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Catholic Lithuania in the footsteps of Pope John Paul II
and including the Devotions of The Divine Mercy

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Introduction

Here is a chance to be among the first to visit Catholic Lithuania, a country that is still relatively unexplored by western visitors, but full of a vibrant faith that has stood the test of persecution right up to recent times. We fly to the historic capital of Lithuania, Vilnius, for the duration of our visit. Sister Faustina lived for many years in Vilnius, which was part of Poland at the time, and it was here that the Holy Father beatified her in 1993. We hope to visit places associated with her life during our stay. In the steps of the great Pope, John Paul II, who held this region very dear to his heart, and focusing on the devotions of the Divine Mercy, the pilgrimage will be accompanied by a Catholic priest, who will celebrate Mass each day.

Basic Itinerary

DAY ONE - TUESDAY 15TH JUNE

London - Vilnius

Scheduled flight by Aer Lingus from Gatwick to Vilnius. We check into our hotel, The Domus Maria, formerly a monastery, but now a 3-star hotel, with a serene but central location behind the Church of St. Theresa. Dinner will be in a local restaurant on each night of our stay.

DAY TWO - WEDNESDAY 16TH JUNE

Vilnius

Vilnius has been called an orgy of Baroque and is rich in many ornate churches of the 17th and 18th centuries, as well as the famous Gothic church of St Anne, which Napoleon loved so much he wanted to transfer it to Paris! We visit the shrine of St Casimir in the Catholic Cathedral, a great focus of the pro-independence rallies of 1991, as well as the important orthodox Shrine of Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn, where we can venerate the miracle-working icon of Our Lady. The highlight of the tour, however, for many pilgrims will be the Dominican church which contains the original painting of The Divine Mercy which St Faustina commissioned in 1934 and of which all others, even the one in her shrine in Krakow, Poland, are a copy. Mass will be celebrated here.

DAY THREE - THURSDAY 17TH JUNE

Kaunas

Today we travel to the city of Kaunas, the third largest city of the Baltic, to visit the 15th Century castle, the Baroque Cathedral, and St Gertrude’s Church, with its much-venerated crucifix. Mass will be celebrated here. There will be time for lunch, and to explore on our own before returning to Vilnius in the late afternoon.

DAY FOUR - FRIDAY 18TH JUNE

Vilnius

Mass will be celebrated at the Church of St Theresa. The rest of the day will be at leisure. Amongst the places worth visiting are: Vilnius University, which was founded in 1570 by the Jesuits. Also, try to visit the 17th Century Church of Saints Peter and Paul, which is outside the old town, and contains over 2000 stuccoed figures which represent biblical and battle scenes. Also worth visiting are the: Museum of the Holocaust in the Jewish Quarter of the city and the Museum of Genocide victims (transformed from the former KGB headquarters).

DAY FIVE - SATURDAY 19TH JUNE

Vilnius - London

After the final Mass of our pilgrimage, we transfer to Vilnius airport for the return flight to Gatwick.

Travel Dates and Cost:

15th June 2010 - 19th June 2010
Five days
£599

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Terms of Payment:

Deposit of £120.00 plus the insurance premium (if the cover we offer is required) per person on booking. Balance due by 15th April 2010. THE ABOVE PRICE IS GUARANTEED UNTIL 31st January 2010, AFTER WHICH DATE THERE MAY BE A SURCHARGE FOR FLIGHTS.

THIS TRIP INCLUDES:

Return scheduled flights on Aer Lingus, Gatwick – Vilnius, Vilnius - Gatwick. U.K. and Lithuania departure taxes. 15kg checked luggage allowance. Transfer and touring as per the itinerary. 4-nights accommodation in shared twin-bedded rooms with private facilities in a 3 star hotel in Vilnius (4 nights). Guided walking tours in Vilnius and Kaunas. Daily Catholic Mass at different churches and sanctuaries. The services of a Pax Travel Tour Escort throughout the pilgrimage. Meal plan: 4 breakfasts and 4 dinners. This will be a Roman Catholic group with daily Mass, but members of all churches will be welcome.

EXTRAS:

Travel insurance at £23.00 per person. Single room supplement at £72.00 per person for the 4 nights (Limited number of single rooms available). Lunches, drinks and souvenirs.

RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS AND WORSHIP:

Catholic

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