Our spiritual pilgrimage begins today as we board our transatlantic flight to Warsaw. Meals and refreshments will be served aloft.

Upon arrival in Warsaw we will be met by our tour manager, who will remain with us for the duration of our pilgrimage. Visit St. Stanislaw Kostka Church, where the martyred Solidarity priest Father Jerzy Popieluszko worked and is buried. Then we enjoy a panoramic overview tour of the city on the way to check-in at our local hotel, our home for the next two nights. (D, Mass) Overnight Warsaw

This morning we enjoy a tour of Warsaw including visits to the Cathedral of St. John, the Royal Castle, the Old Town Square, the Barbican and City Walls, and Zygmunt’s Column. Follow the Royal Route to Lazienki Park where we will see the Palace on the Water (outside visit). See St. James Church, where the young Helena Kowalska (future St. Faustina) prayed for vocational discernment and visit the motherhouse of Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy on Zytnia Street. This afternoon, we drive out into the countryside to the Franciscan Monastery at Niepokalanow, founded by St. Maximillian Kolbe. Pray in the little chapel here where he and the other friars would gather for Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours and reflect upon the mission of the Militia Immaculata and the role of the Blessed Mother in our lives. Return to Warsaw this evening, for the last of our two nights in this capital city. (B, D, Mass) Overnight Warsaw

Depart Warsaw this morning and drive to the Jasna Gora Monastery in Czestochowa, the most holy site for the Polish people. The highlight of our visit will be viewing the famous icon of the Black Madonna to which numerous miracles are attributed. The history of this icon is shrouded in mystery, and according to tradition it was painted by St. Luke, brought back to Constantinople from Jerusalem by St. Helena, and eventually arrived at Jasna Gora monastery in 1386. We will also see the Treasury, Knight’s Hall, Refectory and the Basilica of the Holy Cross and Nativity of Mary, with our remaining time here free for you to further explore, spend time in Adoration, go to confession, or simply sit and pray. After Mass proceed to Krakow, our home for the next seven nights. (B, D, Mass) Overnight Krakow

Following breakfast, proceed to Wawel Hill and the Cathedral of St. Stanislaw, Poland’s second most important pilgrimage shrine. Continue to Krakow’s Old Town to see the main Market Square, the Church of St. Mary, City Hall Tower, Kanonicza Street where Pope John Paul II resided while living in Krakow and the courtyard of the Collegium Maius where he was a student. Afterwards, we will travel to Auschwitz-Birkenau to pay respects at the remains of this Nazi concentration camp where over a million people were killed during World War II. Both St. Edith Stein and St. Maximilian Kolbe were sent here, along with millions of other innocent Jews, Christians, and Poles. We then return to Krakow for dinner and overnight. (B, D, Mass) Overnight Krakow

Today we walk in St. John Paul II’s footsteps as we retrace much of his early life, beginning with Wadowice where we visit the Gothic Basilica of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary, where he received baptism, first communion, and confirmation. See the Baroque nave and the miraculous picture of Our Lady of Perpetual help, in front of which the future saint prayed daily. Get to know the former Karol Wojtyla in a new way as we explore his hometown and the museum located in his family home, containing relics of his youth and personal belongings from when he was a local priest. Our next stop is a place that was one of John Paul’s favorite pilgrimage sites from his youth and young adult years – Kalawaria Zebrzydowska. This unique location began in the 17th century, when the Palatine of Krakow founded a Bernardine Monastery and built a replica of the Chapel of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem. The complex grew over the years to encompassreplicas of the Tomb of Christ, The Mount of Olives, the Home of Caiaphas, and other sites in the Holy Land, to provide a place of more local pilgrimage for those who could not journey to Jerusalem. Now, on the slopes of the hills and in the valley are 43 chapels and shrines scattered on only 4km distance honoring the Way of the Cross, the Mysteries of the Rosary, and 7 Sorrows of Mary. (B, D, Mass) Overnight Krakow

This morning, we travel to Wieliczka to visit one of Europe’s oldest salt mines, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. These mines are a unique place where many generations of Polish miners have created a world of underground chambers and decorated chapels carved out of salt. After lunch, we journey to the Divine Mercy Shrine in Lagiewniki, where Saint Faustina, the Apostle of Divine Mercy, lived and died. Enjoy a guided tour of the shrine, which includes the convent chapel and St. Faustina’s tomb, and venerate the image of Divine Mercy and the relics of St. Faustina. Afterwards, we have the opportunity to pray by a relic of St. John Paul II in the new center “Have no Fear.” (B, D, Mass) Overnight Krakow

Continue in the footsteps of St. John Paul II as we travel from Krakow to Zakopane in the Tatra Mountains. As a parish priest and bishop of Krakow, John Paul would often journey to this picturesque area for hiking, swimming, canoeing, and camping. He visited also as Pope, consecrating the church at the shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, built by the local people in gratitude for his survival after an assassination attempt, which he attributed to Our Lady. Visit this shrine as well at the rest of the local village. Travel by funicular to the top of Kasprowy Wierch and stand in awe at the panoramic views of the “Polish Alps.” (B, D, Mass) Overnight Zakopane

This morning we take an excursion to the Dunajec River. Our scenic drive to the starting point for our rafting journey includes panoramic views of the Czorsztynski Reservoir, Niedzica Castle and the Tatras along the way. Our rafting trip on traditional wooden boats down the Dunajec River will wind through the Pieniny Gorge and along the Polish‐Slovak border, which is one of the greatest tourist attractions in Poland. The towering cliffs and limestone rock formations of the gorge, plus the picturesque mountain scenery, the surrounding national forest, and the colorful river guides make for a wonderful day in a pristine and wild environment. While cruising down the river, enjoy excellent views of the high summits while you relax in the shadow of Poland’s majestic mountains (subject to confirmation – additional cost). At the conclusion of your rafting trip, we will return to Zakopane for our final night in this area. (B, D, Mass) Overnight Zakopane

After breakfast this morning, we will have more time to explore and enjoy the peacefulness of this natural setting. Spend some time in quiet contemplation of the beauty of the area or learn more about Polish culture by wandering the main street full of shops, restaurants, and boutiques. This afternoon, return to Krakow for some free time before our farewell dinner and folklore show this evening at a local restaurant. (B, D, Mass) Overnight Krakow

Following breakfast transfer to the airport for our flight home, taking with us all the wonderful memories and graces of this pilgrimage. (B)