Joan Watson Poland and Lithuania – October 2026

Pilgrimage to Poland and Lithuania

Trip Date:
Oct 13, 2026
- Oct 23, 2026
Group Type
Open
Activity Level
Moderate
Price
From $4,196
Deposit $500
Hosted by
Joan Watson

Trip Overview

An Ocean of Mercy Pilgrimage

Join Joan Watson on a transformative pilgrimage in the footsteps of Sts Faustina, Maximilian Kolbe, and Pope John Paul II.

As you experience the places of the daily lives of these saints and recall the devasting history of the twentieth century, you will be inspired by the faith and courage of the Polish people and consoled by the overwhelming gift of God’s mercy.

From the original image of Divine Mercy in Vilnius, Lithuania to the beloved icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa, the pilgrimage will remind you of the love and peace that only God can give. Our pilgrimage will culminate with celebrating John Paul II’s feast in his hometown of Wadowice.

What’s Included?

  • Verso Pilgrimage Director (Joan Watson)
  • Local, licensed tour guide
  • Accommodations in double-occupancy rooms, including taxes (single rooms available on a limited basis)
  • Meals as indicated on itinerary, including wine at dinners
  • Transportation on private motorcoach per itinerary
  • Opportunity for daily Mass
  • Tickets for included activities
  • Verso pilgrimage booklets and pilgrim kits
  • Preparation and follow-up materials
  • Audio headset for each pilgrim (groups 20+)
  • Gratuities for guides, drivers, meals, and hotels

Itinerary

October 13, 2026
  • Depart the U.S. on your overnight flight to Lithuania
October 14, 2026
  • Arrive at Lithuania airport transfer to the hotel on your own via taxi, Bolt or other rideshare app, or public transportation
  • Gather in the lobby of the hotel and go as a group to the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy, home of the original Divine Mercy image
  • Opening Mass at the Sanctuary
  • Welcome Dinner at a local restaurant
  • Overnight in Vilnius

Accommodations: Courtyard by Marriott City Centre 
Meals Included: Dinner

October 15, 2026
  • Celebrate Mass at a local church
  • Enjoy a guided tour of Vilnius, including the Gates of Dawn (with its miraculous icon of Mary); the historic Old Town; and the churches of the city center
  • Time for lunch
  • After lunch, visit the house where St. Faustina lived
  • Continue on to the Fr. Michael Sopocko Vilnius Hospice and the convent of the Sisters of Jesus the Merciful, where the Divine Mercy image was painted
  • Free evening, with dinner on your own
  • Overnight in Vilnius

Accommodations: Courtyard by Marriott City Centre 
Meals Included: Breakfast

October 16, 2026
  • Transfer to Warsaw, stopping en route at Bialystok, where St. Faustina’s confessor Fr. Michael Sopocko lived and is buried
  • Mass at the Sanctuary with time for lunch
  • Continue on to Warsaw
  • Dinner at the hotel
  • Overnight in Warsaw

Accommodations: Novotel Warszawa Centrum
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

October 17, 2026
  • Mass at the Church of St. Stanislaw Kostka
  • Visit the tomb and museum of Fr. Jerzy Popieluszko, who was killed by Communists in 1984
  • After lunch, enjoy a tour of Warsaw’s Old Town, including the Market Square and the Barbican, as you learn about Polish history, particularly in World War II, through Warsaw’s memorials and architecture
  • Free evening with dinner on your own
  • Overnight in Warsaw

Accommodations: Novotel Warszawa Centrum
Meals Included: Breakfast

October 18, 2026
  • Transfer to Niepokalanow
  • Visit the Franciscan Monastery, the Immaculata city built by St. Maximillian Kolbe, celebrating Mass the Shrine
  • Celebrate Mass at the St. Maximillian Kolbe Capel
  • Continue on to Pabianice, enjoying lunch on your own en route
  • Visit St. Matthew’s Church where St. Maximillian Kolbe made his first communion and had a vision of Mary
  • Transfer to Czestochowa, the center of Poland’s religious life and home of the Black Madonna, the “Queen of Poland”
  • Dinner at the hotel
  • After dinner, head to the Jasna Gora monastery at 9 p.m. for the daily evening prayer before the “Black Madonna” icon, the Jasna Góra Appeal
  • Overnight in Czestochowa

Accommodations: Arche Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

October 19, 2026
  • Mass at one of the chapels at the Shrine of Jasna Gora (subject to confirmation)
  • Lunch on your own
  • In the afternoon, transfer to Krakow
  • Enjoy dinner on your own as you explore the charming town of Krakow
  • Overnight in Krakow

Accommodations: Golden Tulip Krakow Kazimierz
Meals Included: Breakfast

October 20, 2026
  • Transfer to Oswiecim to visit Auschwitz Concentration Camp where St. Teresa Benedicta and St. Maximillian Kolbe were killed
  • Tour the camp and visit the Martyrdom Museum
  • Lunch at a local restaurant
  • Continue to Lagiewniki
  • Mass at the Shrine of the Divine Mercy
  • Visit the convent and Chapel of the Apparitions and see the tomb of St. Faustina Kowalska
  • Visit the “Have No Fear” St. John Paul II Center and pray in the Sanctuary, where some of his relics are
  • Dinner on your own
  • Overnight in Krakow

Accommodations: Golden Tulip Krakow Kazimierz
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

October 21, 2026
  • Celebrate Mass at a local church
  • Begin your tour of Krakow at Wawel Hill outside the Wawel Royal Castle (exterior view only)
  • Continue to Wawel Cathedral
  • Visit the Market Square
  • Pray at Mariacki Church, the Basilica of St. Mary
  • Group Lunch at a local restaurant
  • Finish the afternoon at the Wieliczka Salt Mine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
  • Dinner on your own
  • Overnight in Krakow

Accommodations: Golden Tulip Krakow Kazimierz
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

October 22, 2026
  • Transfer to Wadowice, the birthplace of St. John Paul II
  • Visit the childhood home of St. John Paul II, now a museum
  • Celebrate Mass at the Church of the Presentation of Mary, where he was baptized
  • Lunch at a local restaurant, including a taste of kremówka papieska, the “pope’s cake,” a cream cake that was a favorite of St. John Paul II
  • Return to Krakow
  • Farewell dinner at local restaurant
  • Overnight in Krakow

Accommodations: Golden Tulip Krakow Kazimierz
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch Dinner

October 23, 2026
  • Transfer to the Krakow airport via taxi, Bolt or other rideshare app, or public transportation and depart on your journey home

Meals Included: Breakfast

Accommodations

Standard Accommodations

Pricing

Package Cost
$4,196

Optional Add-ons

Single Room Supplement (limited availability)
$877 / person
Travel protection
Quote available upon request**

Pricing listed per person in double-occupancy rooms and does not include airfare.

The number of available single-occupancy rooms is limited. Rates assume a minimum of 20 full-paying pilgrims.

 

*Travel protection is calculated based on a variety of factors and optional plans are provided by Travel Insured International.

Led by

Group Leader
Joan Watson
South Bend, IN
Joan fell in love with the Church while studying in Rome and has been committed to sharing those graces ever since. Witnessing the funeral of Pope St. John Paul and the election of Pope Benedict instilled in Joan the passion to evangelize, especially through pilgrimage. With degrees in history and theology from Christendom College and Franciscan University of Steubenville, Joan has worked for the Church and various religious apostolates for seventeen years. She is also a Catholic speaker, writer, and podcaster and loves introducing people to the things she loves. She and her husband live in South Bend, Indiana.

Flights

Pilgrims are responsible for booking their own flights to/from the pilgrimage using the information below regarding airports and designated arrival/departure times.

  • Arrive by: October 14, 2026
  • Arrival time: By 2:00 P.M.
  • Arrival airport: Vilnius International Airport (VNO)
  • Arrival transfer: Pilgrims will transfer to the hotel on their own via taxi, Bolt or other rideshare app, or public transportation.
  • Depart on: October 23, 2026
  • Departure time: Any time on October
  • Departure airport: Krakow John Paul II Airport (KRK)
  • Departure transfer: Pilgrims will transfer to the airport on their own via taxi, Bolt or other rideshare app, or public transportation.

More Details

  • Roundtrip airfare
  • Airport/hotel transfers in Vilnius and Krakow
  • Passport, visa, or luggage fees
  • Any personal purchases
  • Any meals not indicated on itinerary, as well as beverages at meals
  • Any required COVID tests or vaccinations
  • Recommended travel protection with Cancel for Any Reason coverage
  • Anything else not explicitly mentioned as included

Payment Schedule

  • Deposit due upon registration – $500/person
  • Final balance due 120 days prior to departure – Final balance

Please note: Payment plans can be arranged if needed. Please contact us if you would like to pay in several installments.

Final package price is estimated. Pricing is based on currency exchange rates as of October 2025. Any drastic fluctuations in currency exchange rates may impact final pricing. If you have any questions about pricing and when final pricing decisions will be communicated, please do not hesitate to contact us at any time.

 

Cancellation Policy

Cancellation Policy

All cancellations must be submitted to Verso Ministries in written form and received via email or mail. Any refunds, as applicable, will be processed based on the date stamp of email or mail received. Cancellation fees are for individual pilgrims and fees will be charged per person per booking.

Cancellations are possible at any time, but refunds are subject to cancellation fees at the rates listed here.

  • Within 2 weeks of deposit: Free Cancellation*
  • 91 days or more from departure: Deposit is retained ($500)
  • 90-61 days prior to departure: 25% of total trip cost is non-refundable
  • 60-31 days prior to departure: 50% of total trip cost is non-refundable
  • 30 days or less prior to departure: 100% of total trip cost is non-refundable

*Free cancellation (if deposit is made more than 180 days prior to departure)

Any cancellation charges incurred from other suppliers or vendors (flight, lodging, ground transportation, tickets, etc.) may come in addition to the administrative fees listed here. All group flight airline tickets, optional excursions, trip options, pre/post extensions, private transfers, and additional hotel nights are non-refundable 100 days or less prior to departure unless otherwise noted.

Arriving early or staying late? Pre-stay and post-stay options

  • Need to book? Contact us at hello@versoministries.com or call us at (574) 383-9396.

 

Want help arranging your flights?

  • Need assistance? Contact us at hello@versoministries.com or call us at (574) 383-9396.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is my Pilgrim Portal?

Your Pilgrim Portal is how you will securely share the information we need for your trip. We collect all this information through your “tasks” in your Pilgrim Portal. After booking, you will receive access to your portal and can log in at the link at the top of this page.
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How does Verso Ministries prepare me for my journey?

We know from experience that preparing for a journey is just as important as the journey itself. From pre-departure spiritual formation emails and webinars hosted by the Verso trip leader, to providing you with a pilgrim kit to bring with you on your journey, we accompany you through the entire process – before, during, and after the pilgrimage – to prepare your mind and heart for what you’ll encounter. And of course, we’re always available by phone or email to answer and assist with any questions you might have.
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Why should I travel with Verso Ministries?

At Verso, we believe in crafting pilgrimages that offer you a view of God’s world and his work in it that you can’t get anywhere else.    We believe that everything – from the holy sites, to the meals, to daily Mass, to your fellow pilgrims – shape the ways God can speak to you, which means we’re intentional about it all.  We believe a pilgrimage isn’t just the days you travel, but it’s how you prepare – from the moment you sign up, to the days and weeks after you arrive home. We shepherd you through the entire process so you can achieve the most transformative experience possible.  We’re not just travel experts; we’re experts in Catholic pilgrimage.
Read More

Resources

Discover helpful guides and tips to prepare for your pilgrimage and enrich your journey with Verso Ministries.

A metaphor of one of the benefits of going on a pilgrimage, a highway comes into sharp focus through a camera lens.

5 Benefits of Going on a Pilgrimage

Two pilgrims looking out atop a mountain as a metaphor for becoming the best versions of themselves.

Becoming the Best Version of Yourself Through Pilgrimage

Celebrate St. Pope John Paul II’s Message of Love

A pilgrim finding God in silence atop a mountain

Finding God in Silence

Image overlooking the Dome of the Rock

The Pilgrimage of Life

What Our Pilgrims Have to Say

Father Kuhn

Jocelyn

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