The Pillar Italy – December 2025

Pilgrimage to Italy

Trip Date:
Dec 2, 2025
- Dec 10, 2025
Group Type
Open
Activity Level
Moderate
Price
From $3,991
Deposit $500
Hosted by
The Pillar Media

Trip Overview

This isn’t your typical Rome itinerary – it’s a one-of-a-kind pilgrimage with Verso Ministries curated just for Pillar readers (in a good way). From off the beaten path sites to titular churches of some papabili, with daily Mass and Catholic guides, this pilgrimage will remind us that despite the news, the Church is still good, true, and beautiful. With a few surprises along the way and the recording of a live show, you haven’t seen Rome until you’ve seen Rome with JD and Ed.

What’s Included?

  • Verso Pilgrimage Director
  • Licensed, local tour escort and Catholic guides
  • Transportation on private motocoach (Days 5 and 6)
  • Accommodations in double-occupancy rooms
  • Breakfast daily at hotel, 1 lunch, 5 dinners
  • Daily Mass and visits to Rome's hidden gems
  • All tickets for included activities listed on itinerary
  • Audio headsets
  • Verso preparation and follow-up resources
  • Attendance at a live Pillar Podcast recording
  • Tours by JD & Ed from The Pillar and Joan Watson, Pillar Super-Friend
  • Exclusive presentation by Liz Lev

Itinerary

December 2, 2025
  • Depart U.S (flights not included in the package)
December 3, 2025
  • Arrive in Rome
  • Transfer to the hotel by taxi or public transportation (airport transfer not included)
  • The pilgrimage begins at 3:00 PM in the hotel lobby
  • Opening Mass at Sant’Egidio, titular church of Cardinal Zuppi and home of the Community of Sant’Egidio
  • After Mass, visit to Santa Maria in Trastevere and Santa Cecilia (time permitting)
  • Welcome Dinner at a restaurant in Trastevere
  • Overnight in Rome

Accommodations: Starhotels Michelangelo

Meals included: Dinner

December 4, 2025
  • Morning Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica, followed by free time in the Basilica
  • Tour of St. Peter’s with a NAC Seminarian
  • Lunch on your own
  • Afternoon Scavi Tour at St. Peter’s (pending availability)
  • Dinner in a local restaurant
  • Live Podcast Recording at a local restaurant or pub in Rome
  • Overnight in Rome

Accommodations: Starhotels Michelangelo

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

December 5, 2025
  • Mass and visit at the Venerable English College
  • Tour of the Cancelleria
  • Walking tour of center city led by Group Leaders, ending at Gammarellis/Liturgical Row
  • Group lunch in center city
  • Free late afternoon and evening to explore Rome with dinner on your own
  • Overnight in Rome

Accommodations: Starhotels Michelangelo

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

December 6, 2025
  • Morning visits to St. John Lateran, Scala Santa, and San Clemente
  • Mass at Santa Maria Nuova, the resting place of St. Frances of Rome and the titular of Cardinal Péter Erdő
  • Lunch on your own, followed by free time in the late afternoon and evening
  • Overnight in Rome

Accommodations: Starhotels Michelangelo

Meals included: Breakfast

December 7, 2025
  • Morning Visit to St. Agnes Outside the Walls
  • Mass at the Catacombs of Priscilla
  • Time for lunch on your own
  • Afternoon visits to St. Mary Major, Santa Prassede, Santi Silvestro e Martino ai Monti (the crypt is the excavations of the first church, where the Nicene Creed was publicly proclaimed for the first time in Rome post-Council), and San Pietro in Vincoli
  • Group dinner in a local restaurant
  • Overnight in Rome

Accommodations: Starhotels Michelangelo

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

December 8, 2025
  • Morning Mass at Sant’Onofrio al Gianicolo, titular Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa
  • Visit to the Urbaniana and/or NAC
  • Time for lunch on your own
  • Afternoon visit to Propaganda Fide Museum (pending opening)
  • Visit to San Andrea della Fratte with altar of Our Lady of the Miracle
  • Group dinner in a local restaurant

Accommodations: Starhotels Michelangelo

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

December 9, 2025
  • Morning lecture on the Sistine Chapel by Liz Lev, followed by an entrance to the Vatican Museums
  • Afternoon free
  • Early evening Mass at San Lorenzo in Lucina, titular of Cardinal Gaspari
  • Farewell dinner in a local restaurant

Accommodations: Starhotels Michelangelo

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

December 10, 2025
  • Breakfast at hotel
  • Transfer to the airport by taxi or public transportation (airport transfer not included)
  • Depart Rome

Meals included: Breakfast

Accommodations

Standard Accommodations

Pricing

Package Cost
$3,991

Optional Add-ons

Single Room Supplement
$1,242/person
Gratuities for guide, drivers, hotels, and meals
$95/person
Travel Protection
Quote provided after registration*

Pricing listed per person in double-occupancy rooms and does not include airfare.
The number of available single-occupancy rooms is limited.

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

Rates assume a minimum of 30 full-paying pilgrims.

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: December 3, 2025
  • Arrival time: Arrive by 12:00 p.m.
  • Arrival airport: Rome Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci International Airport (FCO)
  • Arrival transfer: Transfer to the hotel via taxi or public transportation.
  • Depart on: December 10, 2025
  • Departure time: Depart any time after 8 A.M.
  • Departure airport: Rome Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci International Airport (FCO)
  • Departure transfer: Transfer to the hotel via taxi or public transportation.

More Details

  • Roundtrip airfare (groups of 10 or more can schedule an optional group flight – pricing available 10 months prior to departure)
  • Airport transfers to/from U.S. departure city
  • Airport transfers in Rome
  • Passport, visa, or luggage fees
  • Gratuities for pilgrimage director, guide(s), driver(s), hotel staff, and meals (optional add on)
  • Any personal purchases
  • Any meals not indicated on itinerary
  • 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
  • 180 days prior to departure – $1,000/person
  • 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 2024. 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

All cancellations of individual pilgrims must be made in writing (email or letter) to Verso Ministries. Individual pilgrims should cancel with their group leaders, who are then responsible for notifying Verso Ministries in writing (email or letter). Cancellations are possible at any time, but refunds are subject to cancellation fees at the rates listed here. Cancellation fees are for individual pilgrims. 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. We highly recommend the purchase of individual travel insurance.

  • Within 2 weeks of deposit: Free cancellation*
  • After deposit & 91 days or more from departure: Deposit is retained
  • 90-61 days prior to departure: 25% of trip cost is non-refundable
  • 60-31 days prior to departure: 50% of trip cost is non-refundable
  • 30 days or less prior to departure: 100% of trip cost is non-refundable

*To qualify for free cancellation within 2 weeks of deposit, deposit must be made 180 days or more prior to departure.

Learn more information about the Jubilee Year and why Jubilee pilgrimage is important in the life of the Church.

 

Want help arranging your flights?

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I purchase travel protection?

We recommend that all pilgrims consider purchasing travel protection. We partner with Travel Insured International (TII) to offer travel protection.  According to TII, travel protection helps protect you and those you are traveling with from unforeseen emergencies, which always seem to happen at the worst possible time. In the event of emergencies, both before and during your travels, as well other circumstances, like travel delay, lost baggage, missed connection(s), and much more, travel protection can help. Upon registration you will receive a travel protection quotation from TII. If you have any questions regarding your quotation, please call TII. If you need an updated or new quotation, please contact us at hello@versoministries.com or call us at 574-383-9396.
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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.
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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 register now?

The sooner you register for the pilgrimage, the better! Pilgrimages can fill up quickly, especially if pilgrims decide to bulk register as a group, so registering as soon as you think you will be able to travel with us guarantees you a spot on open pilgrimages. If you register and find out you can no longer attend, as long as you registered more than 180 days prior to the departure and cancel within 14-days of registering, we will fully refund your deposit. Just send us a written confirmation of your cancellation and we will take care of the rest.
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Resources

This will be a list of blog articles from their site that the user can view for more information on the location or the trip. We’ll probably need a about 3-5 items listed here

A picture of the cieling of St. Peter's Basilica.

Finding the Saints in Rome

In Via: Tourists turned Pilgrims with Liz Lev

A journal with pen and flower laid on top.

5 Ways to Pray Before and During your Pilgrimage

What Our Pilgrims Have to Say

Father Kuhn

Jocelyn

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