Holy Doors Tour for the Jubilee Year
Rome, Italy
Rating: 
Trip Type: Cultural Tours
Duration: With Vatican Museums - 6.5-7 HoursWithout Vatican Museums -
On the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception on December 8th 2015, the Holy Father Pope Francis formally opened the Holy Doors of the Basilica of St Peter and in so doing marked the beginning of the Holy Jubilee Year of Mercy. Your tour begins at the Vatican with the Basilica of St Peter. As this is also the location of the magnificent Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, you have the option to an additional add-on to visit these wonders before the Basilica of St Peter. If you choose this option, then the total Holy Door tour will have a duration of 6.5-7 hours and will begin at 8:45am. If however, you prefer to dispense with the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, then the tour will begin at 11:30am and have a duration of 4 hours.
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On the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception on December 8th 2015, the Holy Father Pope Francis formally opened the Holy Doors of the Basilica of St Peter and in so doing marked the beginning of the Holy Jubilee Year of Mercy. Your tour begins at the Vatican with the Basilica of St Peter. As this is also the location of the magnificent Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, you have the option to an additional add-on to visit these wonders before the Basilica of St Peter. If you choose this option, then the total Holy Door tour will have a duration of 6.5-7 hours and will begin at 8:45am. If however, you prefer to dispense with the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, then the tour will begin at 11:30am and have a duration of 4 hours.The Four Papal Basilicas of Rome are the Basilica of St Peter, the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls, the Basilica of St Mary Major and the Arch-Basilica of St John Lateran.
You will have the chance to enter through the Holy Doors of each of these Papal Basilicas. Once you have entered through the Holy Doors of St Peters, your expert Catholic guide will give you a tour of the interior of the Basilica including Michelangelo's Pietà , the relics and altars of the major saints of the Catholic Church and the history involved.
After the Basilica of St Peter, you are then transported by air conditioned mini van to the Basilica of St Paul outside the Walls where the remains of the great Apostle of the Gentiles, St Paul, lies to this day. Entering through the Holy Doors, you will again be given a short tour of the Basilica.
From there, the group is once again transported by minivan to the ancient Basilica of St Mary Major (Santa Maria Maggiore) to once more enter through the doors and experience a tour of the Basilica, which includes visiting the chapel containing relics of the manger of Bethlehem. Once done, head up the road to the Arch-Basilica of St John Lateran (San Giovanni). Entering through the Holy Doors, you will once more receive a detailed tour of the interior and its history.
Continue on to the Holy Stairs - the steps that Christ was judged by Pilate upon. Continuing this link to the Passion of Christ, journey on a little further to the Basilica of the Holy Cross (Santa Croce) which contains the actual relics of the Christ's Passion including fragments of the Cross, a crucifixion nail part of the Crown of Thorns.
Please note that the starting point is near the Vatican Museums and the finishing point is at the Basilica of Santa Croce.
After the Basilica of St Peter, you are then transported by air conditioned mini van to the Basilica of St Paul outside the Walls where the remains of the great Apostle of the Gentiles, St Paul, lies to this day. Entering through the Holy Doors, you will again be given a short tour of the Basilica.
From there, the group is once again transported by minivan to the ancient Basilica of St Mary Major (Santa Maria Maggiore) to once more enter through the doors and experience a tour of the Basilica, which includes visiting the chapel containing relics of the manger of Bethlehem. Once done, head up the road to the Arch-Basilica of St John Lateran (San Giovanni). Entering through the Holy Doors, you will once more receive a detailed tour of the interior and its history.
Continue on to the Holy Stairs - the steps that Christ was judged by Pilate upon. Continuing this link to the Passion of Christ, journey on a little further to the Basilica of the Holy Cross (Santa Croce) which contains the actual relics of the Christ's Passion including fragments of the Cross, a crucifixion nail part of the Crown of Thorns.
Please note that the starting point is near the Vatican Museums and the finishing point is at the Basilica of Santa Croce.
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