Fr John Starczewski invites you on a transformative pilgrimage to one the most revered and beloved Marian Shrines in the world: Fatima. The Shrine in Fatima, Portugal commemorates the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary to three shepherd children: Lucia Santos and her cousins Jacinta and Francisco Marto, in 1917. According to the children, the Virgin Mary appeared to them on the 13th day of six consecutive months in 1917, starting from May until October. The messages conveyed during these apparitions included calls for prayer, penance, and devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The Sanctuary includes the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, the Chapel of the Apparitions, and the vast open square where pilgrims join in a nightly, candlelit Rosary procession.
Our pilgrimage will also take us to Santiago de Compostela. For more than a thousand years, pilgrims have traveled the Camino de Santiago—the Way of St. James—seeking prayer, penance, healing, and spiritual renewal at the tomb of St. James the Apostle in the magnificent Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. Entering the cathedral and celebrating the Pilgrim’s Mass is a profoundly moving experience and one we will remember the rest of our lives.
Pilgrims from around the world visit Fatima and Santiago de Compostela seeking spiritual renewal and a deep communion with God. Jesus promises a wealth of blessings and profound spiritual experiences, and we hope you will join us!
DAYS 1 & 2, March 1 & 2 : Charlotte > Lisbon > Fatima
We depart USA en route to Lisbon with complimentary meals and beverages served aloft. Arrive in Lisbon where will be met by our guide and depart for Fatima. On the way we will visit the captivating town of Óbidos for a half day tour. Óbidos became home to Portugal’s queens after Afonso II gifted it to his wife Urraca of León in the 1200s. Many of the buildings and monuments in Óbidos were founded or funded by a queen. On a narrow ridge, the town’s weaving, carless streets are contained by the dominant walls of a medieval castle. After lunch at a local restaurant, we depart for Batalha and a tour of the Monastery of the Dominicans. The Monastery of Batalha was built to commemorate the victory of the Portuguese over the Castilians at the Battle of Aljubarrota in 1385. It was to be the Portuguese monarchy's main building project for the next two centuries. Here a highly original, national Gothic style evolved, profoundly influenced by Manueline art, as demonstrated by its masterpiece, the Royal Cloister. We continue to our hotel in Fatima for dinner and overnight at the hotel. (B|L|D)
DAY 3, March 3: Fatima
At the center of Catholic faith and a place of world pilgrimage, Fatima is visited by thousands of people each year. We will visit the Basilica or Our Lady of the Rosary where the tombs of Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta, the three children who were visited by Our Lady of Fatima, are located, Holy Trinity Church, as well as the Chapel of Apparitions. We will celebrate Holy Mass and visit the Fatima Sanctuary, where Our Lady of Fatima appeared in 1917. Since then, millions of pilgrims go there to pray or just to feel its mystical strength. The Sanctuary Square is so big that it can only be described by numbers: it can receive simultaneously 300,000 visitors and it's twice the size of St. Peter's Square in Rome. After lunch, we will visit Aljustrel and Valinhos. Aljustrel was the birthplace of the three children, and Valinhos was the site of the fourth apparition of Our Lady, on August 19, 1917, occurred. Back to our hotel for dinner before returning to the Sanctuary for the Candlelight Procession. Overnight in Fatima. (B|D)
DAY 4, March 4: Fatima > Coimbra > Tomar
After breakfast and Holy Mass, we visit the wonderful town of Coimbra for a half-day tour. Coimbra offers a rich history, a beautifully preserved medieval old town, and other hidden architectural gems for us to discover. Included is a guided tour of Coimbra University, one of the oldest universities in the world. We will celebrate Holy Mass and venerate the First Five Franciscan Martyrs at the Monastery of the Holy Cross. It was here the Franciscan friars met a young Fernando de Bulhões, the future Saint Anthony of Padua, and here where the friars were brought after their deaths in Morocco. After lunch at a local restaurant, we continue to Tomar – former seat of the Order of the Knights Templar. Tomar is a city of great charm for its artistic and cultural wealth, whose greatest expression is in the Convent of Christ which has earned World Heritage Site status. We return to Fatima with the evening free and dinner on our own. (B|L)
DAY 5, May 5 : Braga > Santiago de Compostela
After breakfast we depart for the beautiful city of Santiago de Compostela. Along the way we stop in Braga for a half day tour including the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte (funicular ride included), a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After Holy Mass, lunch is on our own before we continue to Santiago de Compostela and dinner at a local restaurant. (B|D)
DAY 6, March 6: Santiago de Compostela
This morning is free to enjoy Santiago de Compostela before we meet at the Cathedral for the Pilgrim's Mass. For those who wish, there will be an optional walk along the traditional pilgrimage trail, El Camino, that will end at the Cathedral. This is a three mile, moderately difficult walk that will take about an hour. After Holy Mass, we will have lunch at a local restaurant followed by our half-day tour including the magnificent Santiago de Compostela Arch Cathedral Basilica - the burial place of St James the Great and termination point of El Camino de Santiago. The remainder of the afternoon is free with dinner on our own. (B|L)
DAY 7, March 7: Porto
After breakfast, we depart Santiago de Compostela for Porto, one of Europe’s oldest cities, where we will enjoy a half-day guided tour that includes the "Porto Six Bridges River Cruise" on the Douro River. With many centuries of history, we will visit the most picturesque corners of Porto and witness the magnificence of the great architectural symbols of the “Cidade Invicta” (The Unvanquished City), like the Cathedral, the neo-Classical Stock Exchange Palace, the Cathedral Quarter and Church of St. Francisco where we celebrate Holy Mass. The rest of the day is ours to relax with dinner at the hotel. (B|D)
DAY 8, March 8: Nazere > Lisbon
This morning we depart Porto and make our way back to Lisbon. On the way, we will stop in the beautiful seaside town of Nazaré for lunch and Holy Mass at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Nazaré. Upon arrival in Lisbon, we check-in at the hotel and the rest of the afternoon and evening is ours to explore this wonderful city. (B|L)
DAY 9, March 9: Lisbon
After breakfast we celebrate Holy Mass at St Anthony's Church. After Mass, we visit the Jerónimos Monastery whose construction started in 1501 and completed 100 years later. The monastery is one of the most prominent examples of the Portuguese Late Gothic Manueline style in Portugal. We will also visit the Tower of Belem. Built in 1520, the Tower served to defend the Tagus riverbank. The tower had been given different functions such as a customs control point, a telegraph station, a lighthouse and even a political prison. Both the monastery and the Tower were classified as “Cultural Heritage of All Humanity” by UNESCO in 1983. After the visits we will visit the local bakery and try the most famous Portuguese pastry – Pastel de Belem (it’s pastel de nata but made at the bakery owning the original recipe; located in the Belem Quarter) or pastel de nata (same pastry provided in several great bakeries all over Lisbon) with coffee or tea. The rest of the afternoon free before our Farewell Dinner at a local restaurant. (B|D)
DAY 10, March 10: Lisbon > Charlotte
Today we transfer to the Humberto Delgado Airport for our flight home after a spiritual journey through Portugal & Spain. We take with us wonderful memories of our travel with dear friends, and edifying, indeed, sanctifying encounters with Our Lady and St James. Thank you Fr John and God bless! B