PROGRAM OF ACTIONUhHOLY YEAR

 Ý – MEI YU

Departures November 16 – November 26

Day 1: (Sunday, November 16) USA – ROME

Passengers will gather at the airport depending on their departure location and proceed with check-in for their flight to Rome.

You will spend the night on the plane.

Day 2: (Monday, November 17th) ROME CITY TOUR

Upon arrival at Fiumicino Airport, passengers will complete immigration procedures. A vehicle will then take you on a sightseeing tour:

• Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore – St. Mary Major's Basilica – one of Rome's four major basilicas, built in the 4th century. According to legend, the Virgin Mary appeared to John and Pope Liberius (352-366) and asked them to build a church in her honor and the place where the snow fell on the Esquilino Hill around the night of August 4th and the morning of August 5th, 358. Therefore, the people venerated her with the title "Our Lady of the Snow," later changed to "Our Lady of God" after the Council of Ephesus proclaimed the dogma of Our Lady of God in 431. This is the only basilica in Rome that still retains its original architectural features. It houses a wooden manger where Jesus lay at his birth in Bethlehem.
• Taking photos outside the Colosseum. – The Colosseum is a large amphitheater in the city of Rome, built between approximately 70 and 72 AD during the reign of Emperor Vespasian. Having weathered many historical upheavals, the Colosseum still stands as a masterpiece of time.
• Palatine Hill – Located near the Titus Gate, visitors can explore newly unearthed sites such as the House of Augustus and the Domitian Stadium. From the Palatine, visitors can see the Maximus Theatre, where famous horse races took place.
• Venice Square
• Roman Forum 

Have dinner and rest at the hotel. Overnight stay in Rome.

Day 3: (Tuesday, November 18) ROME

After breakfast at the hotel, the vehicle will take you to visit:

• Church of St. Paul Outside the Walls - Basilica of Saint Paul Outside Wall – It is one of the four most important ancient cathedrals in Rome, built by Emperor Constantine on the burial site of Saint Paul.
• Basilica of St. John Lateran –
  After issuing the Edict of Milan in 313 granting the Catholic Church religious freedom throughout the Roman Empire, Emperor Constantine commissioned the construction of the Basilica of Lateran between 313 and 318 to honor the Savior. This is the Mother and Head (Mater et Caput) of all churches in the world. During the pontificate of Pope Gregory I (590-604), the basilica was dedicated to both Saint John the Baptist and Saint John the Apostle. Pope Lucius II established its current name, the Basilica of St. John Lateran, in 1144. From the 4th to the 14th centuries, this basilica was the center of the Roman Church, the seat and symbol of the Pope.
• Holy Stairs – According to tradition, Jesus ascended the steps to be judged by Pilate in his palace, and the blood of Jesus was found on the steps. On the Holy Stairs is the Holy Chapel containing very precious relics.
• The Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem – A place that houses many precious relics: A nail once used to crucify Jesus; two thorns from His Crown of Thorns; a finger belonging to Saint Thomas; a fragment of the good thief's cross; three fragments from the cross of Jesus; an ark containing small pieces of the crucifix; and especially a piece of wood from the cross of Jesus inscribed with the word "Nazere" in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek.

Have dinner and stay at the hotel. Overnight in Rome.

Day 04: (Wednesday, November 19) ROME – VATICAN – SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO

After breakfast at the hotel and checking out, guests will be taken by car for sightseeing.

• The Royal Court with the Pope
• St. Peter's BasilicaOne of the Four Great Basilicas in Rome. The first basilica was built by Emperor Constantine in 320. The current basilica was built over 120 years (1506-1606) during the reigns of 18 papacies under the direction of 12 famous architects such as Bramante, Michelangelo, Raffaello, and Maderno. It is the largest and most beautiful basilica in the world.

Afterward, we set off for San Giovanni Rotondo, a town with 26,000 inhabitants located in southern Italy, 500 kilometers from Rome, famous for Saint Pio, a Capuchin priest born in 1887 and died in 1968. From 1918, he was assigned by his superiors to San Giovanni Rotondo (perhaps the name originates from the circular church dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, built in the 7th century) to work in pastoral ministry until his death.

The group participated in community activities and celebrated Mass. Way of the Cross (Via Crucis)

Have dinner and rest at the hotel. Overnight stay in San Giovanni Rotondo.

Day 05: (Thursday, November 20) SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO – LANCIANO – LORETO

After breakfast at the hotel and checking out, you will visit San Giovanni Rotondo.

• Monastery of San Giovanni Rotondo – There are rooms containing the saint's belongings from his lifetime. From his cassock, vestments, chalice, and halo to his bed and personal items, everything remains intact. Like the rooms of Saint John Vianney in Ars, the furnishings are very simple. Particularly noteworthy is a room with many cabinets containing letters from people around the world asking for the saint's prayers during the last two years of his life. Millions upon millions of letters are carefully preserved. In front of the church stands a statue of Blessed John Paul II.
• New St. Pio Shrine – This is one of the most visited shrines in the world today. The new shrine was consecrated by Blessed Pope John Paul II in 2004. Inside, it has a capacity of 6,500 seats, second only to St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, and 30,000 people can stand outside. To the left of the sanctuary is an entrance to the basement.

The group then traveled by car to Loreto, a city in central Italy. Loreto is a famous pilgrimage site in Italy, second only to St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, because it houses the House of the Virgin Mary. According to a book written by Flavius Lucius Dexter around 400 AD, in 42 AD, the Apostle Jacob consecrated the holy house in Nazareth, where an angel appeared to announce to the Virgin Mary that Jesus, the Son of God, had come to earth to become man in Mary's womb.

On the way, you will stop by Lanciano to visit...“Church of the Eucharistic Miracle”"This is the place where a Eucharistic miracle occurred in the 8th century. During Mass, the bread and wine were transformed into the real body and blood of Jesus, and it is still preserved intact in the church today.".

When visiting Loreto, you should see:

• Piazza della Madonna – is the famous main square of the town of Loreto, in the Marche region. It is located on the highest point of the city, at the end of Corso Boccolini, and forms the religious, monumental, and artistic center of Loreto.
• Basilica of the Holy House – This is the main place of worship for Catholics in Loreto. Inside the basilica, Catholics venerate the ruins of the House of Nazareth, where Jesus lived. Devotion to Mary, Mother of Jesus, is closely associated with this famous basilica. It is one of the most important and visited Marian shrines in the Catholic world.

Have dinner and rest at the hotel. Overnight stay in Loreto.

Day 6: (Friday, November 21st) Loreto

Guests will have breakfast at the hotel. Check out and depart for sightseeing:

• Grotte Templari Osimane – An underground city with tunnels dug by hand, a laborious process, within sandstone. The allure and mystery of these caves remain unclear, with the reasons for their construction still unknown.
• Museum “San Giuseppe da Copertino” Located within the Sanctuary of the Common Saint, it was built between 1240 and 1308. The museum comprises three rooms, which display objects used by Saint Giuseppe da Copertino in recent years. Among the exhibits are several religious garments of the saint dating from the 17th century.
• Concattedrale di San Leopardo di Osimo – According to local tradition, the church was built by the first Bishop of Osimo, Saint Leopardus (San Leopardo), in the 5th century, on an earlier pagan structure from the Roman period. Another, unverified tradition, claims that the building was rebuilt in the 7th century by the then Bishop Saint Vitalian: no structural remains from that period exist, but there is a stela dedicated to Saint Vitalian built on the crypt wall.

Guests will have lunch. The vehicle will take guests to Ancona port to take a ferry to Medugorje. Overnight stay on the ferry.

Day 7: (Saturday, November 22nd) SPLIT – DUBROVNIK – MEDJUGORJE

A vehicle will pick you up at the ferry terminal and take you on a tour of Split, the second largest city in Croatia.

• Diocletian's Palace – Built by order of the emperor himself, the city was where the great ruler was born and spent his childhood. Construction began in 295 AD and lasted 12 years, ending just before Diocletian abdicated. After this event, the emperor moved to a new residence and replaced his passion for military affairs with gardening.
• Saint Domnius Church – Located in the heart of Split, the temple is the city's main Catholic center. Croatia's most mysterious and ancient attractions are hidden here, including the former tomb of Diocletian, the painting "Madonna and Child," 6th-century Gospels, and unique doorways adorned with paintings depicting the life of Christ.

After lunch, you will continue your tour to Dubrovnik:

• The "Saint Saviour" Church in Dubrovnik – The Saint Saviour Church is situated between the Franciscan Monastery and the city walls. In the summer, Dubrovnik artists use its meditative interior as an exhibition space or as a venue for chamber music concerts.
• Sponza Palace The beautiful building is one of the most important buildings in Dubrovnik throughout history. Construction began in 1516 according to the design of Paskoj Miličević and lasted for four years.

The vehicle will then take you to Medugorje.

Have dinner and rest at the hotel. Overnight stay in Medjugorje.

Day 8: (Sunday, November 23) MEDJUGORJE

After breakfast at the hotel, the vehicle will take you on a sightseeing tour:

• Cenacolo Community: Praying the Rosary at the Cenacolo Community.
• Peaceful Oasis: A popular tourist attraction in Medjugorje.

Celebrate private services at Jacobe Church and participate in activities with the local community.

Have dinner and rest at the hotel. Overnight stay in Medjugorje.

Day 9: (Monday, November 24) MEDJUGORJE

After breakfast, the group went sightseeing:

• The Stations of the Cross, conquering Mount Krizevac (also known as the Mount of the Holy Cross). – where the villagers built 30 giant crosses to commemorate the 2,000th anniversary of Jesus' crucifixion. Upon reaching the summit, the group visited the tomb of Father Slavko and prayed at the Cross of Jesus.

After lunch and attending a service at St. James's Church, the group continued their tour:

• Tihaljina Church – Located in the suburbs of Medjugorje, about 45km from Medjugorje. Home to the most beautiful statue of the Virgin Mary in the world.
• Visit Kravice Waterfall – considered a natural wonder in Bosnia & Herzegovina. It is a large waterfall located on the Trebižat River, with clear blue water and surrounded by lush forest. The waterfall has its own unique beauty throughout the four seasons, with changes in water flow.

Have dinner and rest at the hotel. Overnight stay in Medjugorje.

Day 10: (Tuesday, November 25) MEDJUGORJE

After breakfast, the group will visit and speak with the visionaries or Father Jozo if they are scheduled to receive them.

• Mother's Village – It is a place to care for orphans, built by Father Slavko Barbaric.
• Saint Jacob Church – The village's only church in Medjugorje is run by the Franciscan Fathers. Attend Mass or participate in activities around the St. James Church square. Participate in the Rosary prayer at the church, attend Mass and Eucharistic Adoration, and finally, receive the blessing of healing.
• Podbrdo Hill – the place where the Virgin Mary first appeared to the visionaries. Here, the group prayed, recited the Rosary, and asked for blessings from the Virgin Mary, reflecting on the apparitions. Prayer at the foot of the Hill of Apparitions.
• Mostar Bridge – also a symbol of the city of Mostar. Here, you have the opportunity to admire the panoramic view of the city as well as see the beautiful blue color of the Neretva River and the Old Town of Mostar – the most important town in the Herzegovina region of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Mostar is charming with its stone houses nestled close together on the gentle slopes of the hills.

Have dinner and rest at the hotel. Overnight stay in MedJugorje.

Day 11: (Wednesday, November 26) MEDJUGORJE – SARAJEVO – USA

After breakfast, the group checked out of the hotel and departed for their visit:

• St. James Church: where crowds line up hoping to meet the visionaries, who are living teenagers and who still have daily apparitions to the Virgin Mary.

After lunch, we will continue our journey to Sarajevo Airport for check-in and our return to the USA. You will go through immigration procedures, retrieve your luggage, and the tour guide will bid you farewell, hoping to see you again on future Carnival tours.

TOUR PRICE:  $ 2,790.00 / GUEST*

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

Tour Price Includes

• Domestic flight tickets. Checked baggage allowance: 20 kg + 1 small carry-on bag (40 x 20 x 25 cm) – subject to airline regulations. If you require additional checked baggage, please pay the fee as per airline regulations.
• Airport security fees, fuel surcharges, airport taxes.
• 3-4 star hotels, one person per room per night.
• Three meals a day, entrance tickets, and transportation as per the itinerary.
• The tour guide speaks English and Vietnamese.
• A separate Mass is celebrated for the group each day.
• The spiritual director accompanied the group throughout the entire journey.
• Carnival gifts.

Tour Price Excludes...

• Round-trip economy class international multi-gateway air tickets from the USA.. Please contact the office for assistance. 
• Travel insurance. 
• Tips for local guides and drivers.
• Single room supplement applies. 
• Surcharge for business class airfare (if applicable).
• Checked baggage fees apply to baggage outside the standard allowance of European domestic airlines.
• Visits outside the scheduled program, personal expenses, excess baggage fees, telephone calls, laundry, etc.
• Any additional fuel surcharge may apply at the time of ticket issuance (if applicable).
• Visa fees. 

PAYMENT METHODS

• Phase 1: $1,395.00 upon registration
• Phase 2: Full payment due before September 16th

CANCEL TOUR

• Cancellation 100 days before departure: a fee of 25%/person will be charged on top of the tour price. 
• Cancellation 90 days before departure: a fee of 50%/person will be charged on top of the tour price. 
• Cancellation 60 days before departure: a fee of 75%/person will be charged on top of the tour price.
• Cancellation 30 days before departure: a 100% fee will be charged for the tour price.
• If a customer is not present at the departure time, the tour will be considered cancelled and no refunds will be given.
• Carnival reserves the right to cancel tours 30 days before departure and issue refunds for any reason. The company will refund the cost of non-visits included in the tour program and airfare.

NOTE

• Tour prices do not apply to personal or commercial visits.
• The company will not be responsible for the loss of attractions in the following cases: attractions being closed without prior notice, traffic congestion, or guests staying at a location beyond the allotted time.
• The company is not responsible for flight delays caused by the customer's failure to be present at the airport as required by the airline or for personal reasons of the customer.
• Because fuel costs may increase at the time of ticket issuance without prior notice, we will present the airline's official document regarding any surcharge increase (if applicable) and request that customers agree to the corresponding price increase.
• Depending on the actual situation, the order of the attractions in the itinerary may change, but all the attractions originally planned will still be included.
• In objective circumstances such as terrorism, natural disasters, visa processing delays by the Consulate, or changes in the schedules of public transportation such as airplanes and trains, the travel company reserves the right to change the itinerary for the convenience and safety of customers and will be exempt from liability for compensation for any resulting damages.
• Passengers aged 75 and above are required to provide a certificate of good health for international travel issued by a doctor and a health commitment form to the company. A healthy family member under 60 years of age must accompany them.
• Please read the inclusions and exclusions carefully before booking the tour to avoid any confusion or misunderstanding about the services offered.

DOWNLOAD THE APPLICATION FORM HERE

PILGRIMAGE OF THE HOLY YEAR - MEDJU

Carnival Group sends best wishes.

Wishing you a blessed pilgrimage!