P-4

Pilgrimage to Poland

Domestic and International Travel Since 1947

10 days / 9 nights – Air & Land

9 days / 8 nights – Land only

Land only: $2,270.-

Single supplement: $470,-

Departures from USA - one day prior to starting date in Warsaw

Starting Dates in Warsaw Ending Dates in Krakow

September 19 September 28

TOUR FEATURES:

Led by father ROMAN PASIECZNY of St. Martin de Porres Parish in Warren, MI

Airport transfers

First class hotels, rooms with private bath or shower

English-speaking tour guide /chaperone

English-speaking local guides in: Warsaw, Czestochowa, Zakopane, Oswiecim/Auschwitz, Krakow.

Private air-conditioned motor coach/minibus

Meals as per itinerary:

9 x breakfast 9 x lunch/dinner

Luggage handling at hotels (one piece per person)

Sightseeing tours as per itinerary

ENTRANCE FEES:

Warsaw - Royal Castle and Lazienki Palace

Wilanow - Wilanow Palace

Czestochowa - Jasna Gora Monastery and the Black Madonna Shrine

Oswiecim/Auschwitz - Holocaust Museum

Krakow - Royal Castle and Cathedral on the Wawel Hill, St. Mary's Basilica

Wieliczka Salt Mine

Wadowice - Pope John Paul II Museum

Zakopane - Cable car to Gubalowka Hill

DAILY ITINERARY:

DAY 1 - Sept. 18 - Tuesday - USA - WARSAW

Depart from the US on an overnight flight to Warsaw. Dinner and breakfast onboard.

DAY 2 - Sept. 19 - Wednesday - WARSAW

After arrival, pickup and transfer to your hotel. Afternoon – depart on a walking tour of Old Town followed by elegant welcome dinner. /D./

DAY 3 - Sept. 20 - Thursday - WARSAW - WILANOW

This morning, we introduce you to the highlights of Warsaw. A half-day sightseeing tour includes Old Town, beautifully rebuilt after World War II, with the impressive Royal Castle, the seat of the past kings of Poland. Here the Constitution of May 3rd was proclaimed in 1791, the second oldest constitution in the world, after the US Constitution. You will admire some of its 300 rooms and see the Canaletto Room with 23 of his paintings, the Throne Room, the magnificent Knight’s Hall with six large paintings by Marcello Bacciarelli, the Marble room with its 22 portraits of Polish kings and the largest and most impressive of all the castle’s chambers, the Ballroom.

Afternoon - drive to Wilanow to visit the beautiful Baroque palace, park and gardens built in 1674-96 by King Jan III Sobieski. Over the centuries the palace belonged to many Polish noble families including: Sienawski’s, Czartoryski’s, Lubomirski’s, Potocki’s and Branicki’s. Dinner in Wilanow. Overnight in Warszawa /B. D./

DAY 4 - Sept. 21 - Friday - WARSAW - NIEPOKALANOW - CZESTOCHOWA

Morning departure for Czestochowa to visit Jasna Gora Monastery and the Shrine of the Virgin Mary.

En route we attend mass at the Monastery in Niepokalanow, established by St. Maksymilian Kolbe in 1927, who gave his life in exchange for the life of another man from an Auschwitz concentration camp in August 1941.

Afternoon - arrive in Czestochowa to visit the Jasna Gora, considered the holiest place of Poland and one of the world’s most visited pilgrimages, famous for its 15th-century Gothic chapel with Our Lady of Czestochowa’s holy picture, also known as 'The Black Madonna.' Overnight in Czestochowa /B. L./

DAY 5 - Sept. 22 - Saturday - CZESTOCHOWA - ZAKOPANE

Holy Mass at the Virgin Mary Shrine housing the Black Madonna icon, which is considered as Jasna Góra's most precious of treasure to which miraculous powers are attributed.

Tradition has it that St. Luke the Evangelist painted two pictures of the Virgin Mary on a tabletop once used by the Holy Family. One icon eventually made it to Italy’s Bologna. Emperor Constantine brought the other from Jerusalem to Constantinople, and some 600 years later it was awarded to Prince Lev of Rus for his military service. In the 14th century, Polish prince ‘Wladislaw of Opole’ found the icon in the Belz castle while he was warring Tatars who had conquered neighboring Rus, and he entrusted the holy image to the Pauline monks in Czestochowa. This is according to the 1474 volume of Translatio Tabulate from the Jana Gora library. April 14, 1430, on Easter, Bohemian robbers looted Jana Gora monastery, slashed Our Lady’s cheek with swords, and - by an account of the 1523 "Historian Pilchard" – left the holy image on the floor, broken into three pieces.

Art historians believe Our Lady of Czestochowa was initially a Byzantine icon of the Hodigitria type, dated from the 6th to 9th centuries. During the 15th-centrury restoration in Krakow, it was painted anew as the restorers were not able to apply their tempera colors over the original wax paint, thereby having to scrape it clean.

From here we continue to Zakopane. Enjoy an evening drive while sightseeing breath-taking Zakopane. Overnight in Zakopane. /B. L./

DAY 6 - Sept. 23 - Sunday - ZAKOPANE

Today we explore Zakopane, beautifully situated at the foot of the Tatra Mountains, in the valley between Gubalowka and Giewont. It is the most popular resort and considered to be one of the most beautiful places in all of Poland. You will have a chance to admire Zakopane from the top of the Gubalowka mountain. Afternoon - we continue our excursion to Morkie Oko, the largest and most majestic lake in Tatras. Dinner and folkloric show at one of Highlander’s famous restaurant. Overnight in Zakopane /B. D./

DAY 7 - Sept. 24 - Monday - ZAKOPANE - KRAKOW - LAGIEWNIKI

In the morning, you will have a sightseeing tour of Zakopane, whose wooden architecture blends with the natural landscapes. Copied in other parts of Poland, it is known as ‘Zakopianski’ Style. You will visit the Jaszczurowka Chapel, a great example of the wooden architecture in Zakopane, and the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima at Krzeptowki, which was built by the people of Zakopane to thank the Lady of Fatima for saving the Pope after an attempt on His life. Afternoon - continue to Lagiewniki, the world centre of Lord’s Mercy worship. Visit the Divine Mercy Sanctuary associated with the life of St. Sister Faustyna Kowalska, (1905-1938) - a visionary Polish nun, to whom Jesus revealed His dogma of the Divine Mercy. The cult of the Divine Mercy has spread worldwide thanks to the pope John Paul II, who beatified and canonized Sr. Faustina. On August 17, 2002 John Paul II consecrated the sanctuary's brand-new basilica and entrusted the world to Divine Mercy. The original painting, depicting Merciful Jesus with the inscription in Polish “Jesus, I trust in You,” can be seen in the convent’s chapel. Nowadays, this miraculous image is well known worldwide and adorns many Catholic churches and chapels around the world. The relics of St. Faustina are also to be found in the chapel. Overnight in Krakow. / B. D./

DAY 8 - Sept. 25 - Tuesday - KRAKOW - WIELICZKA

Today we visit the famous St. Mary’s Basilica, with its magnificent wooden altar by Wit Stwosz; the ‘Cloth Hall’ was built before 1349, but renovated in the 16th century with many shopping stalls inside and a very impressive Old Market Square built in 1349. Afternoon - drive to Wieliczka, the oldest salt mine in Europe. Explore the underground world of salt chambers, monuments and the fabulous St. Kinga Chapel with its beautiful chandeliers and a masterpiece carved in salt by generations of Polish miners. Overnight in Krakow. /B. D./

DAY 9 - Sept. 26 - Wednesday - KRAKOW - AUSCHWITZ - WADOWICE

After breakfast, we leave for Auschwitz - the site of the former Nazi Concentration Camp Auschwitz-Birkenau, the infamous death factory. Today, you will visit a Museum, which was a silent witness to human tragedy. Afternoon - continue to Wadowice, the birthplace of Pope John Paul II. You will visit the house where he was born and grew-up in, where from the window of his bedroom he used to see a clock with the sign “Time flies, eternity awaits”. We will visit the Basilica of Wadowice, where Karol Wojtyla, Pope John Paul II, was baptized, where there hangs a special plaque that commemorates this fact as well as a stone font where the Pope prayed during His first pilgrimage to Poland in 1979. After sightseeing, attend Holy Mass. Overnight in Krakow. /B. L./

DAY 10 - Sept. 27 - Thursday - KRAKOW

The morning sightseeing tour will feature Wawel - the Royal Castle. This priceless complex was home to three Polish royal dynasties for six centuries; the Piast’s, Jagiellonian’s and Waza’s.

Its stately halls and exquisite chambers are filled with priceless art, valuable period furniture and rare ancient objects. The collection of monumental 16th century tapestries is without equal. You will also visit Wawel Cathedral, the place of the cult of St. Stanislaw and of St. Jadwiga, Queen of Poland. The 18 chapels are true architectural masterpieces. The giant bell, Zygmunt, dating back to the year 1520 ranks with the world’s largest of its kind. This is the place where Polish kings were crowned and buried. We end the day with an elegant farewell dinner. /B. D./

DAY 11 - Sept. 28 - Friday - KRAKOW

Transfer to airport for the return flight home. /B./

You may extend your stay in Poland at no extra charge

313.365.6780

Rate does not include airfare

Departures are available from many American and Canadian cities

Please contact us for detailed information and reservation