Pictures from the Italy

St. Monica’s Episcopal Church

Youth Pilgrimage to Italy

Led by:

The Rev. Kathryn Schillreff
St. Monica's Episcopal Church
Naples, FL

June 11 – 21, 2012

Trip map

DAY 1, Monday, June 11, 2012 - Depart the Miami International Airport for our flight on Air France connecting in Paris where we transfer to our flight into Florence.  Meals on board the aircraft. M

DAY 2: Tuesday, June 12, 2012 - Our Pilgrimage to Italy begins:  We arrive at the Florence airport where we meet our guide and board our private motorcoach.  We depart Florence and travel south to Rome.  Dinner and overnight Rome. D

DAY 3: Wednesday, June 13, 2012 - This morning we visit St. Paul’s within the Walls, an Anglican church within the walls of ancient Rome.  We spend some time with the refugees at the Joel Nafuma Refugee Center, a ministry of St. Paul’s.  This afternoon we visit the Catacombs, the burial site of thousands of Roman Christians.  (Pending confirmation we celebrate Eucharist in the Catacombs.)  Overnight Rome. B

DAY 4: Thursday, June 14, 2012 - After breakfast we tour the Vatican State, an entire European state comprising 109 acres, ruled by the Pope and having its own postage stamps, coinage, anthem and flag.  Within the boundaries of the Vatican stands St. Peter’s Basilica, built on the site where St. Peter was buried after he had been martyred in Nero’s Circus.  The first Chapel on the right as you enter St. Peter’s contains the Pieta’, the moving and powerful masterpiece carved by Michelangelo.  We will tour the Sistine Chapel and marvel at the beauty created by Michelangelo on its ceiling.  This afternoon we visit the Coliseum, an amphitheatre in the center of Rome.  The Coliseum is considered to be one of the greatest works of Roman architecture and Roman engineering.  We visit the Forum, originally a marsh area that was drained and turned into a center of political and social activity.  The Forum was a marketplace of Rome and also the business district and civic center.  Time permitting we will visit the church of St. John the Lateran.  Dedicated to John the Baptist and John the Evangelist, it is the first among the four major basilicas of Rome.  Overnight Rome. B

DAY 5: Friday, June 15, 2012 - We travel along the "Highway of the Sun" and visit Greccio to see the Greccio Monastery.  It is here that St. Francis celebrated Christmas in 1223 by placing a manger and live animals before the altar which started the custom of making crèches or manger scenes at Christmas.  We see the Chapel of the Crib.  We continue on to our home for the next four nights, Assisi, birthplace of Francis and a city whose walls have hardly changed since the Middle Ages.  This afternoon we will have time to stroll around Assisi in small groups.  After dinner we will meet at the town square where we will discuss Francis’ ministry and the significance of the square.  Overnight Assisi. B

DAY 6: Saturday, June 16, 2012 - A full day outside the walls exploring where Francis began his ministry.  This morning we will walk to the church of San Damiano, where Clare lived and where Francis received his vision to “rebuild the church.”  Then on to Santa Maria degli Angeli, the Baroque church which was built over the Porziuncola, the little chapel restored by St. Francis.  It is here in a spartan cell that Francis died.  We will also visit Eremo Delle Carceri, a monastery in the dense woodlands on the side of Monte Subasio. It was here on the slope of the mountain in caves where Francis and his followers established their first home to which he returned often during his lifetime to pray and meditate.  Overnight Assisi. BL

DAY 7: Sunday, June 17, 2012 - We will have Morning Prayer in Assisi followed by a visit to La Verna to see the site where St. Francis received the stigmata.  We continue on to Isola Maggiore, where Francis went on retreat for 40 days.  We will enjoy some time on the beach on the island.  Dinner in Perugia, famous for chocolate!  Overnight Assisi. BD

DAY 8: Monday, June 18, 2012 - This morning we will take the half hour walk to Cannara.  Outside the town are the fields of Pian d’Arca which legend identifies as the site of St. Francis’ sermon to the birds.  We will visit the church of Santa Chiara, dedicated to St. Clare, who was one of the earliest and most fervent of Francis’ followers.  We will see the Cappella del Crocifisso, the cross that spoke to St. Francis and led him to a life of piety.  We return to Assisi to visit the Basilica di San Francesco, which contains one of the most imposing series of frescoes, 28 scenes from the life of St. Francis by Giotto, and the crypt where the remains of St. Francis rest.  The remainder of the day we will be free to explore Assisi on our own.  Overnight Assisi. BL

DAY 9: Tuesday, June 19, 2012 - This morning we travel to Siena, Italy’s lovely medieval city.  We visit the Duomo, one of the finest Gothic cathedrals in Italy and where we see the 56 separate biblical scenes, allegories, religious symbols, and civic emblems that are designed in marble on the floor.  We see the carousel pulpit and frescoes depicting events from the life of Pope Pius II.  We continue on to San Gimignano, one of the best preserved medieval villages in Italy.  After some time for exploration we continue on to Florence for overnight. B

DAY 10: Wednesday, June 20, 2012 - Today we will visit the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore with its magnificent dome, Bell Tower and Baptistery.  The Baptistery has golden doors designed by Ghiberti representing scenes from the Life and Passion of Christ.  We visit the Museum of the Duomo to see Donatello’s sculpture of Magdalene and then visit the Accademia and see Michelangelo’s famous statue of David.  We will have some time this afternoon to explore Florence on our own in small groups.  This evening we enjoy a “Farewell to Italy” dinner in a local restaurant.  Overnight Florence. B

DAY 11: Thursday, June 21, 2012 - This morning we have an early morning checkout and depart for the Florence Airport.  We board our Air France flight to Paris.  There we transfer to our flight back to the Miami Airport. BM

Price: $3,599.00*.  Price is based without airline taxes and fuel surcharges.  Roundtrip air from Miami International Airport on Air France.  Air transportation available from other cities.  Single Supplement:  $299.00 per pilgrim.  Triple Reduction:  $30.00. * Air taxes and fuel as of September 23, 2011 $599.68 per pilgrim (not included in the cost of the pilgrimage and is subject to change until the tickets are issued).

** The price is not guaranteed and may change due to the fluctuation of the Euro and the US dollar.  We make every effort to avoid any increase and will only do so if the value of the dollar falls against the Euro.  Your pricing was based on the exchange rate of $1.40 to the Euro. **

Price includes Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance

$200.00 per person deposit due with registration and copy of passport.

Final payment due March 12, 2012

Cancellation Penalties
◊ Until March 11, 2012:  $100.00 plus any unrecoverable fees.
◊ March 12 – April 26, 2012:  $200.00 plus any unrecoverable fees.
◊ After April 27, 2012:  NO REFUND

Meals: B Breakfast, L Lunch, D Dinner, M Meals on Aircraft

The itinerary is subject to change due to local conditions or at the discretion and direction of the leader or guide.