Italy Pilgrimage Q & A

A. We always stay in deluxe, superior, first-class hotels that are recently renovated.  The hotels in Rome is only a short walk away from the Vatican in one direction and the Spanish steps in another.  Our hotel in Assisi is a quaint, historic inn in the middle of the medieval city center of Assisi.  For the hotel list for our June 2017 Pilgrimage, see the Italy Tour Details page.

A.   Our Air France flights will fly from Atlanta to Paris, and then Paris to Florence.  Our return will be from Rome to Paris to Atlanta.  Exact flight schedule is available on the Italy Tour Detail page.

A.  A tour of holy and historical places is only as good as your guides.   Many local guides leave much to be desired in terms of their knowledge, their ability to comment on the spiritual significance of a particular site for Christians, and their command of English.  Dr. Marcellino D’Ambrosio has twin academic specialties make him an extraordinary guide to Italy—he is an expert in theology and Church history.  Furthermore, his commentary, however informative, is always understandable and spiritually uplifting.  He will be assisted by local guides as well, as required by Italian law.

A.  Both.  We will have wonderful times of prayer, liturgy & music daily, with Mass in one of the special churches that we visit each day!   Each person who wishes will have the opportunity to serve as a lector in one of our group masses.  If you are a properly authorized extraordinary minister of the eucharist, there may be an opportunity to serve in that capacity as well.  But the information and insight you will get into the places we visit as well as the saints associated with the places will be extraordinary.

A.  Consolidated Tour Organization out of Atlanta has been the exclusive tour company of Fr. Mitch Pacwa (of EWTN) and Dr. Marcellino D’Ambrosio for twenty years.

A.  Absolutely.  The price for the land only package is listed on the main Italy Pilgrimage page and on the brochure. But remember, you’ll have to arrange for your own transfers from airport (Florence) to hotel and final hotel to the Rome airport.  Our tour company can help you with this.

A.  Actually, September weather in Italy is my favorite!  Be prepared for both Fall and Summer temperatures.  It could be cool in the hill town of Assisi, particularly in early morning or evening.  But we’ll be outside for several hours for a Papal audience in St. Peter’s Square in Rome, and the sun could be bright and the temperature quite warm.  Keep in mind, however, that the Italians have a rather strict dress code for sacred buildings– legs must be covered to the knee and shoulders must be covered if you wish to be allowed in churches.

A.  There will be a good bit of walking on this pilgrimage.  We have had both elderly and young participants (pre-teens) on this tour and they have done just fine.  People with canes and needing some assistance have made out quite well on this tour but we regret that those requiring wheelchairs cannot be accommodated.  If you are in doubt whether your particular state of health is adequate to enjoy the pilgrimage, please call Consolidated Tours at (404) 767-2727 and discuss the situation with them.  They will give you candid advice.

A. That is the plan!  Pope Francis does open-air audiences in St. Peter’s Square on Wednesday mornings in June, provided his health is good and he is not called out of town.  We planned our trip so as to be in Rome for a scheduled audience.  We will have tickets and will get to St. Peter’s Square very early so as to get the best possible chance to see the Pope at very close range.

A.  First of all, reading the Acts of the Apostles will get you ready to visit the tombs of Peter and Paul.   We will be visiting the catacombs and the Colosseum and venerating the memory of the martyrs.  To read a letter from one of the martyrs written shortly before he was brought to Rome to die in the arena, read the Letter of St. Ignatius to the Romans.   If you are a reader, the novel about Michelangelo called The Agony and the Ecstasy is wonderful.  The movie by the same name, starring Charleton Heston,  would also be worthwhile.   Franco Zeffirelli’s movie on St. Francis of Assisi, Brother Sun, Sister Moon, would get you excited for our Assisi visit!.