10 Days Marian Shrines - Portugal, Spain & France

We take a moment to settle in before we begin our exploration of the city. Among our stops are the Church of St. Anthony which celebrates San Antonio de Padua, the Monastery of San Jeronimo, the Cathedral of Lisbon and the Basilica of the Star.

Today we travel to Fatima, where Our Lady appeared to three shepherd children and exhorted them to pray for peace and conversion. We visit the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima, the tombs of Francisco and Jacinta, the Village of Aljustrel where they lived, and Valinhos, where Our Lady appeared to them after their release from prison. Walk along the Via Sacra which ends at the Calvary Chapel overlooking Fatima. This evening, join fellow pilgrims for the candlelight procession and rosary at the Sanctuary.

After a final morning of prayer in Fatima, we travel to Santiago de Compostela, capital of the region of Galicia in northwest Spain. Known as the culmination of the pilgrimage route of the Camino de Santiago, it is the burial place of the apostle Santiago. His remains rest inside the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, consecrated in 1211, whose elaborately carved stone facades open onto large squares within the medieval walls of the old town.

We journey into the mountains of Cantabria to the small village of San Sebastian de Garabandal, where the Virgin Mary is reported to have appeared to four young girls between 1961 and 1965. Visit the Pines, the site of the apparitions, and the village church, and walk the humble streets that the visionaries once walked. Pilgrims come here to pray in the quiet and simplicity of this remote sanctuary, largely unchanged since the time of the apparitions.

We arrive in Lourdes, one of the most visited Marian shrines in the world. Attend Mass at the Grotto of Our Lady and begin to follow in the footsteps of St. Bernadette. Visit Boly Mill, where St. Bernadette was born, and the "Cachot," the abandoned prison where her impoverished family lived. This evening, join the candlelight procession and group rosary with pilgrims from around the world (candlelight procession and group rosary occur April through October).

A full day to pray with your fellow pilgrims in Lourdes. Watch a video presentation on the history of the apparitions, join the prayers with the multitude of pilgrims who assist the sick and disabled, and drink the water from the miraculous spring or immerse yourself in the healing baths. Experience the love of Our Lady as you enter her chapel built on the very rock of the Grotto, in obedience to her request as the "Immaculate Conception." Evening is free for an optional Blessed Sacrament Procession before dinner.

We travel to Paris and begin our visit at the Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal on Rue du Bac, where the Virgin Mary appeared to St. Catherine Laboure in 1830 and asked that a medal be struck in her honor. We continue to Notre-Dame Cathedral and the Basilica of the Sacre-Coeur atop Montmartre, taking in the sweeping views over the city.

A day to further explore the spiritual and historic heart of Paris, with time for personal prayer and reflection, along with the opportunity to see other iconic sights of the city during your pilgrimage.

Today we board our flight back home. This concludes our services, thank you for traveling with Holy Travel.