GREAT SAINTS PILGRIMAGE
POLAND
10 DAYS SEPT. 12–21, 2026
Jon Leonetti
Host
Bishop William Joensen
Host/Chaplain
September 12, SATURDAY, DAY 1: DEPART FROM USA
Depart on an overnight flight to Warsaw. Dinner and breakfast will be served on the flight. Premium economy and business class rates are available upon request.
September 13, SUNDAY, DAY 2: WARSAW
Upon arrival in Warsaw, we are greeted by Jon, Bishop Joensen, and our tour manager, who will accompany us throughout the trip and assist with luggage and boarding the motorcoach. We begin by visiting St. Stanislaus Kostka Church, where Blessed Jerzy Popieluszko served and where he is buried. Here, we learn about his life and explore the small museum. We celebrate (Sunday) Mass before gathering for the welcome dinner and overnight in Warsaw.
September 14, MONDAY, DAY 3: WARSAW – SHRINE
Following breakfast at the hotel, we begin our day with a walking tour of Old Town, taking in the Barbican, Market Square, St. Johns Cathedral, Royal Castle Square, and the Royal Castle from the exterior. Along the way we note the deep Catholic roots that shaped this historic heart of Warsaw. We then drive along the scenic Royal Route through the elegant Nowy Swiat shopping streets, rebuilt after the wartime destruction, and arrive at Lazienki Park with its gardens, palaces, and the well known Chopin Monument. From here we continue to Niepokalanow, the City of the Immaculate founded by St. Maximilian Kolbe. We explore the Sanctuary of Niepokalanow and learn more about St. Kolbes devotion to the Virgin Mary and his witness of sacrificial love. After Mass and lunch, we drive to Czestochowa for dinner and an overnight stay near the Shrine.
September 15, TUESDAY, DAY 4: OUR LADY OF CZESTOCHOWA
This morning, we visit CzÄ™stochowa, home to Our Lady of CzÄ™stochowa, one of Poland's most revered pilgrimage sites. Explore Jasna Góra Monastery and see the miraculous Black Madonna image. Have time for private prayer and devotion following Mass. In the afternoon, we drive to Krakow for dinner and an overnight.
September 16, WEDNESDAY, DAY 5: KRAKOW
Today we explore the beautiful city of Krakow, following closely in the footsteps of Saint John Paul II and the places that shaped his early life and vocation. We begin with visits to Wawel Castle and the Cathedral, both central landmarks in the young Karol Wojtyla’s spiritual and cultural world. We then continue to St. Peter and Paul’s Church and St. Florian’s Church, familiar places of prayer and reflection during his formative years. At the Franciscan Church, where he often prayed before the well loved image of the Holy Spirit, we celebrate Mass and enter into the same quiet devotion that sustained him for so many years. After lunch, we visit Jagiellonian University, where Saint John Paul II studied as a young man and first deepened his love for literature, philosophy, and the search for truth. We also see the modest apartment where he lived with his father beginning in 1938. Two rooms, the kitchen and the bedroom, remain open to visitors and are arranged as they were when the future pope and his father shared this simple home during those pivotal years. We continue with visits to the churches of St. Stanislaus Kostka and St. Mary’s, both significant places in the religious life of Krakow and connected to the world that formed him. This evening, dinner is at leisure, giving everyone time to explore the food scene and enjoy one of the many cafes that line the main square of Krakow.
September 17, THURSDAY, DAY 6: POPE JOHN PAUL’S BIRTHPLACE & VISIT TO THE KALWARIA
This morning, we drive to Wadowice, the birthplace of Saint John Paul II. We celebrate Mass at his childhood parish, where he was baptized. We then tour the saint’s house, now a museum, and have the opportunity to try his favorite cake during our leisurely lunch. Later in the afternoon, we drive to Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, one of Saint John Paul II’s favorite pilgrimage sites, located on the way back to Kraków. It was here that the Saint came with his father after his mother’s passing, instructing him: “This is your mother now.” This Franciscan sanctuary, modeled on Calvary, offers a profound spiritual experience and links it to St. Maximilian Kolbe, a Franciscan himself. Return to Krakow for dinner and an overnight stay.
September 18, FRIDAY, DAY 7: SALT MINES - LEISURE
After breakfast, we drive to Wieliczka, Europe’s oldest salt mine, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The mines are a unique place where generations of Polish miners have created a world of underground chambers and decorated chapels carved from salt, including the famous Chapel of St. Kinga. Mass will be celebrated in the Salt Mines. In the afternoon, we return to Krakow for time at leisure, or to explore the historic Jewish Ghetto. The evening is a time to explore Krakow on our own. Overnight Krakow.
September 19, SATURDAY, DAY 8: AUSCHWITZ
Our day is one of sadness and celebration as we visit the former concentration camp of
Auschwitz and see the cell where St. Maximilian Kolbe was held, along with many other prisoners. At the Martyrs Museum, we pay tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Next door, we visit the Carmelite Convent, established to make reparation for the sins of the Holocaust, as well as the nearby church with striking paintings depicting St. Maximilian Kolbe’s sacrifice. Before returning to Kraków, we will celebrate Mass at the Franciscan Monastery. This emotionally difficult but significant day concludes with a celebration of life, featuring dinner and dancing. Overnight in Kraków.
September 20, SUNDAY, DAY 9: DIVINE MERCY SHRINE & ST. JOHN PAUL II CENTER
This morning, we visit the Divine Mercy Shrine, a place of deep spiritual significance associated with St. Faustina Kowalska. One of the sisters will welcome us and give us a talk about St. Faustina's life and work at the Shrine. Following our private Mass and Holy Hour, we visit the site where Saint Faustina lived and worked. We have time for private and devotion. In the afternoon, we visit the John Paul II Sanctuary and Center, also known as the Have No Fear Center. The visit offers us insights into his life and mission. Our farewell dinner is at a local restaurant. Overnight in Krakow.
September 21, MONDAY, DAY 10: RETURN TO THE U.S.
We start the day with a Mass at the Basilica. We stop at the parish church where the visionaries were baptized and other places associated with their young lives, including the cemetery where the children are buried and their homes in Aljustrel. We travel to Valinhos and visit where the Holy Virgin appeared in August, the outdoor Stations of the Cross erected by the Americans and Hungarian refugees built the beautiful Shrine of the Crucifixion at the highest point. Tonight, we participate in the Candlelight and Blessed Sacrament Procession. Dinner and overnight in Fatima.
YOUR POLAND PILGRIMAGE INCLUDES
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Roundtrip airfare from Des Moines
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4 & 5 star hotel accommodations throughout
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Daily breakfast buffett
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3 restaurant lunches
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4 Hotel dinners with wine
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Private A/C motor coach
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Professional English-speaking Christian guides
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Whisper deadsets for official tours
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Daily private Mass
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Luggage handling at hotels
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Celebration of Life dinner with music and wine
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Farewell dinner at a local restaurant with wine
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Travel Portfolio
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A choice of coffee or tea with every meal
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Bottled water on the bus
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Service charges and hotel tax