Pilgrimage to the great shrines from May 4 to 17, 2023 (12 days / 12 nights)
Experience an accompanied group pilgrimage to the great shrines: Our Lady of Lourdes, Santiago de Compostela and Fatima in spring 2023.
THIS JOURNEY IS GUIDED IN FRENCH
4,699.00$ – 5,475.00$
CULTURAL TRIPS
CHRISTIAN PILGRIMAGES
Associated trip in collaboration with Novalis / Prions en Église
Experience an exceptional pilgrimage that will take you to three great European nations and three world-famous shrines: Our Lady of Lourdes, Santiago de Compostela and Our Lady of Fatima. The route follows the coastal path (camino del norte), skirting the Atlantic Ocean with its landscape of cliffs, beaches, fishing ports and vineyards. Those who wish to do so can walk the last ten kilometers of this route to Compostela. You will also have the chance to visit the beautiful city of Oporto, cradle of the eponymous wine, Tomar with its emblematic castle, and Lisbon, the beautiful Portuguese capital. All along this route, discover sites of great patrimonial, cultural and religious wealth.
Highlights
The most
Pierre Murray is a native Montrealer with degrees in theology and philosophy. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Montreal in 1991. For more than 20 years, he worked in various parishes while teaching philosophy and pastoral theology. He was later Episcopal Vicar for the Diocese of Montreal, worked in communications and is since 2018 General Secretary of the Assembly of Quebec Catholic Bishops.
Jonathan directs Novalis Editions and Prions en Église. He is the author of “Les avenues de la foi” (2015), a book of interviews with the philosopher Charles Taylor, and he has collaborated in the collectives “Demain l’Église” (2019), “Entre l’arbre et l’écorce?” (2020), “L’Église autrement?” (2021), “Rencontrer le Christ” (2021) and “Cette Parole qui m’habite” (2022).
Meeting in the afternoon at P.E. Trudeau airport (Montreal). International night flight to Toulouse on Air Transat.
Arrival in Toulouse at 9:30 am Free time for lunch and visit, among others, the Place du Capitole, the Chapel of the Carmelites, nicknamed the “little Sistine of Toulouse”. Then, we will head for Lourdes. Dinner and overnight stay (S)
After breakfast, visit of the sanctuary city: from the famous Grotto of the apparitions to the church of Saint Bernadette and the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, let’s discover the sanctuaries of Lourdes which total 22 places of worship and gathering. Mass in the morning. In order to better understand the message of the grotto, it is interesting, in the afternoon, to walk in the footsteps of Bernadette Soubirous, the little girl of Lourdes who, for more than a century and a half, “made the world go round” as the guardians of public order reproached her: the dungeon, her father’s house, the mill of Boly, the hospice of Saint Bernadette. Rest of the day free. Dinner and overnight stay (PD/S).
After breakfast, we cross the French-Spanish border through the Pyrenees to the city of San Sebastian. Well known for its bay of La Concha, the city offers a breathtaking panorama and is the ideal starting point for pilgrims wishing to do the Camino del Norte to Santiago de Compostela. In the afternoon, we will continue our journey to Santander. Dinner and overnight stay (PD/S)
After breakfast, departure for Santiago de Compostela along the road that follows the Atlantic coast. We will stop in Ribadeo to observe the cathedral-like rocks. At the end of the afternoon, we will go to Lavacolla to allow those who wish to do so to walk the last 10 kilometers to Santiago de Compostela. We will attend the pilgrims’ mass in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela at 6 pm. Dinner and overnight stay (PD/S).
This morning, departure for Porto. Stop en route in Braga, known for its heritage and religious events. Guided tour of the city of Porto, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Discover its spectacular train station with its frescoes painted on the walls, the clergy tower, the cathedral, etc., then a stop in Vila Nova de Gaia to visit a Port wine cellar and taste this wonderful Portuguese wine. Free evening. Overnight stay in Porto (PD/S).
This morning, departure for Fatima. Stop en route at Coimbra with its well-preserved medieval old town and historic university. Overnight stay in Fatima (PD/S).
This morning, walking tour of Fatima including the famous shrine of Our Lady, the basilica and the Capelinha where Our Lady appeared to the three children. Afternoon free to meditate and enjoy the place. Free evening. Possibility to participate in the procession at 9:00 pm. Overnight stay in Fatima (PD/S).
Day trip to Tomar and Batalha. Tomar is a city with a lot of charm thanks to its artistic and cultural richness (a favorite of Spiritours!), while Batalha is known for the monastery of Santa Maria da Vitória, better known as the monastery of Batalha. This monument has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was built to commemorate the victory of the Portuguese over the Castilians in the battle of Aljubarrota in 1385. The construction of the monastery was for two centuries the building site of the Portuguese monarchy where an original national Gothic style was developed, influenced by the beginnings of the Renaissance, of which the royal cloister is the perfect illustration. Return to Fatima. Possibility of participating in the procession at 21:00. Dinner and overnight stay in Fatima (PD/S).
Every year, on May 13, crowds of pilgrims converge on the shrine of Fatima to celebrate the apparition of the Virgin to the three shepherd children in 1917 to convey her message of redemption. Day of retreat and prayer. At the end of the day, drive to Lisbon. Dinner and overnight stay in Lisbon (PD/S).
This morning, you will discover the Hieronymites’ monastery, an absolute masterpiece that testifies to the opulence of the era of the great discoveries. In the afternoon, a walking tour of Lisbon, you will discover the Avenue of Freedom, Baixa – a section of the city that was completely rebuilt after the earthquake of 1755. Then, an essential stop to taste the famous Pastéis de Nata, these small Portuguese pastries! Free evening. Dinner and overnight in Lisbon (PD/S).
After an early breakfast, transfer to Lisbon airport for your return flight to Montreal. ***Itinerary subject to change ***.
PRICE
* Spiritours offre la possibilité de vous jumeler, mais exceptionnellement, Spiritours ne peut pas assumer les coûts supplémentaires pour une occupation simple si nous ne pouvons pas vous jumeler.
* All prices are based on the exchange rate in effect on September 1, 2022
THE PACKAGE INCLUDES
THE PACKAGE DOES NOT INCLUDE
INSCRIPTION
Registration deadline: March 4, 2023 (60 days before departure or when the maximum number of passengers is reached). Possibility to register after this date, additional fees may apply.
To register: you can register on our website (see top of the trip webpage, on the right) or download and fill out the PDF form and send it to us with your $750 deposit. Please register as soon as possible as space is limited. Please include a photocopy of your passport and proof of travel insurance with your registration.
Travel insurance: for travel insurance, contact us to find out your premium. Please note that cancellation insurance is not refundable if the trip is cancelled due to lack of registrations. We therefore suggest that you purchase cancellation insurance when the trip is officially confirmed.
Number of participants
Minimum 30 – Maximum 50
Documentation required: All Canadian travellers to Europe must be in possession of a passport valid for at least three months beyond the expected date of return.
For more information please contact
Anne Godbout (514) 374-7965, ext. 201 anne@spiritours.com
Video testimony of Father Emmanuel Zetino who made this pilgrimage with Spiritours in May 2018. At the end of his testimony he shares some beautiful video images of his experience: https://www.facebook.com/anne.godbout.1/videos/10156451564068143
Travel insurance is undoubtedly a PEACE OF MIND that allows you to live and fully enjoy your trip. It allows you to deal with the unexpected without finding yourself with a financial burden. Travel insurance allows you to travel in complete SAFETY. Did you know that when you take a group trip with Spiritours, you automatically get a 10% discount on your insurance? Check with your agent for more information, or click below to shop for an individual insurance premium with Blue Cross.
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