Join Renowned Author, Speaker, Journalist & EWTN Television Host
Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle
Poland & Vilnius Pilgrimage
September 8 - 18, 2019
$200 discount per person for bookings received by Jan 31, 2019 - Code: MERCY19
DM090819
Your trip includes
- Round-trip airfare from New York or from your desired Airport
- *
- Airport taxes & fuel surcharges
- Accommodation at Centrally located first class hotels: (or similar)
- ~ 3 nights: Sept 09 - 12: Radisson Blu Hotel Lietuva, Vilnius
- ~ 2 nights: Sept 12 - 14: Radisson Blu Sobieski, Warsaw
- ~ 1 night: Sept 14 - 15: Hotel Arche, Czestochowa
- ~ 3 nights: Sept 15 - 18: Golden Tulip, Krakow
- Transfers by air conditioned motor coach
- Tour Escort throughout
- Breakfast and Dinner daily
- Wine with Dinners
- Sightseeing with professional local guides: Lithuania: University Courtyard in Vilnius, Trakai Castle Poland: Warsaw, Jasna Gora Monastery, Krakow, Wieliczka Salt Mine, Auschwitz
- Sightseeing and admissions fees as per itinerary
- Mass daily & Spiritual activities
- Luggage handling (1 piece per person)
Not included
- Meals not mentioned, Tips to your guide & driver
Itinerary
Sunday, Sept 8: Depart for Vilnius
Make your way to your local airport where you will board your over-night flight(s) to Vilnius. Your meals will be served on board. Be sure to take some time to meditate on the life-changing journey ahead.
Monday, Sept 9: Arrive Vilnius
Upon arrival in Vilnius Airport you will find your luggage and exit the baggage claim into the Arrivals Hall where you will be greeted by our tour escort. After a warm welcome to Lithuania, we begin our pilgrimage with the orientation tour of Vilnius. We will have time to celebrate Mass before going to hotel. Dinner and overnight at hotel.
Tuesday, Sept 10: Vilnius
Following breakfast, we will depart for a sightseeing tour of Vilnius, including: Gate Dawn, the Old Town, Church of St. Peter and Paul, the Church of St. Anna and Bernardine Monastery. You will also see the Courtyards of the Jesuit University, and the Medieval Castel, as well as the Divine Mercy Shrine. The first image of Divine Mercy, revealed to mankind in the message of Divine Mercy and painted at the request of Jesus, according to Sister Maria Faustina Kowalska's vision in 1934, was painted here by the artist, Eugene Kazimirovski in the presence and under the instruction and direction of Saint Faustina herself and her spiritual director: Father Michael Sopocko. After lunch on our own, we will go on an excursion to visit Trakai, the Castle of the Teutonic Knights. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Wednesday, Sept 11: Vilnius (Hill of the Crosses, Marian Shrine of Siluva)
After breakfast, we will depart the hotel for an excursion to the Hill of Crosses near the city of Siauliai. A place of pilgrimage for centuries, it is covered in thousands of crosses, large and small, many in an elaborate folk-art style. Despite being bulldozed three times by the Soviet authorities, the crosses quickly reappeared each time. Nearby, we will have lunch on our own and then we will continue to Siluva to visit the sanctuary of Our Lady of Siluva and celebrate Mass. Return to Vilnius for dinner and overnight at hotel.
Thursday, Sept 12: Vilnius-Sokolka-Warsaw
After an early breakfast at our hotel, we depart for Warsaw. A long the way, we will stop in Sokolka to visit St. Anthony Of Padua Church and see the Sokolka Eucharistic Miracle. We will have lunch on our own en route to Warsaw. Upon arrival in Warsaw, we celebrate the Mass at St. James Church where St. Faustina went when she arrived in Warsaw. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Friday, Sept 13: Warsaw
After breakfast, we drive to the Convent of Divine Mercy on Zytnia Street, which Faustina joined in 1924. Celebrate the Mass in the Chapel on Zytnia Street, where Faustina entered the convent. Then we will continue with the guided tour of landmarks of Warsaw including Old Town, Market Square, the Barbican and Royal Castle, Lazienki Park with Chopin Statue and palace on the Water. We will have lunch on our own. Enjoy free time to explore before returning to our hotel for dinner and a restful overnight at hotel.
Saturday, Sept 14: Warsaw-Czestochowa
After breakfast, we will check out of our hotel and drive to Czestochowa through Niepokalanow to visit the Basilica of Virgin Mary, and Franciscan Monastery founded by St. Maximillian Kolbe. We continue to Swinice Warckie to see the Church of St. Casmir where St. Faustina was baptized then continue to Czestochowa for a guided tour of the Shrine. Tour to include the knights hall, treasury and museum, Basilica, New and old Via de Laroza, Sacristy and Chapel of the Black Madonna. We will celebrate Mass at one of the Chapels at Jasna Gora Monastery. We will enjoy the dinner at hotel before retiring for the evening in Czestochowa.
Sunday, Sept 15: Czestochowa-Auschwitz-Wadowice-Kalwaria Zebrzydowska-Krakow
We will have breakfast at our hotel and depart for Auschwitz for the guided tour; including the cell of imprisoned St. Maximilian Kolbe and the Martyrdom Museum recalling the horrors of the Holocaust. After lunch on our own, we will continue to Wadowice to visit the birth place of Pope John Paul II and the local parish Church where he was baptized at and celebrate the Mass. After Mass, we will drive on to Kalwaria Zebrzydowska and visit the Sanctuary in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska. After visiting the Sanctuary, we will drive to Krakow. Dinner and overnight in Krakow.
Monday, Sept 16: Lagiewniki (Divine Mercy)
After breakfast, we will depart for our excursion to Lagiewniki, the capital of Divine Mercy. It was here that the message of the Divine Mercy originated, which Christ Himself wished to pass on to our generation through the mediation of St. Faustina. Celebrate Mass and visit the new center of Pope John paul II to see the displayed relic of Blessed Pope John Paul II. It is part of his robe with a bloodstain on it from when he was shot in 1981. The Sanctuary houses the grace-working image of Merciful Jesus and the relics of St. Faustina. We will visit the Shrine of Divine Mercy, St. Faustina's convent Chapel, and St. Faustina's Tomb. Drive back to Krakow for lunch on our own and an afternoon free at your leisure. Dinner and overnight in Krakow.
Tuesday, Sept 17: Krakow-Wieliczka-Krakow
We will have breakfast at our hotel and depart for a visit of Wawel Hill including the Wawel Cathedral, Krakow Old Market Square, St Mary's Church, Cloth hall, Jagellonian University (exterior visit) and Franciscan Church. Lunch on our own. In the afternoon we will enjoy the guided tour of Wieliczka Salt Mine. Drive back to Krakow and enjoy a Farewell dinner at the local restaurant. Overnight in
Wednesday, Sept 18: Return to USA
We leave Krakow for our return flights home to the United States. Bid our new friends farewell as we reminisce about the inspiration the Lord has placed in our hearts and everything we have experienced during our trip!
Why buy "With Airfare" from 206 Tours
- 1000’s of flights are being cancelled. 206 Tours will assist getting you to your destination.
- Your transfer will be waiting for you upon arrival, even if your flights are rescheduled.
- In the event your tour is not operating we will refund you all your money back or provide a full credit
- Your seats will be assigned according to your request (most online fares do not include seat assignment appox. $300)
- If you need to travel few days prior or stay few days later, make a stop-over, we will arrange it for you.
If you do not buy Airfare from 206 Tours
- With many flight cancellations and overbookings, we feel that you should know:
If your flight is cancelled - 206 Tours will not be able to assist you. - In order to guarantee your arrival and departure transfer, we need your detailed flight arrival / departure by 45 days prior, Any changes within 45 -3 days prior, additional transfer cost may apply.
- For changes in arrival / departure within 3 days of departure, we will not be able to rebook your transfer and you will need to make your own way to / from hotel or airport at your own cost
- Often times low online fares, do not include seat assignments ($300 approx.). It will be a challenge to get a good seat assigned at the airport.
- If you book your own airfare, travel insurance provided by 206 Tours will not reimburse expenses caused by your flight changes.
About your trip
About Krakow & Saint John Paul II:
Karol Wojtyla (Saint John Paul II) was born in the Polish town of Wadowice on May 18, 1920. He moved to Krakow with his father in 1938, where he attended Jagiellonian University and began studying for the priesthood. He was ordained as a priest on November 1, 1946 and went on to continue his studies in Rome until 1948. He returned to Poland that same year for his first pastoral assignment in the village of Niegowic, which lasted seven months. He then was transferred to the parish of St. Florian in Krakow, where he also spent time hiking in the mountains and canoeing with young people.