Make your way to your local airport, where you will board your overnight flight(s). Your meals will be served on board.

Special Event: Celebrate the Feast of Saint Faustina Kowalska
Welcome to Krakow, Poland! Upon arrival, make your way to the baggage claim area and collect your luggage. Proceed to the arrival's hall, where you will be greeted by your tour guide and/or driver. We will begin our pilgrimage by heading to Lagiewniki, the capital of the Divine Mercy. Through the mediation of St. Faustina, Christ passed on the message of Divine Mercy at Lagiewniki. We will start our visit at the "Have No Fear" Center where we will be able to pray by the relic of St. John Paul II, with time after for additional prayer and reflection. We will celebrate Mass here in one of the Chapels, and reflect on her Feast Day, Canonization, and the words of St. John Paul II:

Misericordias Domini in aeternum cantabo. Let us too, the pilgrim Church, join our voice to the voice of Mary most holy, "Mother of Mercy", to the voice of this new Saint who sings of Mercy with all God's friends in the heavenly Jerusalem. And you, Faustina, a gift of God to our time, a gift from the land of Poland to the whole Church, obtain for us an awareness of the depth of Divine Mercy; help us to have a living experience of it and to bear witness to it among our brothers and sisters. May your message of light and hope spread throughout the world, spurring sinners to conversion, calming rivalries and hatred, and opening individuals and nations to the practice of brotherhood. Today, fixing our gaze with you on the face of the risen Christ, let us make our own your prayer of trusting abandonment and say with firm hope: Christ Jesus, I trust in you! Jezu, ufam tobie!

Then visit the Divine Mercy Shrine where Saint Faustina, the Apostle of Divine Mercy, lived and died. Through her meditation, Christ passed on the message of Divine Mercy and gave her instructions to spread the message among His flock. While here, you can listen to a special lecture done by one of the local Sisters, and you will have the opportunity to see images of the Merciful Jesus, relics of St. Faustina, as well as the Saint's Convent Chapel and her Tomb. We will continue to our Hotel for check-in, some time to relax, followed by dinner and overnight.

After breakfast, you will explore Krakow's Market Square as the sound of the silver trumpet from St. Mary's Tower fills the air. The captivating beauty of this square is largely due to the fact that it has remained unchanged for almost 700 years. It contains a number of buildings that hold important historic value such as, the Town Hall Tower, the Cloth Hall, and the Burgher's houses. Following your time in this longstanding square, you will make your way to Wawel Hill, where you will visit the beautiful Cathedral, and Coronation Chapel. These are among the most important sites in Poland as the Cathedral has been the coronation site of the Polish monarchs and has held numerous pieces of Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Classicist and Modern art. Also at this site, you will have the opportunity to pray at the tomb of the patron saint of Poland, St. Stanislaus. Next, a short drive to Wieliczka and visit Europe's oldest salt mine, which has been listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Return to your hotel in Krakow for dinner and a restful overnight.

After breakfast, you make a short drive to Auschwitz, notoriously known as a Nazi concentration camp during the Second World War. Upon arriving at the former camp, you can feel the darkness and sorrow that overtakes the atmosphere as there were numerous unspeakable atrocities that occurred at this site. Additionally, while on this visit, you will have the opportunity to view the cell that imprisoned the Christ-like, St. Maximilian Kolbe, and visit the Martyrdom Museum. Following this visit, you will continue on to Wadowice, the birthplace of Karol Wojtyla (Saint John Paul II). While in the small city of Wadowice, you will have the opportunity to visit the church where this beloved Saint was baptized, and attended Mass as a child. Following this historically captivating experience, continue on to Krakow. Enjoy dinner at the local restaurant before resting up for the next day of activities.

Today, you will awake in the home of the grandest pilgrimage shrine of Poland since the 14th century! You will begin your day with breakfast and Mass at Jasna Gora Monastery. This hill-top monastery is home to the beloved icon of the Black Madonna. Additionally, Saint John Paul II is said to have made frequent visits to this monastery throughout his life. Tradition tells us that this icon was painted by Luke the Evangelist, discovered by St. Helen, and later enshrined. While here, you will have the opportunity to venerate not only the Holy Icon, but also many other priceless treasures that are contained within. Following your prayerful visit to the Chapel of the Black Madonna, you will get an Exclusive visit inside the Monastery's Antique Library. A venerable place where you can find valuable manuscripts like The Olbracht Missal or The Bible of Queen Sophia. Following this historically captivating experience, continue on to Krakow. Enjoy dinner at the local restaurant before resting up for the next day of activities.

Make your way to Krakow Airport where you will board your inter-european flight(s) to Medjugorje. Upon arrival in Frankfurt or Munich, change gates to board your short connection flight to either: Dubrovnik, Split, or Sarajevo airport. Upon arrival, collect your luggage in the baggage claim area, and continue to the arrival's hall, where you will be greeted by a tour guide and/or driver, who will take you on the 2.5 hour drive to the village of Medjugorje. Enjoy dinner before retiring for the evening.

The most beautiful features of Medjugorje are its simplicity and peace. While in Medjugorje, you may experience your faith grow, and share in the faith journey of pilgrims from all over the world. A local guide will accompany your group throughout your stay in the village.

Some activities that will accompany you in your spiritual journey:

Attend Daily Mass: Each morning at 10:00 AM, your group will assemble at St. James Church for Mass (English-Speaking). At the end of each Mass, regardless of language, there is a blessing of the religious articles that you have with you.
Climb Apparition Hill: This mountainous hill is where the visionaries first encountered Our Lady. At the base of this hill is a Blue Cross, where it is said Our Lady appeared to the children while they hid from the communist police in the early days of the alleged apparitions. While climbing, your group is invited to recite the Rosary, pausing five times for each decade of the Rosary. At the top of the hill, you will witness the exact location of the first alleged apparition of Our Lady to the visionaries, and enjoy private time for prayer.
Climb Mt. Krizevac (Cross Mountain): In 1933, the villagers built a 30' high cross atop a mountain to commemorate Jesus' passion and death on the cross. Your group will have the opportunity to climb this mountain, and venerate that very cross. While climbing, your group is invited to pray the Stations of the Cross (to meditate on Jesus' suffering Road to Calvary), pausing fifteen times for each Station.
Apparitions: Each evening at 5 PM or 6 PM (depending on daylight savings time), your group will join the villagers and fellow pilgrims of Medjugorje in saying the Rosary, as all anxiously await the alleged arrival of Our Lady to the visionaries. Following the apparition, at 5:40 PM (6:40 PM during Daylight Savings Time), feel free to stay at St. James Church and attend the Croatian Mass. Following the Croatian Mass, there is a Blessing of the Sick.
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament: Our Lady has always called us to be close to her Son. For this, you will have the opportunity to adore the Blessed Sacrament at the altar outside of St. James Church. Adoration is held on Tuesdays and Saturdays; Veneration of the Cross is held on Fridays inside the church. Additionally, there is an Adoration Chapel on the grounds of St. James Church, where Adoration is held in the afternoon hours.
Meetings with the Visionaries: Pending their availability, your guide will arrange meetings with the visionaries at their homes.
Visit to the Community of Cenacolo: You will have the opportunity to visit the community of Cenacolo, founded by the Sisters of Charity, for young men and women who have taken a wrong path and are on the road to recovery. You will be able to listen to their inspirational words about their journeys back to Jesus Christ.
Prayer at the Statue of the Risen Christ: The bronze statue of the Risen Christ is located on the grounds of St. James Church. Many pilgrims sit and pray on the benches surrounding this peaceful statue. This statue miraculously seeps droplets of water at all times of the day, out of Christ's right knee.

After an early breakfast and heartfelt farewells, we leave by motor coach for Dubrovnik Airport (Split or Sarajevo) for our return flights home.