Pilgrimage to Poland & Czechia
w/ Fr Michael Burbeck
$200 discount for check or Zelle payment
Space Limited!
April 26 - May 6, 2027
Fr Michael Burbeck invites you on a transformative pilgrimage to Poland and the Czech Republic, two countries steeped in spiritual tradition, breathtaking beauty, and centuries of Christian heritage. Poland is home to beloved Saints Faustina, Maximilian Kolbe and John Paul II. Our pilgrimage will take us to sites in Poland such as CzÄ™stochowa and the Jasna Góra Monastery that houses the revered icon of the Black Madonna, Wawel Castle and St Mary's Basilica in Krakow, Wadowice (birthplace of St John Paul II), Kalwaria Zebrzydowska (the Polish Jerusalem), the Divine Mercy Sanctuary and convent of St Faustina, and Auschwitz (the infamous WWII concentration camp). In Czechia we will visit the beautiful Southern Moravian city of Brno and the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, ÄŒeský Krumlov and the Church of St Vitus where Fr Michael first felt the call to the priesthood and, of course, the "The City of a Hundred Spires," Prague.
Poland and Czechia are countries of incredible natural, cultural and spiritual beauty. Jesus promises a wealth of blessings and profound spiritual experiences, and Fr Michael hopes you will join us!
DAYS 1 & 2 : Raleigh > Krakow
Overnight flight to Krakow with dinner and breakfast served on board. Upon arrival at the John Paul II International Airport, we will be greeted by our tour escort and transferred to the Vienna House Hotel for check-in. After, it’s a short walk to Krakow Town Square for lunch before we visit St. Mary′s Basilica and its extraordinary medieval artifact, Europe′s largest wooden altar. After we celebrate Holy Mass, the rest of the afternoon is free before our Welcome Dinner at a local restaurant. L|D
DAY 3: Krakow > Wadowice > Kalwaria Zebrzydowska
After breakfast at the hotel, we travel to Wadowice where St John Paul II was born and raised. We will visit the oldest church in Wadowice, the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, where young Karol Wojtyla developed a profound and personal devotion to Our Lady. We will see the baptistery where the future pope was baptized. After Mass at the Shrine, we visit the Wojtyla family house, which is now a museum. After lunch at a local restaurant, we drive to Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, known as the “Polish Jerusalem.” The shrine is dedicated to the Passion of Christ and to the miraculous Icon of the Virgin Mary. We then return to Krakow with the remainder of the afternoon at leisure and dinner on our own. B|L
DAY 4: Wawel Hill > Divine Mercy Sanctuary > St John Paul II Center
Today we celebrate Holy Mass at the altar of St Stanislaus at the 900-year-old Wawel Cathedral. We will then enjoy a guided tour of Krakow including Wawel Hill, the former seat of power of medieval Polish monarchs and home to the beautiful Wawel Cathedral and Coronation Chapel. This is the Polish national sanctuary and where Karol Wojtyla (Saint John Paul II) celebrated his first Mass. We will then have a tour of Krakow Old Town before lunch on our own. We reconvene and depart for the Divine Mercy Sanctuary. We will pray for the same joy and reverence St Faustina felt when Jesus appeared to her in 1931 with his right arm raised in blessing and his left arm touching his robe. We will enjoy a talk with one of the local sisters telling us the story of Divine Mercy. We then carry on to the nearby St John Paul II Center hosting his relics. Dinner and overnight at the hotel. B|D
DAY 5: Auschwitz > Czestochowa
This morning we depart for Oswiecim and the notorious World War II Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz, the site of St. Maximilian Kolbe’s martyrdom. Auschwitz was to be one more concentration camp of the type the Nazis had been setting up since the early 1930s. It functioned in this role throughout its existence, even when, beginning in 1942, it also became the largest of the extermination centers where the "Endlösung der Judenfrage" (the final solution to the Jewish question - the Nazi plan to murder European Jews) was carried out. We continue to Czestochowa, home of the Black Madonna at the Jasna Góra Monastery, for Holy Mass, dinner and overnight at the Hotel Arche. B|L|D
DAY 6: Czestochowa > Brno
Breakfast at the hotel and check out. Visit the Jasna Gora Monastery which houses the beloved icon of Black Madonna. Tradition tells that it was painted by Luke the Evangelist, discovered by St. Helen during her famous pilgrimage, and later donated to the local Dominican monks and enshrined. While here, we will have the opportunity to venerate not only the Holy Icon, but also many other priceless treasures that are contained within. Additionally, St. John Paul II is said to have made frequent visits to this monastery throughout his life. Celebrate Mass at the side altar of The Black Madonna before lunch at a local restaurant. We then depart for Brno, Czechia. Check-in and dinner at the Hotel International. B|L|D
DAY 7: Brno > ÄŒesky Krumlov
This morning we explore the beautiful town of Brno, a city rich in history and Catholic tradition. Brno offers pilgrims a profound spiritual experience through its sacred sites, including the imposing St. Peter and Paul Cathedral and the Baroque Basilica of the Assumption of Our Lady. We will pass by the Old Town Hall with its two-meter dragon and Tugendhat Villa - one of the Functionalist gems. This afternoon we drive to ÄŒeský Krumlov, famous for its remarkably well-preserved medieval town center, stunning castle, and picturesque setting on the Vltava River. Check-in at the Hotel Oldinn and dinner at a local restaurant. B|D
DAY 8: ÄŒesky Krumlov > Prague
This morning we celebrate Holy Mass at St Vitus Church, the very church Fr Michael first heard the Holy Spirit call him to the priesthood. We will then enjoy a walking tour of this remarkable town where time has stood still for hundreds of years. After lunch on our own, we continue to Prague for check-in at the Vienna House Hotel and dinner on our own. B|L
DAY 9: Prague
After breakfast, we will enjoy a full day of sightseeing in Prague visiting St. Vitus Cathedral, the Royal Castle, St. George’s Basilica and the Church of Our Lady Victories where we will see the Statue of the Infant Jesus of Prague. After lunch on our own, we cross the Charles Bridge visiting the Old Town, the Market Square, “Astronomical Clock”, Wenceslas Square and Josefov, the Jewish quarter. Dinner at a local restaurant. B|D
DAY 10: Svata Hora > Prague
This morning we drive to Svatá Hora (The Holy Mountain), which is one of the most important places of pilgrimage in Central Europe. Thousands of pilgrims come here every year to venerate the Mother of God - the most precious local gem, which, according to legend, was carved from pear wood by Archbishop Arnost of Pardubice himself – one of the foremost counselors in the court of Emperor Charles IV. Celebrate Mass at the Shrine before we return to Prague. The rest of the afternoon and evening free to enjoy Prague before our Farewell Dinner at the hotel. B|D
DAY 11: Prague > Raleigh
Today we transfer to the airport for our flight home after a spiritual journey to Poland and Czechia. Dziękuję, Ojcze Michale! B