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"Gloria" |
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A hymn of praise addressed to each Person of the Holy Trinity. Through this pilgrimage, we show you
the beautiful churches in Spain to give GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST.
"All the good works in the world are not equal to the holy Sacrifice of the Mass because they are the works of men;
but the Mass is the work of God. Martyrdom is nothing in comparison, for it is but the sacrifice of man to God; but the Mass is the
sacrifice of God for man."
--The Curé d’Ars |
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Barcelona, Montserrat, Zaragoza, Torrecuidad,
Santo Domingo de Silos, Covadonga, Oviedo,
Santiago de Compostela, Valladolid and Madrid |
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12 Days - Spain |
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Itinerary |
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Day 1: |
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Depart the USA on your flight to Barcelona, Spain. Meals will be served on overnight flight. |
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Day 2: |
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Upon arrival in Barcelona, our Tour Director welcomes us to the region of Catalonia and escorts
us uphill to Montserrat, a famous mountain, sanctuary, Benedictine monastery and spiritual community. Dinner and overnight in Montserrat. |
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Day 3: |
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After breakfast, we will celebrate Mass at the Renaissance Church dedicated to Our Lady of
Montserrat, sometimes referred to as the "Black Madonna" or La Moreneta as She is
fondly called by the locals. This wooden image of the Virgin is believed to have been carved and brought to Spain by St. Luke around 50 A.D.
It was here also that St. Ignatius of Loyola devoted himself to his religious vocation just before the founding of the Society of Jesus.
Then we continue with a panoramic city tour of Barcelona which includes passing through the famous avenue, "Las Ramblas", and
a visit to Gaudi’s famous and controversial Holy Family Church (La Sagrada de Familia). On your
own, you may want to take the funicular to Santa Cova, the Holy Grotto, where the Black Virgin
statue was rediscovered in 880 A.D. after it was hidden from the Moors. According to the legend of the discovery, which was first recorded
in the 13th century, the statue was discovered by shepherds. They saw a bright light and heard heavenly music that eventually led them to
the grotto and the statue. Do not miss the 50-member Escolania, one of the oldest renowned boys choir in Europe dating from the 13th century
as they sing daily at 1PM the "Salve Regina" and the "Virolai" at the Basilica. Dinner and overnight in Montserrat. |
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Day 4: |
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The road unwinds as we travel to Zaragoza, linked by legend to the beginnings of Christianity
in Spain. In a sense, it is the closest feeling one can have to a visit to the Holy Land because it is a spot believed to have been
visited by Our Lady before Her Assumption. Tradition has it that the Virgin Mary appeared miraculously to Saint James the Great in the
1st century AD standing on a pillar, event commemorated by the Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar. You may view the pillar Our Lady gave
to St. James covered behind the altar, where we will be celebrating Mass. Dinner and overnight in Zaragoza. |
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Day 5: |
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Enjoy a day trip to Torreciudad, the town associated with St. Josemaría Escrivá, the founder of Opus
Dei, who opened a new path of holiness in the Catholic Church, teaching that men and women can become holy by performing their work and
daily duties with a Christian spirit. Devotion to Our Lady of Torreciudad dates back to the eleventh century. The new shrine, built under
the guidance of St. Josemaría Escrivá, was inaugurated in 1975. Dinner and overnight in Zaragoza. |
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Day 6: |
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Today we travel to a small village called Santo Domingo de Silos where we will
celebrate mass at the Church of the Benedictine Monastery. The foundation of the monastery dates from 929, under the advocation of Saint
Sebastian. It declined following Muslim raids, but was restored under the leadership of Santo Domingo (Saint Dominic of Silos)
(c. 1000–1073), who was abbot of the monastery between 1041 and 1073. The cloisters of the monastery are considered masterpieces
of Romanesque architecture. The monastery's scriptorium produced a finely illuminated Beatus manuscript, a commentary upon the Apocalypse,
which is now in the British Library, having been sold in the 19th century. The monks of Silos became internationally famous in the early
1990s with the issue of several albums of their Gregorian "CHANT". For those who have been blessed with a beautiful voice, try
your "gift" as you chant through the amazing acoustics in this House of God. "How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord God
of Hosts..." Psalm 83. Dinner and overnight in Santo Domingo de Silos. |
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Day 7: |
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Today, our travels take us first to Covadonga. Battles fought here between 718 and 725 AD
brought the first victory of the Christians over the Moors; it had great symbolic significance in the Christian reconquest of
Spain and Our Lady of Covadonga is honored for her intercession in this event. We continue on to Oviedo, where the creation of the
pilgrim’s route to Santiago de Compostela was an important event in the town's history. Dinner and overnight in Oviedo. |
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Day 8: |
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We continue our journey today to Santiago de Compostela. Upon arrival, we will celebrate
Mass at the spectacular Basilica which houses the tomb of St. James the Apostle. A highlight of visiting this site is witnessing
the botafumeiro, the silver iron incenser that is suspended by a 200 ft. rope and swung by eight
men controlling and maneuvering the rope over the heads of the congregation. We learn more about the history of this medieval town as we
start our walking tour at the Plaza del Obradoiro, one of its famous squares. Dinner and overnight in Santiago de Compostela. |
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Day 9: |
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Valladolid is today's stop on our itinerary. Valladolid was captured from the Moors in the 10th century and in 1469. Queen Isabella of
Castile and King Ferdinand of Aragon were married here. Notable churches here are the San Pablo Church, started as a Dominican convent in
the 13th century and greatly enlarged since, the Church of Santa María la Antigua with its Romanesque tower topped with a
pyramid-shaped spire, and Valladolid Cathedral with its 15th century altarpiece replete with handcarved figures of the saints including
the moving Virgen de las Angustias. Dinner and overnight in Valladolid. |
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Day 10: |
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Today we continue our journey to Madrid, the capital of Spain, where we will enjoy a city
tour. Dinner and overnight in Madrid. |
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Day 11: |
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A free day to enjoy Madrid on our own. Explore the many churches, museums and public
monuments. Why not stop by the large department stores and buy some Lladro souvenirs? Dinner and overnight in Madrid. |
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Day 12: |
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We bid farewell to Spain as we board our flight back to the USA, arriving later that day. |
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