Bishop Arthur N. Tafoya of the Diocese of Pueblo, Colorado has partnered with premier Catholic pilgrimage provider Regina Tours to present a 12-night pilgrimage to Fatima, Lourdes and Spain from October 2-14, 2013. Guided by the knowledgeable Bishop Tafoya, pilgrims on this extraordinary journey will travel through three European countries and visit some of the holiest sites, shrines and churches in Catholicism.
The pilgrimage starts in Lisbon, Portugal, where travelers will enjoy a full day of sightseeing with visits to religious and cultural gems such as Lisbon Cathedral, St. Jerome’s Monastery, Saint Anthony’s Church, Belem Tower and the Discoveries Monument. By nightfall, the group will head to Fatima, where the Virgin Mary appeared six times to three shepherd children in 1917. There, the group will cap off the first day by taking part in the rosary candlelight procession. The following day, travelers visit the Little Chapel of the Apparitions, the hamlet of Aljustrel (the three children’s home) and Valinhos, where the Virgin Mary re-appeared to the children after they were released from prison. The journey continues to the Portuguese town of Coimbra the next day for a visit to Se Velha, the Convent where Sr. Lucia lived, and the Monastery of Santa Cruz. In the district of Braga, travelers will view impressive Baroque monuments and visit the Born Jesus Sanctuary, while, in Viana do Castelo, the group has the opportunity to celebrate mass at the Shrine of St. Lucy.
The group travels onwards to the Spanish city of Pontevedra for a stop at the Church of the Pilgrims before heading to the city of Santiago de Compostela for a visit to the stunning Cathedral of St. James. In Covadonga, pilgrims tour the sanctuary dedicated to the Virgin Mary and Mass will be celebrated in the cavern where Our Lady appeared to the Army of Don Pelayo in 722. The tour next heads to the Spanish Basque Country district of Loyola, home of St Ignatius, who founded the Society of Jesus (also known as the Jesuits).
Crossing the border into France, the pilgrims visit Lourdes, where the Virgin Mary appeared to St. Bernadette in 1858. Here, tour-goers walk in the footsteps of St Bernadette and visit the sanctuary, the Basilica of St Pius X and the baths where hundreds of miraculous cures have taken place. During their two day stay in Lourdes, they also see Boly Mill, where St Bernadette was born, and the “Cachot,” an abandoned prison where Bernadette’s impoverished family lived. Bishop Tafoya and the pilgrims will have the opportunity to attend the blessing of the sick and participate in nightly candlelight processions. Mass will be celebrated each day.
The group returns to Spain for a stop in Ávila, the home of mystic writer St Teresa. In Ávila, pilgrims will enjoy touring beautiful sites including the Cathedral, San Vicente church, the Incarnation Convent, La Santa Monastery and San José Convent. Tour-goers have the opportunity to spend the remainder of the final day of the pilgrimage exploring the Spanish capital city of Madrid.
Fatima, Lourdes and Spain with Bishop Arthur N. Tafoya is available now for $3699. Price includes round-trip airfare from Denver, 11 nights’ 4 star accommodations hotels, breakfast and dinner daily, expert escort throughout the tour, deluxe motor coach with driver, all sightseeing and museum entrance fees as per itinerary, Daily Mass, Candlelight and Rosary Processions
Regina Tours, www.regina-tours.com