CHARLOTTE — The U.S. bishops of the Southeast are scheduled to meet with Pope Francis in early February for their “ad limina” visit, the time when bishops visit Rome and the “threshold of the Apostles” Sts. Peter and Paul to give a report on the state of their dioceses.
The Diocese of Charlotte and Archdiocese of Atlanta are offering a joint pilgrimage for people to join the trip to Rome in solidarity with the bishops. The eight-day trip, set for Feb. 7-15, 2020, will include tours of churches and historical sites in Rome as well as excursions to Loreto, Lanciano and San Giovanni Rotondo.
In Loreto, pilgrims will visit and tour the Marian Shrine of Loreto and visit the Holy House of Nazareth. After learning about this Marian site, pilgrims will depart for San Giovanni Rotondo with a stop in Lanciano to visit the Eucharistic Miracle of Lanciano.
In San Giovanni Rotondo, pilgrims will visit the shrine of St. Padre Pio, the Shrine of Our Lady of Grace, which is the second-most visited Catholic shrine in the world.
Mass will be celebrated at the tomb of St. Padre Pio. Pilgrims will then tour the shrine, the old church and the crucifix from which St. Padre Pio received the stigmata in 1918. A visit to the Grotto of St. Michael the Archangel is also planned.
In Rome, pilgrims will visit the ancient St. John Lateran Basilica, the Basilica of St. Mary Major, and the Holy Steps climbed by Christ.
Pilgrims can also attend the papal audience in St. Peter’s Square (pending the Holy Father’s final schedule) and take a tour of the Scavi, ending at the tomb of St. Peter himself.
Also planned are a visit to the Basilica of San Clemente for Mass and a tour of the catacombs, and a tour of ancient Rome including the Coliseum, Capitol Hill, the Roman Forum and the Circus Maximus.
An optional walking tour of historic Rome will include the Caravaggio churches, the Pantheon, Piazza Navona and Trevi Fountain.
During the ad limina pilgrimage, pilgrims will also go to Mass at the tomb of St. John Paul II in St. Peter’s Basilica and enjoy a guided tour of the Vatican, including the Vatican Museums and a visit to the Sistine Chapel.
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter
For more info
The Diocese of Charlotte/Archdiocese of Atlanta Ad Limina Pilgrimage is organized through Corporate Travel Service Inc. Cost is $2,615 per person for double occupancy, plus airfare.
For complete itinerary and pricing information, visit “Italy Ad Limina Pilgrimage". If you book online, the trip code is 43785 and the group code is 5489. Questions? Call Corporate Travel Service Inc. at 888-468-1420.