PILGRIMAGE TO MEDJUGORJE 29 August 14 September 2015 Photo: Mir Pilgrimages Medjugorje has turned into Europe s third most important Catholic apparition site, which is visited by more than 1 million pilgrims each year. Respond to the personal invitation from Our Lady, to visit her Oasis of Peace. For those who embark on a pilgrimage to Medjugorje, it can be a life- changing experience. Respond to God s gift of Our Lady s presence among us in these times and join us for an unforgettable ten days. An amazing trip for me and one of the most incredible experiences ever. No matter how much you read about a place like Medjugorje or watch things about it on the internet, nothing quite prepares you for the real thing. - Grant. Now I am back home, more optimistic and totally confident in who I am and where I am with my Catholic faith; all thanks to this exhilarating experience nothing will come near to that for a very long time. - Deidre. Saturday 29 August 1:30 pm Depart Auckland on Cathay Pacific flight CX198 9:10 pm Arrive in Hong Kong Sunday 30 August 00:40 am Depart Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific flight CX293 07:30 am Arrive in Rome Fiumicino
Arrive in Rome early morning. Transport by private coach to our Fiumicino Airport hotel accommodation. Day spent resting and freshening up before our early evening departure for Split, Croatia. 6:00 pm Depart Rome Fiumicino on Croatia Airlines flight OU381 7:10 pm Arrive in Split Upon arrival, transport in our private coach over the border into Medjugorje in Hercegovina and to our accommodation where dinner is prepared for us. Sunday 30 August Monday 8 September Photo: Mir Pilgrimages Your professional parish guide chosen for the next 9-10 days of your pilgrimage has a wealth of knowledge and expertise. The early days of the apparitions come alive for you as he walks and talks you through what really happened as told by the visionaries and villagers. Attend English Mass every morning at 10.00am and parish prayer programme in the evening consisting of Rosary, Holy Mass, prayers for healing, blessing of religious objects. Experience evening exposition/adoration the Medjugorje way. Meet with the visionaries and Franciscan Friars. Climb the Hill of Apparitions (Podbrdo), where Our Lady still appears in the evenings and follow the Rosary walk. Possibly attend an apparition on the hill in the evening. Photo: Mir Pilgrimages
Climb Cross Mountain (Krizevac) and make the Way of the Cross. Meet the recovering young drug addicts in Cenacolo Community founded by Italian nun Sr Elvira, and hear their amazing testimonies. Take an *optional excursion on a day trip to the breathtaking medieval city of Dubrovnik over the border in Croatia. Celebrate Mass in St Blaise church in Dubrovnik. Photo: Wikipedia Soak up the atmosphere of the Holy Valley of Medjugorje alone or with the group - strolling through the village and its vineyards, relaxing in one of the many cafes, enjoying the sharing of experiences and meeting the people who have hosted millions of pilgrims since 24 June 1981. Indulge in personal time and reflection. Monday 8 September We depart Medjugorje and take a leisurely drive along the Croatian coast to Zadar and our hotel accommodation by the sea. Sit and relax by the hotel pool and unwind before dinner. Accommodation: Hotel Kolovare. Tuesday 9 September After a leisurely morning, we will make our way into the historical town centre for Mass. After Mass we will have an afternoon s guided visit of Zadar, visiting St Donat Church and the Cathedral of St Anastasia among the attractions. We will also visit the tomb of the remains of St Simeon the prophet who greeted Joseph and Mary when they presented the baby Jesus. Visit the waterfront promenade and the famous sea organ. Make your way back to the hotel along the waterfront promenade or stay in town for your evening meal and enjoy the atmosphere.
Photo: Mir Pilgrimages Wednesday 10 September After breakfast, we transfer in our private coach to the city of Split and a morning tour with our English- speaking guide. After our tour and lunch we transfer to Split Airport for our late afternoon departure back to Italy and transfer to our hotel accommodation for dinner. 4:05 pm Depart Split on Croatia Airlines flight OU380 Thursday 11 September After an early breakfast we will embark on a day trip to the city of Florence the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and the cradle of the Renaissance. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1982 and has been ranked by Forbes as one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Discover many treasures of Florence as we spend a whole day exploring its legendary artistic and cultural heritage. At the end of our day visit to Florence, we will return to Rome for our final group dinner. Photo: Wikipedia Friday 12 September 12:35 pm Depart Rome Fiumicino on Cathay Pacific flight CX292 06:10 am Arrive in Hong Kong (Saturday 13 Sept)
Day rooms accommodation arranged at a hotel in Hong Kong city as we have a full day transit in Hong Kong. You can also choose to explore the city on a hop- on- hop- off tour bus before returning to Hong Kong airport for our evening flight to Auckland. 9:05 pm Depart Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific flight CX197 Sunday 14 September 12:05 pm Arrive in Auckland *Optional excursions can be arranged during your pilgrimage to: Dubrovnik, Croatia Mostar, Bosnia Assisi, Italy Vatican City, Rome If you wish to extend your stay in Europe at the end of the pilgrimage, we are happy to arrange this for you. Depart on pilgrimage return with Mir