As we pilgrimage through the spiritual byways of Italy, walking on time-worn cobblestones in ancient cities and traveling across highways that wind through breathtaking countryside, we will encounter truly unique places and people—living expressions of our 2,000-year-old faith. From the ancient rooms where St. Peter lived for seven years to the bishop’s residence in Assisi, from the sacred grotto of St. Michael the Archangel to the Benedictine monastery of Norcia, each stop brings us closer to the “living stones” of our Church. Ultimately, our journey draws us toward the Face of Christ—both spiritually and physically—in the miraculous Face of Manoppello.

Because of our work with Inside the Vatican magazine for over 33 years, we have cultivated deep and meaningful relationships that grant us extraordinary access to places and individuals typically beyond the reach of the ordinary traveler. These relationships open doors to rare opportunities, such as private chapels, historic residences, monasteries, and personal encounters with key figures in the Church, allowing pilgrims to experience the spiritual and cultural richness of our faith in a profoundly unique and personal way.

Here are just a few of the remarkable experiences included in this unrepeatable pilgrimage:

• Stay inside Vatican City during the Jubilee Year of Hope.

• Visit the tomb of Blessed Carlo Acutis, the young Italian teenager known for cataloging the world’s Eucharistic miracles, just weeks after his canonization.
• Venerate the column on which St. Paul was beheaded, made available through a close relationship with the gatekeeper; microscopic analysis has even confirmed traces of blood on the column.
• Access the Church of St. Pudenziana, built over the home of St. Pudens, who is mentioned in the Bible by St. Paul. This home, where St. Peter lived for seven years and served as the first papal residence, includes first-century structures rarely open to the public, thanks to a trusted gatekeeper.
• Meet Father Cassian Folsom, prior emeritus and modern re-founder of the Benedictine community in Norcia, St. Benedict’s birthplace.

A crowning highlight will be our visit to the Shrine of the Holy Face in Manoppello, home to the mysterious image of a Man’s face, believed by many to be the “Man of Sorrows,” etched on a miraculous cloth.

Holy Face of Manoppello, Italy