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SPIRITUAL TOUR 11 DAYS
Tracing St. Francis and St. Benedict
Day 1 - Rome-Siena-Florence
Arrival at Rome Leonardo da Vinci Airport and meeting with our professional tour manager. Transfer by coach (3 hrs drive_ to Siena, " the sole living model of a medieval city".
After a guided walk through the most important sites and buildings, we arrive at the Sanctuary of the house of Santa Caterina. Tour continues with Holy Mass at the Church of San Domenico.
A Gothic style Basilica. Inside is the Cahpel of St. \Caterina Whose tabernacle contains a reliquary with the hand of the Saint.
Day ends traveling by coach (1 hrs drive) to reach Florence for room allocation, dinner and overnight.
Day 2 - Florence
A full day guided visit of one of the most significant capitals of the arts in Italy, it not of the world.
Visit includes: the Baptistery of St. John the religious essence of the city-, the Duomo with the Medici Chapel, the church of St. Lorenzo. Pizza Della Signoria, piazza San Marco with the church of San Marco and the Academy Gallery. Tour ends at the Basilica of Santa Croce, a masterpiece of Gothic art and the pantheon of famous Italians among whose Michelangelo, Machiavelli.
Mass will be celebrated at a selected location.
Dinner and overnight at your hotel.
Day 3 - La Verna- Sansepolcro-Assisi-
This morning an early departure to discover the Sanctuary of La Verna. Here St Francis with a few companions built a cluster of huts. N September 1224 he received the stigmata and from then on, the place became an important sanctuary. We can celebrate Holy mass in the chapel of the Stigmata, which harks back to 1263.
Mass will be celebrated here.
Proceed then by coach to Sansepolcro, the so called" little Jerusalem", "since settled around the chapel containing the reliques St. Egidio and St. Arcano bought from Jerusalem. Free time to walk through this medieval.city and have lunch.
In the afternoon continue by coach to Assisi.
Room allocation, dinner and overnight.
Day 4 - Assisi
A full day guided visit of this charming town-the pilgrimage centre where St. Francis and St Clare lived.
Visit the Basilica of St. Francis (Upper and lower) with its Renaissance masterpieces by Giottto and Cimabuem and the Basilica of the Clare.
In the afternoon visit of the church of St. Damiano, where St. Francis probably wrote his famous canticle to the sun and to the moon.
Mass will be celebrated at the Porziuncola.
Dinner and overnight.
Day 5 - Greccio-Subiaco
Travel southwards by coach thrugh the Umbrain Valley and the picturesque cities of Spello and spolted to reach the hermitage of Greccio, the "New Bethlehem". The edges of the building blend into the lush Holm oak woods that greets Saint Francis on his solitary retreats.
The sanctuary is famous because Saint Francis chose it as the backdrop to one the highest and the most lyrical moments in his life: the first recreation of the Bethlehem Nativity in Christianity Eve, 1223.
The visit of the Sanctuary starts from the Chapel of Nativity "and continues through the ancient convent.
The refectory, the dormitory and the cell dug where St Francis slept.
Mass will be celebrated here, at the chapel of Nativity.
After free time for lunch continue traveling by coach (2 hrs drive) to reach the little village of Subiaco. We will spend two nights in this mystic place St. Benedict (5th century) chose to spend a period of prayer and meditation. Room allocation and dinner at the monastery to experience the idea of the monastic life.
Day 6 - Subiaco
A full day to relax with an intense and suggestive atmosphere of peace and serenity in this quiet, intimate place.
Mass will be celebrated here.
Dinner and overnight.
Day 7 - Mentorella
In the morning visit of this imposing monastic complex: the grotto of Sansepolcro-where St. Benedict spent his years of isolation-, the grotto of Sheperds, the abbey of St. Scolastica- st. Benedict's twin sister-, the Library of the Archive-containing copies of ancient codexes-, the Cloister and the church.
In the afternoon half day guided visit to the Sanctuary of the Mentorella-the most ancient in Italy, founded thanks to Costantine 1800 years ago.
Experience the strong religiosity and harmy of this place where art, faith and nature coexit in an unreal silence pervaded by the frangrance of an ancient
Sweet-smelling mint".
Mass will be celebrated here
In the evening back by coach to Subiaco for dinner and overnight.
Day 8 - Montecassino
Early morning departure to visit the famous abbey of Montecassino, founded thanks to St.Benedict in 529.
On this site the Saint established the principles of the rules (540), and was buried with his sister Saint Scolastiaca. The relics, fond in 1950, are now preserved in the crypt.
Mass will be celebrated here
In the late afternoon proceed by coach to Rome for dinner and overnight.
Day 9 - Rome
After breakfast transfer to the Vatican to visit museums and the Sistine chapel. Continue with a visit of St. Peter's Basilica, to admire the famous Michelangelo' Pieta.
After a break for lunch tour will continue with a drive along a section of the old Appian Way: see the huge slabs that originally paved its length and several surviving patrician tombs that once lined its way.
Visit of the Calacombs and then proceed by coach to visit the Basilica of St. Paul outside the walls.
Mass will be celebrated as a selected location.
Dinner and overnight at your hotel.
Day 10 - Rome
After breakfast a walk through the very core of Roman Antiquity. See Trajan's market, Nero's Golden house, Trajan's forum and column, arch of costantinem house of knights of Rodhes. Visit the mamertine Prisons-where St Peter was held prisoner-, the Roman Forum- the civic hear.
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