka where Fr. Jerzy Popieluszko, chaplain
of Solidarity, celebrated Mass before he was killed in
1984. Dinner and overnight in
Warsaw.
Day 12
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. Continuing 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 13
WARSAW /
LUBLIN
Today
we travel southeast to Lublin. In this town, not far from
beautiful and unspoiled mountains where he enjoyed skiing,
university professor and future pope Karol Wojtila was an
instrumental figure in so-called Lublin Thomism. A place
of notable architectural beauty, we see the neo-Gothic castle,
the Krakow, Royal and Grodzka Gates and various other
historical sites. In addition to visiting the
Catholic University we visit the John Paul II Center, supported
by the Friends of John Paul II Foundation. Dinner and
overnight in Warsaw.
Day 14
WARSAW /
USA
Today our
Baltic pilgrimage comes to an end and we return to the
USA. Though our pilgrimage draws to a close, its
blessings will last a lifetime and its graces are certain to
draw us closer each day to the Lord.
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