Rome-Vatican Holy Doors and Jubilee Churches: The Seven Church Walk

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1 Rome-Vatican Holy Doors and Jubilee Churches: The Seven Church Walk Catholic Culture-Art Rome and Vatican City are always been the center of pilgrimages. With more than 900 churches in the urban area, it is simply the heart of Christianity. Following in the steps of countless saints and pilgrims for centuries and millennia before you, we give you the chance to visit the Papal Basilicas of Rome with the Holy doors and the other tree Jubilee churches, to dispose yourselves towards the receipt of the attached indulgences. the practice of pilgrimage has a special place... because it represents the journey each of us makes in this life. Life itself is a pilgrimage, and the human being is a viator, a pilgrim travelling along the road, making their way to the desired destination...may pilgrimage be an impetus to conversion: by crossing the threshold of the 4 Papal Basilicas, we will find the strength to embrace God s mercy and dedicate ourselves to being merciful with others as the Father has been with us... Pope Francis Despite the end of the Holy Year, many of the points made in his opening Bull are still applicable; the Pope said It is fitting therefore, that our Holy Mother the Church, has always attached Indulgences to pilgrims who visit the 4 Major Papal Basilicas of Rome in order to help and encourage the faithful to participate ever more deeply in the love of God. In Rome, in addition to the four Papal Basilicas, there will be three other Jubilee Churches (minor basilicas). They are Saint Lawrence Outside the Walls (San Lorenzo fuori le Mura), The Church of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem (Santa Croce in Gerusalemme), and Saint Sebastian Outside the Walls (San Sebastiano fuori le Mura). These churches, with the Papal Basilicas, make up the traditional Seven Church Walk. The importance of pilgrimages for the Jubilee suggests that the faithful rediscover and undertake this penitential itinerary left to the Romans by Saint Philip Neri in the 1500 s. Therefore, pilgrimages to any one of these three additional churches will also be an occasion to gain the Jubilee Indulgence

2 Day 1-2: Rome Vatican & Basilica St. Peter Our tour begins at the Vatican with the Basilica of St Peter. The actual residence of the pope was the place where Constantine built the first Basilica in Rome. Old Basilica of San Peter in Vatican The Basilica of St. Peter become the residence of the pope during the 15 th century, before the pope used to stay at the Basilica of St John Lateran As this is also the location of the magnificent Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, we offer pilgrims the opportunity to visit these wonders

3 Saint Peter s in the Vatican, like the other papal Basilicas has a Holy Door. As a Jubilee Churches; one can obtain the Jubilee indulgence by making a pilgrimage and fulfilling the other necessary conditions. Once you have entered through the Holy Doors of St Peters, our expert Catholic guide will give you a tour of the interior of the Basilica including Michelangelo's Pietà, the relics and altars of the major saints of the Catholic Church and the history involved. In the territory of Vatican City lies more than the St. Peter's Basilica, you can visit the the Apostolic Palace, the Sistine Chapel, the Vatican garden and various other buildings

4 Each of these churches possesses its own unique beauty and an extraordinary artistic value that attract pilgrims and tourist from all over the world. Besides the artistic uniqueness of the churches, another attraction is the figure of Pope for millions of people every year, coming to Rome just to hear the Pope s teachings during the weekly Audience. Attend the weekly address of the pope with this papal audience ticket. In Vatican City, your guide will lead you through the mass of people to a prime location, where you ll watch the pope address the crowd, and hear about the historical tradition of the papal audience

5 Vatican option tours To visit the Vatican you can have many different options (and prices) about how to visit his treasures. Here some examples about how to visit the Vatican: 1) Skip the Line: Vatican Experience Tour (600 HKD) Explore the treasures of one of the world s greatest art collections with this expertly guided 3-hour tour through the Vatican museums. Skip the long lines to head straight inside the labyrinth of galleries, where your knowledgeable guide will lead you to ancient and Renaissance highlights including the Raphael Rooms, Belvedere Courtyard, Laocoön sculpture and, of course, the magnificent Sistine Chapel. Learn the stories behind the masterpieces, and then get direct entry into the stunning interior of St Peter s Basilica. Group size is limited to 12 for a more intimate experience. Highlights Small-group 3-hour tour of the Vatican Museums Skip the long lines with priority entry Hear the stories and scandals behind some of the world's greatest masterpieces Marvel at Michelangelo's frescoes in the Sistine Chapel See the Raphael Rooms, Belvedere Courtyard, Hall of Maps and more highlights Gain direct entry into St Peter's Basilica 2) Waking Up the Vatican (3 hours 2800 HKD) Not many people can say they've spent time in the Sistine Chapel alone. This first-ever experience grants you entry into the Vatican Museums with the clavigero (key keeper), a staff member with the privilege of opening the doors to the Vatican Museums and its galleries, at least an hour before standard early access tours. You and your small group get to see the Gallery of Maps and Raphael s Rooms as the lights are switched on something never before witnessed by the public and enjoy a rare guided visit inside the Sistine Chapel. Breakfast in the Pinecone Courtyard is an added bonus. Highlights VIP early access to the Vatican Museums with the official key keeper Be the first of the day to visit the Raphael s Rooms and Gallery of the Maps with no crowds Enter the Sistine Chapel with your guide (usually not allowed) before it's open to the public Indulge with a banquet-style breakfast in the beautiful Pinecone Courtyard Explore in a small group for unparalleled access to a world-famous landmark What You Can Expect The clavigero (key keeper) carries nearly 3,000 keys to the Vatican Museums, and every morning opens the monumental Vatican doors. He uses a key to get into each section of the museum, turning on the lights to each room for the day. On this special VIP tour, head inside the rooms and galleries before the museum is even opened to the public with the clavigero as he finds the right key that opens each area. You ll avoid the crazy chaos of the crowds as you follow your guide through a carefully planned route. Visit the most famous galleries and rooms, such as the Raphael Rooms, and see a variety of ancient sculptures, paintings, relics, and medieval maps. Your guide tells you the stories behind them and the Vatican itself

6 Next, continue on to the world-famous Sistine Chapel to catch sight of Michelangelo s masterpiece. Enter the chapel and have the rare chance to admire it with only a few other people. Your guide also goes inside with you for a guided visit which has never been heard of until now. End your experience at the Vatican Museums with a delicious breakfast in the beautiful Pinecone Courtyard. Enjoy a huge spread of hot and cold breakfast foods, meats, cheeses, pastries, and pancakes. Your breakfast at the Vatican is relaxed, giving you plenty of time to sit out on the courtyard patio. Your VIP early-entry Vatican tour ends inside the Pinecone Courtyard, so you can spend additional time exploring further, if you'd like. 3) Vatican Night Tour with Dinner in the Pinecone Courtyard (1200 HKD) Experience an unforgettable evening with this 3.5-hour Vatican Museums night tour, including dinner in the Pinecone Courtyard. Avoid the crowds with this special entry time for a buffet dinner (with wine) in the lovely courtyard, followed by a guided tour through the Museums and the Sistine Chapel. Highlights 3.5-hour evening Vatican Museums tour including dinner Enjoy a delicious buffet dinner with wine in the Pinecone Courtyard inside the Vatican Museums Explore the museum collections after your meal Avoid the crowds with special entry and an evening tour What You Can Expect Meet your guide near the entrance of the Vatican Museums and get escorted past the long lines of people waiting to buy tickets for the Vatican's special evening admission. Get into the museum before the crowds and head straight for the beautiful Pinecone Courtyard, where you'll enjoy a delicious buffet dinner with wine. After your meal, join your guide and the rest of your group for a tour of the Vatican Museums. Learn about the courtyard where you've just had dinner. Walk through the Gallery of Maps and the Gallery of Tapestries. Admire the exquisite frescoes in the Raphael Rooms, including the famous 'The School of Athens' piece. The final stop on the tour is the Sistine Chapel, with its enormous frescoes by Michelangelo. Your guide will tell you about the frescoes and the chapel itself before you enter, so when you go inside you can be respectfully quiet and soak in all the artistic and historic splendor - 6 -

7 Day 3: Rome Basilica of St Paul outside the Walls, Basilica of St Mary Major and Arch- Basilica of St John Lateran After the Basilica of St Peter, pilgrims are then transported by air conditioned minivan to the Basilica of St Paul outside the Walls where the remains of the great Apostle of the Gentiles, St Paul, lies to this day. Entering through the Holy Doors, pilgrims will again be given a short tour of the Basilica. The Church of St Paul Outside the wall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, contains the human relics of St Paul the Apostle, the man who so greatly contributed to spread the Christian faith among the so-called Gentili, the pagans. It was Emperor Constantine to found the original church and to inaugurate it on the 18th of November 324 AD. The mosaics on the Triumphal Arch dates back to the 5th century AD. But one a fire heavily destroyed the Church, the restorers were still able to snatch the mosaic off, refurbish the wall underneath, and put back the ancient tesserae were they belonged. Last but not least during this tour of the patriarchal basilica of St Paul you will also visit the mesmerizing medieval cloister attached to the Roman church

8 From St Paul Basilica, the group is once again transported by minivan to the ancient Basilica of St Mary Major (Santa Maria Maggiore) to once more enter and experience a tour of the Basilica which includes visiting the chapel containing relics of the manger of Bethlehem and relics of saints and popes. St Mary Major is also the largest and most important shrine to the Virgin Mary in the city. Its history goes back to an earlier and smaller building erected by Pope Liberius ( ) after he had a vision of the Virgin Mary. The Mother of God told him to build her a church on the spot where snow would lie next day and this was in the month of August! Snow fell on the highest point of the Esquiline. St Mary Major is particularly notable for its mosaic ornamentation, some being amongst the most ancient and beautiful of the whole Christian history dating back to the 5th century AD. Smalts in all possible shades of color, some gold-plated, were mingled with natural stones and creating an effect of radiance and strong reflections throughout the church interiors that became now a representation of the Christian cosmos. Finally, the ceiling built by Pope Alexander VI ( ) were gilded with the first gold coming from America!, and sent to Rome by the king of Spain

9 After this thrilling experience, we once again board the minivan to be taken up the road to the Arch- Basilica of St John Lateran (San Giovanni) - the Cathedral of Rome. Here, the group once more receives a detailed tour of the interior and its history. St John in Lateran is the Mother and Head of all the churches in the city and on earth (Urbis et Orbis) and was dedicated to the Savior in 313 AD, immediately after the famous Edict of Milan that granted religious freedom to the Roman Empire. It could well be said that this is the earliest, and most ancient Roman church and it was even larger than the Maxentius Basilica! It was Emperor Constantine himself, after winning the Battle of Ponte Milvio against Maxentius, that decorated the building with gold, silver and mosaics. In the 17th century, Francesco Borromini some say the first, some say the second greatest Baroque Architect after Bernini gave to the ancient basilica its present shape and look (the facade, however, is a project of Alexander Galilei). One of the highlights of the Church is certainly the Baptistery of St John, built by Emperor Constantine himself and then reshaped in its current octagonal shape in 432 AD by Pope Sixtus III

10 The Four Papal Basilicas now completed, we don't stop there however! The group will continue on to the Holy Stairs - the steps that Christ was judged by Pilate upon that were transported by the mother of Constantine, St Helena, from Jerusalem to Rome in the 4th Century. This is truly a once in a lifetime experience for you to plug into the life of the Church and experience what countless Catholics have experienced through the years

11 Day 4: Rome Basilica of St Lawrence outside the Walls, The Church of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem and Saint Sebastian Outside the Walls Saint Lawrence Outside the Walls The construction San Lorenzo fuori le mura, also called San Lorenzo al Verano because it had been built on Veranus ager, land owned by Emperor Lucius Verus, was carried out by Constantine who rebuilt the crypt that held the relics of San Lorenzo and constructed a cemetery basilica. The present church, flanked by the monastery and preceded by the square with a bronze statue of San Lorenzo by Stefano Galletti (1865), is really the fusion of the later basilicas of popes Pelagius II (sixth century) and Honorius III (XIII century), which are adjacent but on two different axes. Particularly significant are the frescoes dedicated to the saint on the facade (XIII century) and the Chapel to San Tarcisio by Virginio Vespignani, down the aisle, with Santa Ciriaca burying San Lorenzo by Emilio Savonanzi (1619) and, on the left, the Beheading John the Baptist by Giovanni Serodine (1619). The Basilica is one of the Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome and one of the five former "patriarchal basilicas", each of which was assigned to the care of a Latin Church patriarchate. The Basilica was assigned to the Patriarchate of Jerusalem. The Basilica is the shrine of the tomb of its namesake, Saint Lawrence (sometimes spelled "Laurence"), one of the first seven deacons of Rome who was martyred in 258. Many other saints and Bl. Pope Pius IX are also buried at the Basilica, which is the center of a large and ancient burial complex. The Church of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem The Church od Santa Croce in Gerusalemme (Holy Cross in Jerusalem) minor basilica was built into the palace in which St. Helena lived ( ). About this time a hall of the palace was converted into a church, and two adjoining small rooms were converted into chapels. The rest of the palace continued to be lived in for centuries. Alleged relics of the True Cross, reputedly the wood of the cross on which Jesus was crucified, were found in 1492 walled into a niche and later were moved to a modern chapel. The facade and narthex of the church are 1743 Rococo, the interior an earlier Baroque with a 12th-century Cosmatesque pavement, some antique columns, a few Renaissance details, and, somewhere within it all, part of a palace built about

12 Saint Sebastian Outside the Walls Further along the Via Appia, not far from the Catacombs of St Callistus, lie the Catacombs of St Sebastian over which the Basilica of St Sebastian Outside the Walls was built. The Catacombs are called after their more famous martyr, St Sebastian, and the Basilica contains his remains. The Basilica is also one of the seven Pilgrim Basilicas of Rome and it contains numerous relics and works of art, among them the stone slab from the Via Appia reputedly preserving the footprints of Jesus, imprinted during the Quo Vadis apparition to St Peter. The story of St Sebastian s martyrdom is well known and often depicted in works of art, although many think he died from the arrows. In fact he survived this assault, was nursed back to health by a holy woman,irene. It was when he returned to Rome after his convalescence that he was captured again and this time beheaded. The saint s body now rests beneath a magnificent tomb on which is a marble sculpture of the martyr depicted in the tradition manner pierced with arrows. The basilica is also renowned for its magnificent ceiling at the center of which is a relief depicting St Sebastian s martyrdom

13 Below the basilica are the catacombs of St Sebastian where the martyr was originally interred. These catacombs also held the bodies of SS Peter and Paul for a short period of time during the Emperor Valerian s persecution in 258, being considered inconspicuous enough to avoid pillage. Later, however, in the 9 th century, the remains of St Sebastian himself had to be evacuated and taken to St Peter s Basilica for safe keeping for fear the advancing Saracens would desecrate them. Although the group did not have time to visit them, the catacombs can be accessed quite easily. One of the smallest of the catacombs around the Rome, these are also, unfortunately, one of the least preserved

14 Day 5: Underground Rome - Catacombs, Crypts, and a Secret Sanctuary Venture beneath the lofty churches and bustling city streets of Rome to discover the ancient mysteries of the Domitilla catacombs. Follow in the footsteps of early Christians as you explore this underground network of tunnels and burial chambers, and marvel at the macabre and astonishing art created by thousands of monks skeletons at the Capuchin Crypt. You ll also discover thousands of years of spirituality at an underground Mithraic temple, a pagan sanctuary buried under the famous Basilica of St. Clement. Highlights 4-hour tour of Rome's underground mysteries Uncover spiritual secrets and ancient archaeology beneath the city streets Marvel at art created from thousands of skulls and bones at the Capuchin Crypt Descend beneath the medieval Basilica of St. Clement See where some of the earliest Christians gathered in the ruins of a pagan Mithraic temple Wander through a labyrinth of tunnels and burial chambers in the ancient Domitilla catacombs Meet your guide and begin your underground journey with a visit to the Capuchin Crypt a powerfully macabre meditation on life and death maintained by Franciscan monks for more than 500 years. Wander through vaulted chambers filled with the skeletal remains of countless friars, arranged over the centuries into incredible displays of wall and ceiling art. Continue on to the medieval Basilica of St. Clement, built atop thousands of years of spiritual history. Venture beneath the church to the remains of a 4th-century Romanesque basilica, in turn built atop a 1stcentury temple to the pagan deity Mithras. This unique layered archaeology allows you to view the physical evolution of Christianity, from its earliest clandestine formation

15 Make a final descent beneath the city streets into the Domitilla catacombs - Rome s oldest and best preserved catacombs, and the only labyrinth to still contain human remains. Learn about the history of this extensive network of tunnels and burial chambers, abandoned during the Middle Ages and only recently rediscovered in the 16th century. Feel the weight of history as you admire 2nd-century frescoes and step into a captivating underground basilica, before saying farewell to you guide back in the daylight

16 Day 6: Assisi Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi and, Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi The basilica, which was begun in 1228, is built into the side of a hill and comprises two churches known as the Upper Church and the Lower Church, and a crypt where the remains of the saint are interred. The interior of the Upper Church is an important early example of the Gothic style in Italy. The Upper and Lower Churches are decorated with frescoes by numerous late medieval painters from the Roman and Tuscan schools, and include works by Cimabue, Giotto, Simone Martini, Pietro Lorenzetti and possibly Pietro Cavallini. The range and quality of the works gives the basilica a unique importance in demonstrating the development of Italian art of this period Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels The Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli (Saint Mary of the Angels) is a church situated in the plain at the foot of the hill of Assisi, Italy, in the frazione of Santa Maria degli Angeli

17 The basilica was constructed in the Mannerist style between 1569 and 1679 enclosing the 9th century little church, the Porziuncola, the most sacred place for the Franciscans. It was here that the young Francis of Assisiunderstood his vocation and renounced the world in order to live in poverty among the poor and thus started the Franciscan movement

18 Day 7: Rome Enogastronomic tour: food tasting and cooking lesson The Vatican: one of the most beautiful and famous areas of Rome. If you want to discover the real city that still exists around the Vatican museums, the Sistine Chapel and the colonnade of St. Peter this is the experience for you! We will walk you through the magic atmosphere of Borgo Pio, one of the historical districts of the city that has preserved old traditions, sounds and colors of the past; discover the local market, where grocery shopping is still a daily ritual for Romans of today as it was in the past; savor the best of traditional Roman and Italian food prepared and served by the owners of the stalls and shops, jealous guardians of authenticity and goodness of their products. All this will make your tour an unforgettable experience of aromas and flavours. Option 1) Taste Tour We can organize tours to taste the gastronomic excellence of the eternal city, visit a market, taste a street food or stop to eat in a historic tavern, all talking about gastronomy. Some examples of tours we make: The beer ferment : discovering Italian pubs and craft beers. In the shadow of St. Peter's : a tour in the markets and among the gastronomic specialties of the neighborhood meadows. Street Food and much more : a trip to the Monti and Esquilino districts, between ancient and multiethnic Rome. Roman Holiday : an enogastronomic walk in the center of Rome. Get ready to experience tastings in the best places of Rome, frequented by true Romans and by those who want to be mindfull visitors and not hasty guests in this magnificent city: the best foods that the Roman countryside and the culinary traditions of this city can offer. All strictly seasonal, freshly cooked and authentic and far away from tourist traps and frozen foods. We will accompany you from breakfast to lunch, with tastings of cold cuts and cheeses, continuing with ice cream and to finish off, as Romans do, with a coffee and the best 360 view of Rome. We will guide you to discover the flavors and foods that only Italy can offer, in a culinary journey that you will never forget, with the option to buy the products tasted, and discover all the secrets of Roman cuisine from the persons who make tradition and good food a lifestyle. Starting from the real Roman breakfast and ending with coffee after lunch, here are some examples of what you can taste during our tour. The traditional breakfast of Romans: cappuccino and cornetto at one of the most famous bars in Rome, but totally unknown to tourists. The real mozzarella from Paestum IGT brand (Protected Geographical Indication) enjoyed in one of the oldest stalls inside the local market and the delicious ricotta. The incredible Italian prosciutto cut by hand and the best Italian cheeses. The tomato, base of many Italian dishes, in the most classic and tasty bruschetta, prepared according to the recipes of Italian families with real genuine tomatoes, grown in the perfect soil and ripened in the sun. The Italian rice balls or supplì on the phone. Rome s Favourite Street Food. A degustation of the extra virgin olive oil elected as the best organic oil in the world in Pizza, freshly made in the oldest bakery of the neighborhood, white or red, simple or stuffed, is one of the typical snacks of our city, the tasty snack of mid-morning. really appreciated by all, students, professionals, workers and shoppers. The bakery is famous and renowned throughout the city, and the family that runs it since 1915 jealously guards the secret of its recipe, synonymous of quality and authenticity

19 It is time to taste the pasta, cooked according to the most ancient traditions of Roman cuisine. All accompanied by good wine because, it is known, in Rome you never leave the table if your glass is still full. After lunch, ice cream, the real one and handcrafted: made only with seasonal fruits, creams prepared according to traditional recipes, no coloring agents or preservatives but only lots of authenticity and love. And, if you re lucky, you will get see the master ice cream makers at work so as to appreciate the poetry and artistry that are hidden behind a good ice cream. Finally coffee, the inevitable finishing touch of every meal, made with a blend of selected coffee beans and roasted in the traditional style, and enjoyed while seated with the best 360 view of Rome. These are just four examples, we can organize your personalized tour. Option 2) Cooking Lesson Tasting as a synonym for meeting moments or learning moments on wine, beer, oil, cheese, salami and more. Ideal moments to finish and to let tourists and enthusiasts try out products of excellence in our territory. The tastings can take place in a classical way, where the speaker tastes the products together with the participants or in interactive mode: We can organize cooking class in which we will do as well the shopping, talking about ingredients, seasonality, recipes, traditions and gastronomic history. The aim of this experience is to make people discover history and gastronomy of Roman cooking using receipts from the past or forgotten and to educate to the selection of raw materials, choosing exclusively season s products picked from local farmer s market: a Show Cooking from the garden to the dish! We will meet near a local market, sharing the menu that we will prepare during our lesson and we will do the shopping list. During the three hours of the lesson will prepare traditional Italian dishes and Roman specialties: we will prepare a first course, a second course and a dessert or alternatively a starter

20 Roman cod fillet, gricia, matriciana, roman artichokes, tart with ricotta and cherries... just a few examples of what we could include in our menu. We will taste together what we have been preparing, accompanying our lunch/dinner with some local wine. We will share feelings and opinions about the preparation and realization of courses. The courses will be play in a real cooking school selected by Sarti del Gusto. The cooking class will run for about three hours to which must be added the time to spend at the market. The cooking class is in Italian, but we have a pool of interpreters that if required will be with us during the event

21 Notes: The tour can be customized with other experiences and visit to others places of the area: Roma, more than Venezia and Firenze, doesn t need presentation. There our civilization was born. Every experience you make is unique: walking through Piazza di Spagna or Fori Imperiali, throwing a coin in Fontana di Trevi, having a looking at Colosseo, visiting an exposition at Scuderie del Quirinale, making shopping in via del Corso or even having a great lunch in an osteria in Trastevere is priceless just because all of those are in Rome. Useful information All the organisation of the tour will be supported from local certified and qualified travel agencies that can offer the best solution about accommodation and transfer and can respond to all the requests about flights and visa if needed. Duration: the duration is flexible and will be customized according to customer needs and requests. Price: the price depend from the duration of the tour and from the quality of the accommodation and experiences chosen. Minimum participants: 8-10 The Package include: Round trip airport transfer Transfer by private minivan for the excursions and experiences Private Indonesian tour guide during the excursions Overnights in double room with breakfast Dinners All tastings Guided tours on days.. Entrance ticket to museum, churches, etc.; Entrance fees as in the program. Not included in the package: Flight from/to Tips and everything not included in the package include. For a quotation or any other information: achille.nava@italyon.it roberto.dileo@italyon.it