Pilgrimage to Assisi & Rome: In the Footsteps of St. Francis of Assisi with Fr. Ben Berinti C.PP.S | Dec. 5, 2025
Join Fr. Ben Berinti C.PP.S on a Pilgrimage to Assisi & Rome in the Footsteps of St. Francis of Assisi, starting at $5,298* from Melbourne, FL, departing on December 5, 2025. You will see Assisi, the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels, the Church and Convent of St. Damiano, the Papal Basilica of St Francis, the Basilica of St. Clare, Rome, Forum, Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, the Vatican, the Sistine Chapel, Vatican’s Museums, St. Peter’s Basilica, Pantheon Basilica of Saint Paul, Catacombs of Callixtus, San Sebastian, Shrine of Our Lady of Divine Love, and more.
Travel Protection is highly recommended and can be obtained on an individual basis through Global Tours and Travel.
What's Included
- All Inclusive Pricing
- First Class Hotels
- Deluxe A/C Motor Coaches
- Entrance and Program Fees
- Guided Tours
- Administrative Fee
- Hotel Gratuities
- Meals as Listed in the Itinerary
Daily Itinerary
Day 1 December 5 - Depart the USA
Your Italian pilgrimage begins as you depart the USA on your international flight.
Day 2 December 6 – Arrive in Italy - Free day in Assisi
On arrival at the Rome airport, you will be met and transferred north by coach through the stunning countryside to your hotel in Assisi. After checking in, explore the city on your own today.
Day 3 December 7 – Orvieto, Assisi
Travel to Orvieto. Pope Nicholas IV laid the cornerstone for the Cathedral of Orvieto in 1290, dedicating it to the Assumption of the Virgin. Orvieto served as a Papal residence through the Middle Ages, Pope Clement VII being one of the last to stay in Orvieto in 1527. The Feast of Corpus Christi is celebrated here, marching from the Duomo. Return to your Assisi hotel for dinner and an overnight stay. (D)
Day 4 December 8 - Assisi
This morning, wake up to the atmospheric sounds of chapel bells, footsteps on cobblestones, and a tangible spirit of St. Francis preserved within the walls of this holy town. In the morning, you will visit the lower city. The Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels stands at the foot of the hill of Assisi over the Porziuncola, which is Saint Francis’ Church, given to him by the Benedictine monks. The Church and Convent of St. Damiano is where, in 1205, St. Francis received his calling to “Rebuild My Church.” St. Claire would later lead her Order of the Poor Ladies from here until her death in 1253. You will have time for private devotion and leisure before returning to your hotel for dinner and your overnight stay. (B, D)
Day 5 December 9 – Assisi
After breakfast, you will walk to the Papal Basilica of St. Francis, the mother church of the Franciscan Order and the burial place of St. Francis. This basilica, which was begun in 1228, is built on the side of a hill and comprises an Upper and Lower church. These are decorated with numerous frescoes by late medieval painters, including Giotto. Celebrate Mass here. Continue your guided pilgrimage of the town’s highlights featuring the Basilica of St. Clare, where you can kneel before the famous crucifix from which Jesus spoke to St. Francis. This afternoon, travel to the Abbey of San Felice for Mass on your way to Rome. Enjoy a visit to the Forum and the Colosseum, once the heart of ancient Rome and a place of martyrdom for the early saints. Explore the romance of Rome as you stop at the famous Trevi Fountain. Legend says those who toss a coin into the fountain will one day return to Rome to toss another into the waters of Trevi. Check into your Rome hotel for dinner and your overnight stay. (B, D)
Day 6 December 10 – Vatican
Enjoy a guided tour of the Vatican’s Museums and the Sistine Chapel. Built by connecting portions of the old papal residence with newer structures, the museum houses a world-renowned collection of art and antiquities. Michelangelo painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel between 1508 and 1512 and later painted The Last Judgment between 1535 and 1541 for Popes Clement VII and Paul III. The primary function of the chapel is the Papal Conclave, providing the place where the College of Cardinals of the church gathers to elect a new pope. Then, walk through St. Peter’s Basilica and celebrate Mass here. The present structure completed in 1590 was built over the Byzantine and Middle Ages structures that marked the tomb of Saint Peter. There are more than 100 tombs within the basilica, including most recently, Saint John Paul II. Finish the day at the Pantheon, built by Marcus Agrippa during the reign of Augustus (27 BC to 14 AD). Emperor Hadrian rebuilt it around 126 AD. The building was given to Pope Boniface IV, who converted it into a church - Saint Mary and the Martyrs (Santa Maria Rotonda). Celebrate Mass at Santa Maria in Trevio. (B, D)
Day 7 December 11 – Rome
After breakfast, enjoy the opportunity to join in prayer with Pope Francis and receive his greeting, blessing, and prayers. Begin your afternoon with Mass at St. Gaspar del Bufalo. Visit the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran, where six popes are entombed. Next door is the Holy Staircase (Scala Santa), brought from Pilate’s Palace in Jerusalem by Saint Helena in the 4th century. Climbing the stairs on your knees is a devotion that many pilgrims perform, and a plenary indulgence is granted for completing this feat. Next is the Basilica of Saint Lawrence Outside the Walls (San Lorenzo). Saint Lawrence was one of the first seven deacons of Rome, martyred in 258. The church is built next to catacombs that lead down to his grave. The relics of Saints Justin Martyr and Stephen are also enshrined here. Continue your pilgrim journey to the Basilica of Saint Mary Major (Maria Maggiore). This is the largest Marian church in Rome. Its construction began after the Council of Ephesus in 431 proclaimed that Mary was the Mother of God. Saint Jerome, translator of the Bible into the Latin Vulgate, is buried here. Celebrate Mass in one of the churches here. (B, D)
Day 8 December 12 – Pilgrimage in Rome
This morning, you will begin your day at the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls. The present structure stands over the place where Constantine built the first church, which is over Saint Paul’s grave. The church features a portrait of every pope who has served the church, with the face of Pope Francis I illuminated as the present pontiff. Step beneath the surface into the Catacombs of Callixtus, built along the Appian Way. Here, sixteen popes from the 2nd through 4th centuries were interred, though they have been removed to various churches over the centuries. San Sebastian Outside the Walls is another of the seven Pilgrimage churches built over the Catacombs of Saint Sebastian. The remains of Peter and Paul were temporarily protected here during the Valerian Persecution of 258. Our seventh and final pilgrimage stop is the Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem. Saint Helena brought Passion relics here, and the floor was covered with soil from Jerusalem. Relics here include the index finger of Thomas that touched the wounds of Christ after His resurrection and a piece of the Good Thief’s Cross. Those who want to complete the seven-church pilgrimage as declared by Saint John Paul II in 2000 can continue to one more stop at the Shrine of Our Lady of Divine Love. Here, a pilgrim pursued by dogs appealed to Our Lady and she intervened for his safety. Pilgrims began to frequent the site and a chapel was built here in 1745. Celebrate Mass in one of the churches. (B, D)
Day 9 December 13 - Free day in Rome
Travel outside of Rome to celebrate Mass at the Basilica of the Crowned Mother of Good Counsel. The church has its roots in two miracles observed by local girl Maria di Gesù Landi (January 21, 1861 – March 26, 1931). Known for her devotion to Our Lady of Good Counsel (Madonna del Buon Consiglio), she created a painting of the saint in 1884, which stopped an outbreak of cholera in the city that year. Twenty-two years later, the same painting appeared to clear the ash clouds from the 1906 eruption of Mount Vesuvius. After visiting the church, return to Rome and enjoy your own time exploring the city.
Day 10 December 14 - Return to the USA
Return home with memories of the people and places of Assisi and Rome.
Departure Dates
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Friday, December 5, 2025From $5298