ITALY GRANDE

ITALY. ITALIA GRANDE

ROME • VATICAN • MONTE CASSINO • SORRENTO • CAPRI NAPOLI  • SALLERNO  •  NEAPOLITAN CAPRI • SALERNO • AMALFI • POMPEII • SAN GRIOVANNI ROTONDO MONTE SANT’ ANGELO • LANCIANO

DAY 1

Arrival in Rome and sightseeing at the city, depending on the time of the arrival. Dinner and accomodation.

DAY 2

Breakfast. We drive to Vatican. We head to the St Peter Basilica i.e. Pieta of Michaelangelo, St Sebastian Chapel with a grave of John Paul II, the main altar with Berninis’ canopy. A tour of the baroque Rome; Piazza  Navona, The Spanish Stairs, Fontaine di Trevi. The ancient Panthenon is one of the constructions differing from the baroque character. We then continue to Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica. The basillica was visited by John Paul II on the 8th of december, the day of the Immaculate Conception. It’s one of the bigger basilicas’, which kept its original form. In the marble interior, a special attentionn should be given to the mosaics’ from the V century, showing the biblical scenes. Dinner and accomodation.

DAY 3

Breakfast. We start our day with a visit to the Vatican. Depending on the presence of the Holy Father, we take part in the general audience or the Angelus prayer. We head to the Laterans’ vicinity and visit the St John basilica in Lateran – ”The biggest Lateran Church, mother and the head of the churches of the whole city and the world”. We drive up to the San Lorenzo chapel, where the Holy Stairs can be found - the biggest christian relic. Sightseeing at the antique Rome. We stop for a while at the Coloseum, Forum Romanum and Venice square, where the Altar of the Mother Land, with a statue of the Victor Emanuel II – the first king of the united Italy. Dinner and overnight.

DAY 4

Breakfast. We drive to the Monte Cassino valley to the Benedictine Abbey, built in year 529 by St Benedict from Norcia. This is where st Benedict wrote the ”pray and work” law. After this we stop for a while at the monastery constructions, the church and the basilica, which contains the grave of St Benedict and St Scholastic. The valley with the benedict abbey during WWII was the key element of the german defense line of Gustav, conquered by the soilders of the Second Polish Corpus. At the foot of the monastery, we’ll visit the graveyard of the polish soilders and their commander general Wladyslaw Anders. Dinner and accomodation.

DAY 5

Breakfast. We head to the harbour in Sorrento – the city of the legends, citrus holts and the famous limoncello liqueur. Sailing along the Neapolitian Gulf on Capri. A whole day spent on the island. A walk along the narrow and curvy streets and shops with local products, through the blooming August Gardens with a sightseeing patio, from which one can see the wonderful panorama. We’ll be able to bathe in the sea and participate in one of the cruises or resting at the harbour. Sailing back through the Neapolitan Gulf. Dinner and overnight.

DAY 6

Breakfast. We start our day with a visit to the historical part of Naples, written down into the UNESCO world heritage list. Next to the harbour, we’ll find the architectual calling card of the city – Castel Nuovo. Our next stop is the St Januarius cathedral – the patron of the city, where the baptistary from the V cent. can be found. Visitting the royal Neapol – Piazza del Plebiscito with the royal palace and the royal basilica, modelled by the roman Parthenon. From this biggest square in the city a wonderful view spreads on the Mount Vesuvius, the Neapolitan Bay and the Capri Island. Dinner and accomodation.

DAY 7

Breakfast. We drive up to Salerno, where we’ll see the cathedral with the grave of St Mathew the Evangelist. A cruise along Amalfi – one of the ”13 pearls of the Amalfi Bay”. After this we continue to visit the artisttic masterpiece – the Cathedral of st Andrew the Apostle with the relics of the Saint. Here Gothic, Roman, Bisanthium, Norman and even Arabic styles mix with the baroque one. Amalfi is known for the cultivation of a special kind of lemons, which are used in the production of  limoncello. Dinner and overnight.

DAY 8

Breakfast. We drive to Pompeii. On the 24th of August 1979, it was covered in a 6-metre layer of vulcanic ashes for a few centuries, which preserved the ancient metropolis from before the catastrophy.  After this we continue to visit the multiple temples, foras, theatres, houses and human lives frozen in lava and ashes. Transfer to the sanctuary of Mother Mary of the Rosary, whose consecration begins in 1892. Just two years later the sanctuary became a more important one, while in 4th of May 1901 the pope Leon XIII announced the temple, as the pope sanctuary. Dinner and accomodation in San Griovanni Rotondo.

DAY 9

Breakfast. Visitting the San Giovanni Rotondo, where Saint Pio of Pietrelcina led a life full of kindness and sacrifice. Visit at the monastery temple of the Gracious Mother Mary, where for 52 years the monk shrived and performed the Eucharyst. Next we head to the old part of the monastery, where a museum can be found and inside, the Saints’ cel. We continue with a visit to the basilica of the Gracious Mother Mary, along with the new basilica of Father Pio. Transfer to the lower church – the vault – private prayer in front of the Saints’ grave. Our next stop is Monte Sant’ Angelo and the Snactuary of st Michael Archangel, whose making had been connected with the four revelations. Time for adoration in the holy grotto. From 1996 the keepers of the sanctuary are the polish michaelis priests. Dinner and overnight in San Giovanni Rotondo.

DAY 10

Breakfast. We head to Lanciano to visit the Sanctuary of the Eucharyst Miracle, where untill this day relics of Christs’ body and blood are kept. The wonderful body and blood of Jesus from 1713 is kept in a special reliquary, in the church of st Francis in a small, italian city of Lanciano. Dinner and accomodation in Romes’ vicinity.

DAY 11

Breakfast. Flight back and the end of the pilgrimage.