The Artistic, Cultural and Religious Treasures of Central Italy June 19 29, 2012 Join Father Vincent Dufresne for an illuminating journey to central Italy, exploring the religious, artistic and cultural treasures of Florence, Assisi and Rome. There are few places in the world that integrate spiritual and cultural aspects of life as richly as the Italians have done. We will explore the great city of the Renaissance Florence where visionary men and women sought to underscore the spiritual dignity of humanity as a response to the Christian vision of the incarnation. We continue our journey to Assisi, savoring the evangelical simplicity of St. Francis and St. Clare. We have built in time so that people can enjoy the serenity of this graceful Umbrian hill town. We finish our pilgrimage in Rome, exploring ancient Roman, medieval and Renaissance monuments and enjoying the warm hospitality of the Romans in quaint piazzas and narrow streets where the city provides an historical palette of incomparable drama and inspiration. Don t miss the opportunity to benefit from Fr. Dufresne s years of study in Italy eager to share with us an insider s perspectives and secrets. We are all members of a global community that is increasingly interdependent. The future of our world depends on our cultivating a spirit of hospitality, respect, understanding and compassion for one another. Enlightenment comes in many forms, but we believe that there are few life experiences more moving than exploring other cultures, meeting people of diverse backgrounds, and becoming a citizen of the world leading and inspiring respectful and compassionate ways of life.
Our Program Tuesday, June 19 th We depart the U.S.A. from New Orleans on an overnight flight to either Rome or Florence (exact flight schedule to be determined.) Wednesday, June 20 th Orientation to the Italian Countryside We arrive this morning in either Rome or Florence and meet our tour manager at the airport. We will transfer via private deluxe airconditioned motorcoach to our hotel in Florence. A welcome dinner is scheduled this evening at a local restaurant. Overnight in Florence. Thursday, June 21 st The Heritage of the Renaissance: Christian Humanism Breakfast. We will celebrate Mass this morning at Santa Maria Novella. Then we will have a guided visit to the Accademia, Santa Croce and the Duomo. The rest of the afternoon is at leisure (participants can visit some of the other great museums at leisure with assistance of our local tour manager). Overnight in Florence. Florence is a masterpiece unto itself with magnificent palaces, fine crafts in gold and leather, and elegant shops with exquisite fabrics: presenting the gilded city. The evolution of art, science, and culture are deeply rooted and its myriad of churches, museums, and galleries are a testament to the greatness of those who once lived and worked here. This is the city that inspired Michelangelo and Machiavelli, and the richness of Florence's beauty continues to inspire today! The Accademia houses one of the greatest sculptures ever Michelangelo s David. This magnificent figure captures the poise and grandeur of the Renaissance. The museum houses other Medieval and Renaissance religious art and several other larger-than-life sculptures of Michelangelo. The Church of S. Croce is one of the most historic churches in Florence center of life and worship during medieval and Renaissance times. It includes tombs of Galileo, Michelangelo, Machiavelli, and other famous Italians and is richly decorated with frescos by Giotto and other great Renaissance artists. The Duomo or Cathedral of Florence is one of the largest churches in the world and built in the 13th and 14th centuries. The dome was designed by Brunelleschi and represents an astonishing architectural and technological advancement and is one of the most recognized monuments of Florence. The exterior of the Cathedral is richly decorated with green and white marble and complemented by Giotto s bell tower and the Baptistry of St. John (adorned with Ghiberti s doors). Friday, June 22 nd Evangelical Poverty: The Spiritual Legacy of St. Francis and St. Clare. After breakfast this morning we travel to Assisi. Upon arrival we will celebrate Mass at the tomb of St. Francis followed by a visit to the Basilica. We will check into our hotel in time for an included lunch. This afternoon we have a guided visit of St. Clare and the Convento di San Damiano. Overnight in Assisi. Assisi is a graceful, serene and enchanting Umbrian hill town built of pink stone and encircled by medieval walls. The basilicas of St. Francis and St. Clare welcome pilgrims at both ends of the city underscoring the spiritual heritage of the two local saints who called for a return to evangelical simplicity. Assisi preserves the spirit of St. Francis and St. Clare and offers an opportunity for personal reflection and prayer in a spiritually rich setting. The beautiful multi-leveled Basilica of St. Francis was inaugurated in 1228 to commemorate the life of Francis and provide a place to gather around his tomb. The three levels are richly decorated with frescos of Giotto, Cimabue, Martini and Lorenzetti narrating events in the lives of Francis and Jesus and celebrating the virtues of Franciscan spirituality. The picturesque convent and chapel of San Damiano in the valley below Assisi was rebuilt by St. Francis and served as the home for St. Clare. It was here that Francis heard the voice of Christ from the cross telling him to rebuild His Church.
Saturday, June 23 rd Evangelical Poverty: The Spiritual Legacy of St. Francis and St. Clare. Breakfast. Today is a free day in Assisi. Overnight Assisi. Fr. Dufresne will accompany participants on a couple of optional visits. One will be the Carceri dei Eremiti (the hermitage). The other will be the Porziuncula. Travelling up Mount Subasio - offering a magnificent panorama of the surrounding countryside one arrives at the Carceri dei Eremiti, Francis favorite retreat. The hermitage, cut out of the rock, is set in the dense woodland covering the mountain behind Assisi. Most of the miracles recounted in St. Francis Fioretti ( Little Flowers ) took place in these woods. The Porziuncula is a small chapel found iside the large basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli. The Porziuncula is where a number of the early chapters of the Franciscans met with St. Francis. It is here that Clare was named Bride of Christ and where Francis ultimately died. Sunday, June 24 th The Historical Palette of Rome. Breakfast. This morning we will celebrate Mass at Santa Chiara before traveling to Rome. Upon arrival in Rome we will check into our hotel. This afternoon we will take an informal walking tour of the centro storico (led by Fr. Dufresne). Dinner/overnigh Rome. Rome is an open museum of history, art and culture. We will take a walk through the heart of Rome. We will visit the Piazza Navona, built on the ruins of Domitian s circus and adorned with Bernini s breathtaking Four Rivers Fountain. We will visit the Pantheon, one of the most important buildings of the ancient world that remains entirely intact. It was dedicated to all of the gods. Emperor Hadrian envisioned a different kind of temple one that created a large interior sacred space that would transform the experience of those who entered. Nearby is the graceful and inspiring church of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva where the body of St. Catherine of Siena is buried, where Michelangelo s famous sculpture The Resurrected Christ is on display. It was in the adjacent convent that the Church tried Galileo in the 17 th century. Monday, June 25 th The Renaissance in Rome Breakfast. This morning we will celebrate Mass at St. Peter's Basilica. Then we will have a guided visit to the Vatican Museums. The remainder of the afternoon is free. There may be a visit to the Scavi underneath St. Peter s later this afternoon. Overnight in Rome. The largest church in the world and center of Christian pilgrimage for centuries, St. Peter s Basilica is utterly breathtaking in size, beauty and spiritual inspiration. Constantine erected a major basilica over the tomb of St. Peter on this site in the 4th century; in the 1500 s, great Renaissance artists built the current building. Some of the major features include: Michelangelo s Dome, Bernini s Baldachino, Bernini s Chair of Peter, detailed mosaics, and the crypt. Some may wish to climb to the top of the dome or visit the crypt and tombs of the Popes. The Vatican Museums is one of the largest museums in the world. It was begun during the Renaissance when Popes began to create spaces to exhibit classical statues that were being found as interest in ancient buildings led to archaeological digs. Of course, the Vatican Museums include the spectacular papal apartments painted by Raphael and the Sistine Chapel with Michelangelo s Ceiling and Last Judgment.Our visit will include time in the Pio-Christian section with early Christian sarcophagi. The Scavi (recent excavations) under St. Peter s Basilica have revealed a Roman cemetery with sumptuous mausolea and sarcophagi. Through extensive research, archeologists have ascertained that one tomb is that of St. Peter who was martyred in the nearby circus of Nero/Caligula. Visiting this sacred site affords an opportunity to understand the different stages of building associated with it.
Tuesday, June 26 th Exploring the Treasures of Rome Breakfast. Today is a free day to explore Rome at leisure. Our tour manager is available to assist with optional excursions. Overnight in Rome. Wednesday, June 27 th The Ministry of Peter and the Papacy After breakfast this morning we will attend the Papal Audience. Every Wednesday morning, His Holiness greets the faithful at St. Peter's. This general audience is comprised of visitors from around the world. After a hopeful message pronounced in various languages the Pope imparts His blessing. This afternoon we visit S. Maria Maggiore (with Mass), St. John Lateran and St. Paul Outside the Walls. Afterwards we transfer back to the hotel. The rest of the evening is free. Overnight in Rome. The beautiful basilica of St. Mary Major was built in the 5th century after the Council of Ephesus to honor Mary. It has been embellished, but retains much of its original with some of the oldest mosaics in Christianity narrating Biblical stories on the side walls. The Basilica of St. John Lateran was founded by Constantine in the 4th century and has served as the Cathedral (chair) of the Bishop of Rome ever since. Destroyed and rebuilt numerous times with some original details remaining, it adjoins Lateran Palace, at one time the home of the Pope and the site of several important councils, and the Scala Santa (Holy Stairs), said to have been brought to Rome by St. Helena from the house of Pontius Pilate in Jerusalem. St. Paul Outside the Walls is built over the burial site of St. Paul and near the location of his martyrdom. The original basilica, burned in a fire in 1823. It was rebuilt according to the original 4th century plan, allowing visitors to experience a pristine example of Constantinian-era monumental basilicas. Recent archaeological work has provided greater support to the belief that the sarcophagus under the main altar is that of the Apostle Paul. The church boasts beautiful mosaics and a graceful medieval cloister. Thursday, June 28 th Ancient Rome and Early Christianity Breakfast. We will celebrate Mass this morning at San Clemente followed by a guided visit of the Basilica. Then we walk a short distance to the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. There will be some free time late this afternoon. Then a Farewell liturgy is scheduled at a church near the hotel, followed by dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight in Rome. The Basilica of San Clemente offers a unique opportunity to explore the chronology of Christianity at Rome. The current 12th century basilica is one of the most graceful and beautiful in Rome - boasting an impressive Byzantine-style apse mosaic and decorative marble choir enclosure. The 12th century building rests on the ruins of a 4th century basilica that was built over 1st and 2nd century Roman buildings. The 4th century building was one of the first "in town" major churches built after Constantine and represents a significant achievement for a local congregation. The 1st and 2nd century buildings tell us a lot about the sociology of the Christian community that met here. There is also an impressive Mithraic temple helping visitors appreciate other competing religions during the early centuries of Christianity at Rome. The Flavian amphitheatre built over part of Nero s palace and next to a colossal statue (thus Colosseum) was the largest in the Roman Empire and entertained the Roman populace with gladiator battles, staged wildlife hunts, and other spectacles. Although used as a quarry for the marble to build many medieval and Renaissance churches (including St. Peter s), it is in amazingly good shape and evokes the grandeur of Imperial Rome! The Roman Forum began as a gathering place and center of trade for communities of people living on the seven hills surrounding the site in the 8th century BC. The marshy land was drained with an innovative sewer (the Cloaca Maxima) in the 6th and 7th centuries BC and transformed by the Etruscans with temples and other administrative buildings. Following the Etruscans, the Romans continued to transform the site from the Republican era through the end of the Empire. For centuries, the Forum was the symbol of Roman power with its large Senate building, great temples, triumphal arches, and the Rostrum where emperors and orators would speak to the local citizens. Despite years of ruin, the Forum is still an impressive site and easily evokes a feel for the life and times of ancient Rome.
Friday, June 29 th We Return Home as Pilgrims Transformed After breakfast we transfer to the airport for our return flight to the U.S.A.. Inclusive Features Air transportation via regularly scheduled flights between New Orleans and Rome or Florence (exact flight schedule to be determined) Three and four star hotel accommodations in twinbedded rooms with private baths as follows: o Florence ~ 2 nights o Assisi ~ 2 nights o Rome ~ 5 nights Continental buffet breakfast served daily in the hotels. One welcome dinner at a local restaurant in Florence including beverages. One 3-course lunch at the hotel in Assisi. One 3-course dinner in Rome. One farwell dinner at a local restaurant in Rome including beverages. Services of a professional tour manager throughout Italy. Transportation via private deluxe motorcoach. Privately guided sightseeing with government-licensed local guides as per itinerary. Luggage, porterage, road and local taxes. Program Prices $4095.00 per person based on double occupancy $ 550.00 additional estimate - airline taxes, airport fees, security fees, fuel surcharges (estimate as of June 16, 2011) $575.00 supplement for single room occupancy Please note: Single rooms for single use are limited to 10% of the total number of rooms reserved. Thereafter, double rooms for single use will be secured at a supplemental cost of approximately 150%. Alternatively, if you have selected double occupancy but no roommate is available due to uneven numbers or if your roommate should cancel you will be in a single room and responsible for the single room supplement. Land Only Program Prices: (excludes all air transportation and airport transfers) $3195.00 per person based on double occupancy $ 575.00 supplement for single room occupancy All prices listed are discounted for payment by check. When paying with a credit card you will be charged the standard base price which is 5% higher. Travel Insurance Premiums: $ 205.00 Deluxe Group Travel Insurance Plan $ 305.00 Deluxe Plan with Cancel for Any Reason The Group Deluxe Insurance plan is optional. If you wish to purchase the plan, the premium must be paid with your initial deposit. The policy can be found on the Travel Resource Center for your program under the Group Deluxe Insurance Plan link. Illume recommends that you purchase travel insurance to cover the cost of the investment you will make. Travel insurance provides peace of mind and protection against the unexpected. Please read the illume Conditions and Clauses attached to the Program Registration Application to review the charges that will apply in the event that you cancel your program participation. Illume offers several options to travel insurance. To learn more click on the Travel Insurance link provided on the Travel Resource Center for your program: www.travelillume.com/trc/szg The prices are based on availability of services at the time registration material is received; currency exchange rates in effect June 16, 2011 and on 2011 land and air tariffs and are subject to change. All services are provided subject to Illume s Conditions and Clauses. The program prices will be reviewed before the invoices for the final payment are mailed, and will reflect the prices current in 2012. Program Registration: Complete the Registration Application.
Forward with your $ 800.00 deposit per person (and insurance premium if applicable) no later than September 15 th, 2011 to: Fr. Vincent Dufresne St. Joseph s Catholic Church PO Box 129 Paulina, LA 70763 vjd57@att.net (225) 869-5751 Checks can be made payable to illume. Balance of payment due not later than: March 19 th, 2012 Note: Any changes to the program will be outlined in the final documents which you will receive one month prior to departure. If changes are made that effect the program price, you will receive an invoice or a credit accordingly. Please contact Fr. Dufresne with any questions. Program No. 12.10085