St James Catholic Church Poland and Lithuania – October 2027

Pilgrimage to Poland and Lithuania

Trip Date:
Oct 14, 2027
- Oct 23, 2027
Group Type
Open
Activity Level
Moderate
Price
From $3,837
Deposit $500
Hosted by
St James Catholic Church

Trip Overview

Join St James Catholic Church 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. The pilgrimage will culminate with celebrating John Paul II’s feast in his hometown of Wadowice.

What’s Included?

  • Local, licensed tour guide(s)
  • Transportation on private motorcoach (with free WiFi and unlimited water on the bus)
  • Accommodations in double-occupancy rooms, including taxes (single rooms available on a limited basis)
  • Meals as indicated on itinerary, including 1 glass of wine at dinners
  • Opportunity for daily Mass
  • Tickets for included activities
  • Audio headset for each pilgrim
  • Verso pilgrimage booklets and pilgrim kits
  • Pilgrimage preparation and follow-up materials
  • Pack & Prep Meeting for all pilgrims to review itinerary, activities, logistical arrangements, and spiritual preparations

Itinerary

October 14, 2027
  • Depart the U.S. on your overnight flight to Lithuania
October 15, 2027
  • Arrive in Vilnius International Airport (VNO) and transfer to Vilnius city center to check-in to the hotel and freshen up
  • Gather as a group and depart for the Gates of Dawn, starting the pilgrimage with prayer in the Chapel before the icon of Our Lady of Mercy
  • Continue on to the Shrine of Divine Mercy to pray before the original image of Divine Mercy
  • Celebrate an Opening Mass at the Shrine
  • Visit the House of St Faustina, the convent where she received the visions and message of Divine Mercy
  • This is also where St Faustina would meet with her spiritual director, Fr Sopocko, who commissioned an artist to paint the Divine Mercy image that now hangs in the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Vilnius
  • Welcome Dinner at a local restaurant
  • Overnight in Vilnius

Accommodations: Hilton Garden Inn Vilnius City Centre

Meals Included: Dinner

October 16, 2027
  • Drive north to the Hill of Crosses, with time to explore the various crosses, pray, and reflect
  • Celebrate Mass at a nearby Franciscan monastery, where St John Paul II celebrated a Mass after his 1993 visit to the Hill (pending availability)
  • Time for lunch
  • Return to Vilnius with a free evening to explore the Old Town, one of the largest surviving medieval towns in Northern Europe
  • Overnight in Vilnius

Accommodations: Hilton Garden Inn Vilnius City Centre

Meals Included: Breakfast

October 17, 2027
  • Transfer to Warsaw, stopping en route at Bialystok, where St Faustina’s spiritual director, Blessed Michael Sopocko, lived
  • Visit the Divine Mercy Sanctuary to venerate the relics of Saints Faustina and John Paul II
  • Celebrate Mass at the Congregation of Merciful Jesus in Bialystok, where Blessed Michael Sopocko is buried
  • Time for lunch
  • Continue on to Warsaw
  • Dinner at the hotel
  • Overnight in Warsaw

Accommodations: Novotel Warszawa Centrum

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

October 18, 2027
  • Mass at St. James Church, a significant church in the life of St. Faustina Kowalska, for this is the place where she prayed and made the pivotal decision to answer God’s call to religious life
  • Discover Warsaw’s Old Town on a guided tour through charming cobblestone streets, rebuilt after WWII, with stops at the vibrant Market Square, historic Barbican, Warsaw Ghetto Uprising Monument (exterior), and the serene Łazienki
  • Park with the iconic Chopin Statue
  • Time for lunch
  • Afternoon entrance to the Warsaw Uprising Museum with a guided tour
  • Free evening with dinner on your own
  • Overnight in Warsaw

Accommodations: Novotel Warszawa Centrum

Meals Included: Breakfast

October 19, 2027
  • Transfer to Czestochowa, the center of Poland’s religious life and home of the Black Madonna, the “Queen of Poland”
  • Visit the hill-top Jasna Gora monastery to pray before the Black Madonna icon as St John Paul II did during his visits to the monastery
  • Arguably Poland’s most important pilgrimage destination, it consists of the Monastery, Basilica, Chapel of the Black Madonna, a Via Dolorosa, and a Knights’ Hall and Treasury
  • Celebrate Mass at one of the chapels of Jasna Gora Monastery (pending availability)
  • Time for lunch
  • Continue on to Krakow
  • Dinner at the hotel
  • Overnight in Krakow

Accommodations: Puro Hotel Krakow Kazimierz

Meals Included: Breakfast

October 20, 2027
  • Enjoy a guided tour of Krakow city center, including Wawel Cathedral, St Mary’s Church, and Europe’s biggest Market Square
  • See the Papal Window of the Bishop’s Palace where St John Paul II would address crowds and the patio of Collegium Maius where he was a student
  • Time for lunch
  • After lunch, visit Wieliczka Salt Mines, with its salt lakes and chapels built by Polish miners (30 mins)
  • Return to Krakow for a free evening with dinner on your own
    Overnight in Krakow

Accommodations: Puro Hotel Krakow Kazimierz

Meals Included: Breakfast

October 21, 2027
  • 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 on your own
  • Transfer to Lagiewniki, the center of devotion to the Divine Mercy, to reflect on the morning’s experience
  • Celebrate Mass at the Shrine of the Divine Mercy and pray at the tomb of St Faustina
  • 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 there are his relics
  • Return to Krakow for dinner on your own
  • Overnight in Krakow

Accommodations: Puro Hotel Krakow Kazimierz

Meals Included: Breakfast

October 22, 2027
  • Transfer to Wadowice, the birthplace of St. John Paul II whose feast is today
  • Visit the childhood home of St. John Paul II, now a museum
  • Mass at the Church of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin 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 for free time
  • Farewell dinner at a local restaurant
  • Overnight in Krakow

Accommodations: Puro Hotel Krakow Kazimierz

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

October 23, 2026
  • Transfer to Krakow airport (KRK) and depart on your journey home

Meals Included: Breakfast

Accommodations

Standard Accommodations:

Vilnius: Hilton Garden Inn Vilnius City Centre or similar 4*
Warsaw: Novotel Warsaw Centrum or similar 4*
Krakow: Puro Hotel Krakow Kazimierz or similar 4*

Pricing

Package Cost
$3,837

Optional Add-ons

Single Room Supplement (limited availability)
$834 / person
Prepaid gratuities
TBD
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.

If pilgrims traveling by themselves are unable to be matched with a roommate, the single room supplement may apply. See Additional Information section below for details.

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

Led by

Fr Matt Murphy
Redondo Beach, CA

Flights

Information about flight recommendations and a possible group flight will be announced 10-11 months prior to departure.

  • Arrive by: October 15, 2026
  • Arrival time: Between 7:00 am and 3:00 pm
  • Arrival airport: Vilnius International Airport (VNO)
  • Arrival transfer: Pilgrims will be transferred to the hotel in groups according to arrival time.
  • Depart on: October 23, 2026
  • Departure time: Any time on October 23
  • Departure airport: Krakow John Paul II Airport (KRK)
  • Departure transfer: Pilgrims departing on October 23 will be transferred to the airport in groups according to departure time.

More Details

  • Verso Pilgrimage Director (included if group size is 30 pilgrims or more)
  • Roundtrip airfare (group option may be available approximately 10 months prior to departure)
  • Gratuities for pilgrimage director, guide(s), driver(s), hotel staff, and meals (optional add on)
  • Any personal purchases
  • Any meals not indicated on itinerary
  • 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*
  • 14 days after registration and 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.

Important Information for Pilgrims Seeking to be Matched With A Roommate

  1. Pilgrims who register by themselves can indicate in their Pilgrim Portal that they would like to be matched with a roommate. Verso Ministries will make every effort to accommodate that request, however, cannot guarantee that this will be possible.
  2. If, by 90 days prior to departure, Verso has not been able to match a solo pilgrim with a roommate, the single room supplement will be applied to the pilgrim’s invoice and due for payment.
  3. If Verso is able to match a pilgrim with a roommate after they have paid the single room supplement, the pilgrim will be refunded the extra charge.

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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