$3,880.00
ORDINATIONS WEEK – FLORENCE
An invitation to Florence, Italy; Join family & friends of the seminarians of the Institute of Christ the King in celebrating their elevation to the sacred priesthood, diaconate and subdiaconate, Minor Orders & Tonsure, at the Institute’s Baroque church in Florence. See the many treasures of Florence and take excursions to medieval Lucca and the Seminary in the Tuscan hills.
ORDINATIONS WEEK – FLORENCE
Join family & friends of the seminarians of the Institute of Christ the King in celebrating their elevation to the sacred priesthood, diaconate and subdiaconate, Minor Orders & Tonsure, at the Institute’s Baroque church in Florence. See the many treasures of Florence and take excursions to medieval Lucca and the Seminary in the Tuscan hills.
Saturday, June 28, 2025 – This afternoon, depart from Chicago Airport (or wherever your closest major city of departure is) for a flight to Florence.
Sunday, June 29, 2025 – Mid-morning arrival in the Renaissance jewel of Florence. Transfer to our hotel in the historic quarter. Early evening Holy Mass at Santi Michele e Gaetano, the Baroque church where most of the Ordinations Week ceremonies for the Minor Orders of the priestly order of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest occur.
Monday, June 30, 2025 – Morning visit to the awe-inspiring San Marco Museum, formerly the Dominican convent dedicated to St Mark. Each cell is adorned by frescos painted by the 15th-century “Angelic Painter”, Blessed Fra’ Angelico, OP. Here also lived Girolamo Savonarola, OP, the fearless preacher who denounced the decadence of the Medici Family, and met the same end as Joan of Arc. Visit a 13th-century basilica with a fresco of the Annunciation that is believed to have been completed by angels. Early afternoon visit to Santa Maria del Fiore (Our Lady of the Flowers) Cathedral (the Duomo); one the largest churches in Christianity. Marvel at Brunelleschi’s Dome, San Giovanni Baptistery, and Giotto’s Campanile: artistic jewels of the 15th Century, whose experimental architecture sparked the Renaissance. Here one can easily imagine what the city was like in medieval times. This afternoon all are welcome to attend the first event of Ordinations Week at Santi Michele e Gaetano, a Cassock Reception & Solemn High Mass offered by the Prior General of the Institute, Monsignor Gilles Wach, STD.
Tuesday, July 1, 2025 – Day two of Ordinations Week opens with a Pontifical Mass at Santi Michele e Gaetano, during which the seminarians receive Clerical Tonsure and the various Minor Orders of Porter, Lector, Exorcist, and Acolyte; bringing them one step closer to the Holy Priesthood. Afternoon excursion to Lucca, a lovely walled city near the Mediterranean Sea, formerly an important stopover for pilgrims traveling to Rome in the Middle Ages. Pilgrims are drawn here to visit sights of St. Gemma (1878-1903), the beautiful mystic known for her profound imitation of the Passion of Christ. Another great woman of Lucca is St. Zita, patroness of homemakers, who died in 1272. Her incorrupt body rests in the Basilica of San Frediano. Early evening return to Florence.
Wednesday, July 2, 2025 – Another magnificent event takes place this morning at Santi Michele e Gaetano. Those called to the Sacred Orders of the subdiaconate and the diaconate will be ordained to their new respective roles. Time at leisure before meeting to tour the Dominican Basilica of Santa Maria Novela with an unforgettable Trinity fresco.
Thursday, July 3, 2025 Today is the crown jewel of Ordinations Week with the Pontifical Mass of Ordination at Santi Michele e Gaetano. The ancient rite opens with drums announcing the entrance of the presiding Cardinal and concludes with the newly ordained priests processing out of the church. The epic nature of what has transpired leaves the faithful in awe and with a greater understanding of the nature of the holy priesthood. Some personal time in the afternoon before our early evening departure for the Int’l. Seminary of St. Philip Neri in Gricigliano for a grand celebration. Upon arrival, after an orientation tour of the former medieval chateau, join in Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament and chanting of the Te Deum with the newly ordained. Candlelight dinner under the Tuscan sky is next and is followed by the grand finale of a world-class fireworks show synthesized with classical music. Late return to our hotel in Florence.
Friday, July 4, 2025 – Morning return to the seminary to attend the First Masses of the new canons and receive First Blessings. Time at leisure in Florence this afternoon to visit a museum or do some last-minute shopping.
Saturday, July 5, 2025 – Early morning flight departure from Florence, Italy, and on to Chicago (or your home city).
TERMS & CONDITIONS
PAYMENT: Full payment is required to hold a reservation. The cost of the tour is based upon payment by personal check (made payable to Sacred Heart Tours). Our website payment portal accepts credit cards with a 3.5% fee.
CANCELLATION & REFUND POLICY: If a cancellation notice is received more than 50 days before departure, a full refund minus $500 will apply. If cancellation in writing is received within 50 days of departure, $500 + any amount the airline, hotels & bus company withhold are non-refundable.
ITINERARIES: Daily pilgrimage itineraries are prepared in advance and are subject to change.
BAGGAGE: Each tour participant is permitted 1 suitcase (max. of 50 pounds) and one carry-on plus a personal item due to airline restrictions.
DOCUMENTATION: All passengers must have a government-issued passport for international travel. Please check with the US State Department for the latest health requirements for travel internationally, as they are subject to change.
SINGLE OCCUPANCY: Tour costs are based on double room occupancy. Accommodation in a single room is available at an additional cost.
TRAVELERS INSURANCE: Travelers Insurance is highly recommended. We do not accept responsibility for loss or damage to property due to handling and/or accidents.
MEALS:The meals during the tour are mostly pre-arranged. We normally cannot accommodate special dietary needs but will do what we can to assist you on a case-by-case basis.
AIR CARRIER RESPONSIBILITY:The airlines cannot be held responsible for any act, omission, or event when passengers are not on board their aircraft. The airlines, as lnt’l. carriers are subject to lnt’l. conventions limiting their liability; the limitations of liability contained on the passenger’s airline ticket shall constitute the sole contract between the airlines and the passenger under the conditions stated on the ticket.The airlines are not responsible for any negligent acts and/or omissions of independent contractors, their employees, agents, or representatives.Tour participants fly by jet service in economy class.
RESPONSIBILITY: St. Olav Enterprises, LLC (dba Sacred Heart Tours) acts only as an agent for the airlines, hotels, & bus companies or owners or contractors providing accommodations, transportation, or other services, and all coupons, exchange orders, receipts, tickets & contracts issued by the company are issued subject to any and all tariffs, terms & conditions under which any accommodations, transportation or any other ser-vices whatsoever are provided by such airlines, hotels or bus companies or owners or contractors, and by the acceptance of such coupons, exchange orders, receipts, contracts and tickets, the tour member agrees to the following and also agrees that neither Sacred Heart Tours nor any of its affiliates or subsidiary companies shall be or become liable or responsible for any loss, injury or damage to any property, person or otherwise in connection with any accommodations, transportation or other services resulting, directly or indirectly, from acts of God, dangers incident to the sea, fire, breakdown, in machinery or equipment, acts of governments, or other authorities, dejure or de facto, wars (declared or undeclared), hostilities, civil disturbances, strikes, riots, thefts, pilferage, epidemics, quarantines, medical or customs regulations, cancellations or delays, of or changes in itinerary or schedule, or from any causes beyond the control of Sacred Heart Tours or for any loss or damage resulting from improper or insufficient documents, and that neither Sacred Heart Tours nor any of its affiliated companies shall be or become liable or responsible for any additional expense or liability sustained or incurred by the tour member as a result of any of the foregoing causes. If illness or other imperative reason compels a member to withdraw after a tour begins, Sacred Heart Tours will refund all savings possible. There is no refund for an absence of fewer than two days for missing occasional sightseeing or meals. Sacred Heart Tours reserves the right to require any individual to withdraw from a tour at any time if his or her conduct is deemed detrimental to or incompatible with the interest, harmony, comfort, and welfare of the tour. The airlines, bus company, or any transportation company whose services are used on this tour are not to be held responsible for any act, omission, or event when passengers are not on board their conveyance. When issued, the passage contract in use by these companies shall constitute the sole contract between the companies and the tour purchaser.
