Poland Pilgrimage
Fr Stan & St Joseph Parish
September 11 - 21, 2023
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Price - $4,595*
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DAY 1: DEPART DTW - Begin our pilgrimage with an overnight flight to Poland.
DAY 2: WARSAW - Upon arrival at Warsaw International Airport, we will be greeted by our tour escort and transferd to a local restaurant for lunch (not included in pilgrimage cost). After lunch, we will visit the museum of Blessed Father Jerzy Popieluszko; martyred for celebrating mass with striking Solidarity steelworkers. From there we celebrate Holy Mass at the Church of Saint Stanislaus Kostka. Transfer to our hotel for check in. Time to relax before our Welcome Dinner at a local restaurant and a free evening to stroll the streets of Warsaw. Overnight at the hotel in Warsaw (D)
DAY 3: WARSAW – Today we celebrate Holy Mass at a local church. After Mass we will enjoy a guided tour and explore the Old Town area, comprised of cobblestone streets and picturesque architecture that are symbols of successful reconstruction from Warsaw’s almost complete destruction during the World War II. Some of the sites will include the Market Square, the Barbican, the birthplace of Madame Curie, the former Royal Castle, and the Warsaw Ghetto monument commemorating the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of 1943 during World War II. Lunch at a local Polka restaurant. Later in the afternoon we visit the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and Holy Cross Church. Remainder of the afternoon at leisure in the Old Town and dinner on your own. Overnight at the hotel in Warsaw B | L
DAY 4: WARSAW / NIEPOKALANOW / LODZ / CZESTOCHOWA - Breakfast at the hotel and check-out. Depart for Niepokalanow. Upon arrival we celebrate Mass at the Shrine of St. Maximilian Kolbe at Niepokalanow Monastery. Kolbe, who was imprisoned at Auschwitz in May 1941, sacrificed his life in order to save the life of another. He was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1982. We will have time to tour the grounds and spend time in prayer and meditation.
Continue to Lodz, a city dedicated to Saint Faustina with lunch at a local restaurant. Guided tour of Lodz including Piotrkowska Street, the longest pedestrian street in Europe with mix of Neo-Renaissance and Art Noveau buildings and Venice Park, where Saint Faustina had an encounter with Jesus. Continue to Czestochowa and check into the hotel upon arrival. Dinner and overnight at the hotel. B | L | D
DAY 5: CZESTOCHOWA / KRAKOW - Breakfast at the hotel and check out. Celebrate Mass at the side altar of The Black Madonna at the Jasna Gora Monastery. Visit the Jasna Gora Monastery. This hill-top monastery houses the beloved icon of Black Madonna. Tradition tells that it was painted by Luke the Evangelist, discovered by St. Helen during her famous pilgrimage, and later donated to the local Dominican monks and enshrined. While here, we will have the opportunity to venerate not only the Holy Icon, but also many other priceless treasures that are contained within. Additionally, St. John Paul II is said to have made frequent visits to this monastery throughout his life. Lunch at a local restaurant then depart for Krakow. Upon arrival, check into the hotel with remainder of the day at leisure. Dinner at local restaurant and overnight in Krakow. B | L | D
DAY 6: KRAKOW - After breakfast at the hotel, we celebrate Holy Mass at the altar of St Stanislaus at the 900 year-old Wawel Cathedral. We will then enjoy a guided tour of Krakow. First, we tour the Wawel Hill, the former seat of power of medieval Polish monarchs and home to the beautiful Wawel Cathedral and Coronation Chapel. This is the Polish national sanctuary and where Karol Wojtyla (Saint John Paul II) gave his first Mass and later served at this Shrine as the Archbishop of Krakow. Also at this site, you will have the opportunity to pray at the tomb of the patron saint of Poland, St. Stanislaus.
Later continue towards the Market Square the largest and one of the most picturesque town squares in Europe. It has remained almost unchanged for the last 700 years and many of its buildings hold important historical value such as the Town Hall Tower, the Cloth Hall and Burgher's houses. We will visit St. Mary′s Basilica where we can see an extraordinary medieval artifact, Europe′s largest wooden altar. Lunch on your own and afternoon at leisure. Dinner on your own. B
DAY 7: KRAKOW / WADOWICE / KALWARIA ZEBRZYDOWSKA / KRAKOW – After breakfast at the hotel, we travel to Wadowice where St John Paul II was born and raised. Upon arrival we visit the oldest church in Wadowice, the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, where young Karol Wojtyla developed a profound and personal devotion to Our Lady. We will see the baptistery where the future pope was baptized. After celebrating Holy Mass at the Shrine, we visit the Wojtyla family house at Koscielna Street which has been turned into a museum with exhibits of Wojtyla family′s former possessions.
After lunch at a local restaurant, we drive to Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, known as the “Polish Jerusalem.” The shrine is dedicated to the Passion of Christ and also to the miraculous Icon of the Virgin Mary. We then return to Krakow and the remainder of the afternoon at leisure. Dinner at the hotel B | L | D
DAY 8: KRAKOW / WIELICZKA / KRAKOW -
After breakfast at the hotel, we depart for the nearby town of Wieliczka to visit the oldest salt mine in Europe. It is a unique place where many generations of Polish miners have created a world of underground chambers and salt lakes with richly decorated chambers, including the famous Blessed Kinga's Chapel. For centuries, it was the source of the country′s wealth and the material foundation of its culture.
After lunch at a local restaurant, we visit the Divine Mercy Center and pray for the same joy and reverence St Faustina felt when Jesus appeared to her in 1931 with his right arm raised in blessing and his left arm touching his robe. From His heart two large rays came forth: one red and the other translucent. This Image is now known and recognized throughout the world. We will also enjoy a talk with one of the local sisters telling us the story of Divine Mercy. We then carry on to the nearby St John Paul II Center hosting his relics. Return to Krakow and for dinner at a local restaurant. B |L | D
DAY 9: KRAKOW / NOWA HUTA / AUSCHWITZ / KRAKOW - After breakfast at the hotel, we drive to Nowa Huta and visit the Church of The Ark standing as a testament of faith over non-belief, and the power of a man and people of faith, to quietly stand up to communism. Celebrate Holy Mass at the Church of The Ark and then have lunch on our own. After lunch, we drive to Oswiecim for our visit to Auschwitz, the notorious World War II Nazi concentration camp and the camp where St. Maximilian Kolbe was martyred. We return to Krakow for dinner on our own. B
DAY 10: KRAKOW— After breakfast at the hotel and Holy Mass at a local church, we will have a guided tour of Kazimierz – Krakow’s Jewish Quarter which was the center of Jewish life for over 500 years. Kazimierz is a bustling, bohemian neighborhood packed with historical sites, cafes and art galleries. Well-known for its associations with Schindler and Spielberg, traces of Kazimierz’s Jewish history have not only survived, but literally abound in the form of the district’s numerous synagogues and Jewish cemeteries. We will visit Remu Synagogue. After the tour, lunch on our own and the remainder of the afternoon at leisure. We will reconvene at the hotel before going to a local restaurant for our Farewell Dinner that will include a local folk show. B | D
DAY 11: KRAKOW > DETROIT—Today we transfer to the airport for our flight home after a spiritual journey across Poland. "Do widzenia" and God bless!
* double occupancy (single supplement $700)
Itinerary subject to change