Episcopal Diocese of Springfield

Youth Pilgrimage to England

Led by:

Bishop Daniel Martins
Episcopal Diocese of Springfield
Springfield, IL

June 13 – 23, 2014

DAY 1: Friday, June 13, 2014 - Depart St. Louis, MO/Chicago, IL on a wide-body jet for an overnight trans-Atlantic flight. M

DAY 2: Saturday, June 14, 2014 - Arrive at London Heathrow Airport and meet our driver and guide.  Once we arrive in London, we will take a guided panoramic sightseeing tour.  We will see Buckingham Palace, home of the Queen, Trafalgar Square, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament.  We see Tower Bridge and the Tower of London, which is guarded by the Beefeaters and contains the crown jewels, and Westminster Abbey, site of the coronations of Britain’s royalty.  In the afternoon, we will check into our hotel and enjoy a “welcome to England” dinner. D

DAY 3: Sunday, June 15, 2014 - After breakfast we celebrate the Eucharist (church to be determined).  We enjoy a cruise down the Thames to the Tower of London for a tour where we see the Yeoman Warders of the Tower in their Tudor style uniforms, the White Tower, the Bloody Tower, the crown jewels, the Chapel of St. John, Tower Bridge, Traitors Gate, and Tower Green, the site of the executioner’s block.  The rest of the afternoon we are free to pursue some of our own interests in small groups with chaperones.  Overnight London with dinner on your own. B

DAY 4: Monday, June 16, 2014 - This morning we tour St. Paul’s Cathedral, the great Gothic building which was designed by Sir Christopher Wren to replace the medieval cathedral destroyed in the fire of 1666.  The crypt here contains the tombs of Admiral Nelson and the Duke of Wellington.  We tour Westminster Abbey and the reconstructed Globe Theater on the banks of the Thames.  We attend a performance of the musical, Wicked, this evening.  Overnight London. BD

DAY 5: Tuesday, June 17, 2014 - Today we depart through the scenic English countryside to Cambridge, home of Cambridge University, where we tour some of the colleges and the chapel.  We continue on to Walsingham, a place of pilgrimage for centuries.  We walk the Holy Mile to the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham where we attend the 5 PM Mass.  Dinner and overnight Walsingham area. BD

DAY 6: Wednesday, June 18, 2014 - Morning departure for Coventry where we enjoy a morning tour and see the medieval cathedral which was bombed and virtually destroyed by the German Luftwaffe in World War II and then the modern cathedral which was built inside the medieval shell as a monument to peace.  We continue to Warwick to enjoy a fun visit to Warwick Castle, a 14th c fortress with dungeons, reproductions of a royal weekend party from 1898 and an entertaining look at court life in 19th England.  Overnight near Coventry. BD

DAY 7: Thursday, June 19, 2014 - Our journey continues to the ancient circle of stones at Stonehenge which were placed here around 2800 BC and the purpose of which still mystifies historians.  We will stop at Old Sarum to see the ruins of the cathedral begun by Bishop Herman and continued by St. Osmund.  The cathedral was consecrated in 1092 and razed in 1331 to provide building materials for the close at Salisbury.  We continue to Salisbury for a visit to Salisbury Cathedral, the Cathedral Close and the beautiful little town that surrounds it.  Overnight in the Salisbury area. BD

DAY 8: Friday, June 20, 2014 - Today we travel to Ayeslford Priory where we meet with the friars and have lunch.  In the afternoon, we hike along the Old Pilgrims’ Way before arriving at Canterbury.  This evening we will be free to enjoy dinner on our own.  Overnight Canterbury. B

DAY 9: Saturday, June 21, 2014 - Today we visit Canterbury Cathedral where we will learn about the history and spirituality of the Cathedral and the concept and practice of pilgrimage.  We will also tour the Cathedral focusing on pilgrimage, including a short meditation on the theme "Journey Inward, Journey Outward".  We will then attend a candlelit short Taize style service at the nearby ancient parish church of St. Martins and visit St. Augustine Abbey which is the burial place of Augustine.  This evening enjoy a “Pilgrimage Tour” arranged by Bishop Martins with the Cathedral staff.  Overnight Canterbury. BD

DAY 10: Sunday, June 22, 2014 - This morning we will worship at Canterbury Cathedral and then have some free time for further exploration in the afternoon.  We join together for a “farewell to England” dinner and overnight in Canterbury BD

DAY 11: Monday, June 23, 2014 - Depart for London’s Heathrow Airport and board our flight back to St. Louis, MO/Chicago, IL arriving in the afternoon. BM

Price:  $3,159.00.  Estimated price based on double occupancy (subject to change until the air space is confirmed and confirmation of the rates for 2014).  $389.00 single supplement.  Air from St. Louis, MO/Chicago, IL

Pricing does not included airline taxes and fuel surcharges which on October 26, 2012 were $653.00 per person. The taxes and fuel curcharges will be added to your final invoice.

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

* The price is not guaranteed and may change due to the fluctuation of the British Pound 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 British Pound.  Your pricing was based on the exchange rate of $1.61 to the British Pound. *

Final payment due March 3, 2014.

Cancellation Penalties
◊ Until March 2, 2014: $100 per person plus any unrecoverable fees.
◊ March 3 - April 25, 2014: $200 per person plus any unrecoverable fees.
◊ April 26, 2014 or later: NO REFUND

An application for travel insurance will be included with the receipt for your deposit.  We strongly recommend that you seriously consider this coverage.

Meals: B Breakfast, L Lunch, D Dinner, S Snack

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