Marian Shrines with Medjugorje

Upon arrival, we take a moment to get settled before getting started on our exploration of the city. Among our many stops are St. Anthony’s Church celebrating St. Anthony of Padua, St. Jerome’s Monastery, the Discoveries Monument, the Lisbon Cathedral, the Basilica of the Star.

We visit the Church of St. Stephen, home to a Eucharistic miracle that has been on display since 1269 AD. After celebrating mass here, we continue to Fátima where the Virgin appeared to three children and exhorted them to pray for peace and conversion.

We tour the Shrine of Our Lady of Fátima, the graves of Francesco and Jacinta, the Hamlet of Aljustrel where they lived, and Valinhos, where Our Lady appeared to them upon their release from prison. Walk the Via Sacra that ends at the Chapel of Calvary overlooking Fatima. We experience all of the spiritual customs that have arisen out of the apparitions that took place here.

Santiago de Compostela is the capital of northwest Spain’s Galicia region. It’s known as the culmination of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route, and the burial site of the apostle St. James. His remains lie within the Catedral de Santiago de Compostela, consecrated in 1211, whose elaborately carved stone facades open onto grand plazas within the medieval walls of the old town.

Burgos, a provincial capital in Spain’s autonomous community of Castile and León, is marked by its intact medieval architecture. Its most recognizable landmark is the French Gothic Cathedral of St. Mary, whose 3 main doorways are flanked by ornamented bell towers. Inside is the Chapel of Condestable, decorated with figures of saints, and the tomb of El Cid (Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar), the 11th-century military commander.

We depart Burgos and make our way to Loyola, the historic home of St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuit order. The Sanctuary of Loyola or Shrine and Basilica of Loyola as it is known is dedicated to him. It consists of a series of edifices built in a Baroque style around his birthplace. The Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família is the largest unfinished Roman Catholic church in the world and is located in Barcelona, designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí.

During your next two days in Lourdes you will have time to pray with your fellow pilgrims from around the world. During your trip, you will have an opportunity to: Attend mass at the Grotto of Our Lady, watch a video presentation on the story of Lourdes, and walk in the footsteps of St.Ber nadette. See Boly Mill where St. Bernadette was born, and the "Cachot," an abandoned prison where Bernadette's impoverished family lived. Join in prayers with the multitude of pilgrims in attendance for the sick and infirmed. Drink the water from the miraculous spring or submerge yourself in the healing baths.

Experience Our Lady's love as you walk into her chapel built on the very rock of the Grotto, in obedience to her request as the "Immaculate Conception." Evenings are free for an optional Blessed Sacrament Procession before dinner. Your role in the universal church will have new meaning as you join the candlelight procession and group rosary (candlelight procession & group rosary only occur April- October).

Board your short connection flight to either: Dubrovnik, Split, or Sarajevo airport. Upon arrival you will be greeted by your tour guide and/or driver, who will take you on the 2 1/2 hour drive to the village of Medjugorje. Enjoy dinner before retiring for the evening.

We will assemble at St. James Church for Mass in the morning. Climb Apparition Hill: This mountainous hill is where the visionaries first encountered Our Lady. Also, at the base of this hill is a Blue Cross, where it is said Our Lady appeared to the children while they hid from the communist police in the early days of the alleged apparitions. When climbing, your group is invited to recite the Rosary, pausing five times for each decade of the Rosary.

This concludes our services in Medjugorje. We board our flights back to the US.