Christendom College is partnering with alumnus Joe Long ’12 and his tour company, ProRome Tours, for a special pilgrimage to Poland this coming spring.
From March 6-16, alumni, faculty, staff, family, and friends of the college are invited on an unforgettable eleven-day journey in the footsteps of Pope St. John Paul II. Pilgrims will spend three nights in Warsaw and six nights in Krakow, encountering the great saints, martyrs, Eucharistic Miracles, and cultural heritage that make Poland a treasure of Catholic tradition.
The pilgrimage begins with departure from Washington Dulles Airport, followed by arrival in Warsaw. There, travelers will visit the home of St. Maximilian Kolbe and tour the Franciscan monastery where he lived and worked before continuing on to Krakow. In Krakow, the group will explore Old Town, enjoy traditional Polish cuisine, and visit many of the sites closely connected with Pope St. John Paul II.
Pope St. John Paul II was well acquainted with Christendom College, first through the college’s second president, Dr. Damian Fedoryka, and then through the college’s third, Dr. Timothy O’Donnell. It was during a visit with O’Donnell and the college’s founder, Dr. Warren H. Carroll, in 1992 that Pope St. John Paul II famously said that Christendom College is “a great work for the Church.”The paten and chalice of Pope St. John Paul II, which were gifted to the college on the occasion of the dedication of
Christendom’s first Christ the King Chapel, also reside on campus, and the college’s student center is named in his honor as well.
Following a day immersed in the life of John Paul II, the group will encounter another saint of Poland: St. Faustina. Pilgrims will visit her tomb at the Congregation of Sisters of the Divine Mother of Mercy, followed by a tour of the world-famous Wieliczka Salt Mines. Additional highlights include Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, Poland’s second most visited pilgrimage site; Wadowice, the birthplace of John Paul II; and Auschwitz, where pilgrims will pray at the cell of St. Maximilian Kolbe.
Before returning home, the group will stop at Jasna Góra Monastery, the most famous Marian shrine in Central Europe and home of the Black Madonna, before concluding the trip with a farewell dinner in Warsaw.
Throughout the pilgrimage, travelers can look forward to daily private Masses celebrated by a Christendom alumnus priest, accommodations in four-star hotels, and a variety of private tours and cultural experiences led by the ProRome Tours team. Christendom’s Vice President for Enrollment, Tom McFadden, and his wife, Amanda, will also join the pilgrimage as representatives of the college.
This once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage is open to alumni, faculty, staff, family, and friends of the college. Space is limited, so interested guests are encouraged to register soon.
For more information on the pilgrimage, including the daily schedule, visit here.