Christmas in Italy Pilgrimage
December
“Behold, I bring you tidings of great joy!” (Luke 2:10)
Join us for an extraordinary journey to Rome for the coinciding of two great celebrations: Christmas, and the ending of the Jubilee year! It will be an extraordinarily joyful time to be in the places where St. Paul, St. Peter and St. John Paul II walked and bore their witness to the Gospel!
Christmas is a wonderful time to be in Rome. The entire city seems to light up with an unusual joy, and there is even more peace throughout the city than usual. Little red and white lights flicker on kiosks set up in the lovely Piazza Navona, and the Vatican erects a larger-than-life manger scene in St. Peter’s Square, right next to the ancient obelisk at its center.
“In his mercy, he never tires of stretching out his hand to lift us up, to encourage us to continue our journey, to come back and tell him of our weakness, so that he can grant us his strength.” — Pope Francis
As we make our unique Christmastime pilgrimage at the end of the Jubilee Year, the feast of the Nativity of Christ will hold an even more vivid meaning for us as we contemplate not only His birth, but the coming of His grace, mercy and forgiveness, into the world.
“The Nativity is a feast of confidence and hope, that overcomes uncertainty and pessimism.” — Pope Francis
Throughout Italy, every church constructs a presepio (or presepe) — a Nativity tableau which may even include “living” crèche scenes with real people and animals — ranging from charmingly simple to stunningly elaborate. Some include hills, trees, lakes, rivers, angels suspended by wires, the Christmas star and reproductions of an entire village or the countryside of Bethlehem. Always, the straw-filled manger remains empty until the night of Natale — the birth of Christ.
Christmas time is also a lovely time to visit Florence, the city of art, history and faith. It’s the season of the city’s Festival of Lights, lively Christmas markets and a life-size nativity in front of Florence’s magnificent cathedral, the Duomo, and we’ll have the best guide in Florence to help us explore its wonders.
Added to all this is the irreplaceable wealth of experience and insight of your pilgrimage hosts, Deborah Tomlinson – the president of Inside the Vatican Pilgrimages, and Dr. Robert Moynihan – the founder and editor of Inside the Vatican magazine, and the unique beauty and grace each of your fellow pilgrims will bring to your journey. It may well be your most unforgettable Christmas!
Highlights of our Christmas Pilgrimage:
- Attend Christmas Eve Mass with the Pope
- Walk through the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica
- Visit all the major Basilicas of Rome: Basilica of St. Peter, Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, and Basilica of St. Mary Major
- Visit the only two Marian apparition sites in Rome
- Visit the only Eucharistic Miracle in Rome
- Take a day trip to Florence via fast train and stroll the Florentine streets with one of Florence’s best guides
- Take part in special visits inside the Vatican itself (pending availability)
- Venerate the holy icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help
- Tour the Catacombs of Callixtus
- Attend the Angelus and the Urbi et Orbi Christmas Blessing with Pope Francis
- Attend daily Mass
- Visit the “first” Vatican, where St. Peter himself lived for seven years
- Meet friends of Inside the Vatican magazine during our days together on pilgrimage
- Deborah Tomlinson, the President of Inside the Vatican Pilgrimages, will lead this pilgrimage
- Dr. Robert Moynihan, the founder and editor of Inside the Vatican magazine, will join us for dinners and several days of pilgrimage
- Plus many unexpected stops and encounters along the way
