Encountering God in the Stillness of Badija
In June 2026, Inside the Vatican Pilgrimages will lead a rare and contemplatively structured pilgrimage to the 15th-century Franciscan monastery on the island of Badija. Situated amid the Adriatic’s lucid waters and long associated with the rhythm of Franciscan prayer, Badija offers something increasingly scarce in the modern spiritual landscape: sustained silence ordered toward God. […]
Converted by Mercy: On Pilgrimage with St. Angela of Foligno
One of the most quietly powerful moments of our March 2026 pilgrimage with Inside the Vatican Pilgrimages will take place just beyond Assisi, in the Umbrian town of Foligno. There, we will enter the Sanctuary of St. Angela of Foligno , built around the home where she lived, suffered, prayed, and was transformed. It is […]
A Day Above Rome: Discovering Castel Gandolfo
There is a moment—about forty minutes outside of Rome—when the noise of the city finally falls away. The road begins to climb, the air cools, and suddenly Lake Albano appears below, a perfect oval of blue cradled inside an ancient volcanic crater. Perched above it, like a secret kept for centuries, is Castel Gandolfo. For […]
A Pilgrim’s Pause in Montefalco
[fusion_text] They had grown accustomed to the sound of bells. For days, the small group of pilgrims had moved through Umbria’s hill towns, stepping from cool stone chapels into sunlit piazzas, from whispered prayers beneath vaulted ceilings into winding medieval streets. They had traced the lives of saints in fading frescoes, knelt before ancient altars, […]
Following St. Joseph Through the Streets of Rome
A Feast Day of Faith, Family, and Quiet Strength On March 19, St. Joseph’s feast day spills out of churches and into kitchens, piazzas, and narrow streets worn smooth by centuries of prayerful footsteps. It is a day when faith is lived publicly—joyfully—through food, procession, and remembrance of the saint who protected the Holy Family […]
The Famous Apparitions in Garabandal, Spain
The Famous Apparitions in Garabandal, Spain In the small village of Garabandal, nestled in the picturesque mountains of northern Spain, a series of extraordinary events unfolded in the 1960s that would captivate the world and leave a lasting impact on the hearts of many. The village became a focal point for numerous reported apparitions of […]
Standing Where Silence Speaks: Assisi and the Bones of St. Francis
There are places where time feels thin. Assisi is one of them. You feel it as the road curls upward through olive groves and stone walls, as the pink-hued buildings rise from Mount Subasio like a prayer carved into the hillside. Bells echo. Swallows circle. The modern world, so loud a moment ago, suddenly knows […]
A Journey Through Lebanon: St. Charbel of Lebanon
St. Charbel of Lebanon St. Charbel is one of the most revered saints in the Maronite Catholic Church. Born in Lebanon in 1828, he led a life of monastic simplicity, service to others, and, above all, great devotion to God. Charbel spent most of his life in seclusion and prayer and was known for his […]
A Journey Through Lebanon: Discovering the Flavors of the Mediterranean
Discovering the Flavors of the Mediterranean Lebanese cuisine is a fascinating blend of cultures, history, and geography. This small Mediterranean country’s culinary tradition has become known worldwide, and Lebanese restaurants can now be found on every continent. The food itself shows the influence of Lebanon’s many years under the rule of the Ottoman Empire and […]
Christ in the Tomb & Christ Risen: Holy Saturday, Easter Pilgrimage in Italy
Holy Saturday, Easter Pilgrimage in Italy: We wake to our last breakfast in Norcia, followed by a reflection given by Father Cassian. He is the Prior Emeritus of the Benedictine Monastery of Norcia. For the past 10 years Father Cassian has not only battled a debilitating form of blood cancer, he has continued his great […]