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Pilgrimage at a glance
Four days across Catholic Rome
Five guided experiences across four days, following Rome’s historic Seven-Church route.
- 01
Via Crucis
Wednesday morning · relics of Christ
- 02
Peter and Paul
Thursday · St Peter’s and the Apostles
- 03
Martyrs and catacombs
Friday afternoon · St Lawrence and St Sebastian
- 04
Religious life
Saturday morning · vocation and sacred Rome
View the complete day-by-day itinerary
Full pilgrimage overview
7 Pilgrim Churches – 4-Day Rome Pilgrimage
Clear before you book
Included
Admissions
Transport
Not included
Programme
Cancellation
What is—and is not—included
Selected tickets included
St Sebastian’s catacombs and the excavations of St Cecilia.
Selected transfers included
Transport between locations where stated in the detailed itinerary.
Accommodation and meals
Travel to daily meeting points and guide gratuities are also excluded.
Four guided days
Standard small-group departures run Wednesday through Saturday.
Free Cancellation
Daily meeting points
Where each day begins
Each experience starts at its own clearly identified meeting point. Please arrive 15 minutes before the stated start.
- Day 1 · Wednesday, 8:45amSt Mary MajorThe fountain beneath the large Column of Mary.
- Day 2 · Thursday, 8:45amRadio Vaticana, Piazza Pia 3For the morning visit to St Peter’s Basilica.
- Day 2 · Thursday, 2:45pmSt Peter in ChainsRight of the main entrance, by the statue of Jesus as a beggar.
- Day 3 · Friday, 2:45pmSt Sebastian Outside the WallsIn front of the basilica entrance.
- Day 4 · Saturday, 8:45amPiazza dei Cavalieri di MaltaOn Rome’s Aventine Hill.
Expert Catholic guides
Journey in Faith
Your practising Catholic guides bring Scripture, Church history, sacred art and devotion together across one coherent four-day pilgrimage.
- Specialist Catholic interpretation
- Personal groups of no more than seven
Verified pilgrimage reviews
5.00
Based on 1 review from pilgrims who experienced this package.Read the verified review
Only seven places per small-group departure
Plan your preferred four-day start early
Small-group places are limited and the package spans four consecutive days. Check the live calendar before finalising your Rome plans.
Check availability Free Cancellation — Subject to terms.Secure your spot before they run out
7 Pilgrim Churches – 4-Day Rome Pilgrimage
Follow the historic route of Rome’s 7 Pilgrim Churches on a four-day Catholic pilgrimage inspired by St Philip Neri. The package brings together the four Major Basilicas, three ancient pilgrim basilicas, relics of Christ and the Apostles, the Catacombs of St Sebastian and a final exploration of religious life and vocation. The standard small-group programme begins at 8:45am on Wednesday and runs to Saturday. Private packages can begin on any day, with the same pilgrim experiences reordered around church schedules and the operating days of the individual tours.
Which are the 7 Pilgrim Churches of Rome?
The traditional route established by St Philip Neri includes:
- St Peter’s Basilica
- St Paul Outside the Walls
- St John Lateran
- St Mary Major
- St Lawrence Outside the Walls
- St Sebastian Outside the Walls
- The Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem
The first four are Rome’s Major Basilicas. The remaining three preserve powerful connections with the martyrs, relics and ancient pilgrimage traditions of the city.
What is included in the 4-day pilgrimage?
The package combines five guided Crucis experiences:
- Wednesday morning: Via Crucis – Relics of Christ Tour
- Thursday morning: St Peter’s Basilica Tour
- Thursday afternoon: Sts Peter & Paul in Chains Tour
- Friday afternoon: the St Lawrence Pilgrim Church Tour and St Sebastian Basilica & Catacombs Tour
- Saturday morning: Medieval Rome Walking Tour – Religious Life & Vocation
Across the four days, you visit all seven churches while following the story of Catholic Rome from the Passion and the Apostles through the martyrs, monasticism and the mendicant orders.
The Major Basilicas and their Holy Doors
St Peter’s, St Paul Outside the Walls, St Mary Major and St John Lateran each have a Holy Door. The doors opened for the Jubilee Year of 2025 are now closed, but they remain visible and your guides explain their history, symbolism and role during a Holy Year. The next anticipated Jubilee of the Redemption is in 2033, marking 2,000 years since the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ. This pilgrimage does not promise entry through closed Holy Doors.
Relics, martyrs and the catacombs
The Via Crucis – Relics of Christ Tour reaches churches associated with relics of the Passion, ending at the Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem. The Sts Peter & Paul in Chains Tour connects the chains of St Peter with the traditional site of St Paul’s martyrdom and his tomb at St Paul Outside the Walls. On Friday, the route adds St Lawrence Outside the Walls, where St Lawrence and St Stephen the Protomartyr are venerated, and St Sebastian Outside the Walls. At St Sebastian, the pilgrimage descends into the catacombs and explores the memory of the early martyrs and Christian burial in Rome.
St Philip Neri’s pilgrimage route
St Philip Neri used the seven-church pilgrimage as a joyful alternative to the excesses of Roman carnival. His route combined prayer, fellowship, catechesis and physical pilgrimage across the city. Read more about its history in our guide to the 7 Pilgrim Churches of Rome and St Philip Neri. For pilgrims who prefer to book the churches separately, browse the 7 Pilgrim Churches standalone tours.
Departure and private arrangements
The booking form lists the standard small-group departure at 8:45am on Wednesday. Private packages are available on any day and the order of the tours is adjusted accordingly. Church access, catacomb opening and seasonal queues can affect exact timings. For a shorter route, see the Major Basilicas + Relics + Vocation – 3 Day Rome Pilgrimage. To add a day trip to Assisi, choose the Ultimate Pilgrimage – 5 Day Rome Pilgrimage.
Day 1 – (Wednesday) – Morning – Via Crucis – Relics of Christ Tour
| MEETING POINT | The fountain in front of the entrance of St Mary Major (Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore) under the large column. (Please note, the front of the basilica faces south-east, away from Via Cavour). Location on Google Maps What3Words: chemistry.ember.braked | ||||
| START | 8.45am meet 15 mins before | ||||
| END | 12:15 pm at the Basilica of the Holy Cross of Jerusalem | ||||
| DURATION | 3-3.5 hours depending on queues | ||||
| DRESS CODE | Comfortable clothing, covering shoulders and knees | ||||
| INCLUDED |
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| NOT INCLUDED |
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Day 2 (Thursday) – Morning – St Peter’s Basilica
| MEETING POINT | Outside Radio Vaticana, Piazza Pia, 3 Location on Google Maps What3Words: adopting.visual.caravan | ||||
| START | 8.45 am meet 15 mins earlier | ||||
| END | Approximately 11.00am outside the basilica | ||||
| DURATION | 2 hours depending on queues | ||||
| DRESS CODE | Comfortable clothing, covering shoulders and knees | ||||
| INCLUDED |
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| NOT INCLUDED |
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Day 2 (Thursday Afternoon) – Sts Peter & Paul in Chains Tour
| MEETING POINT |
To the right of the main entrance of the Basilica of St Peter in Chains (San Pietro in Vincoli), by the statue of Jesus depicted as a beggar. Location on Google Maps What3Words: lizards.washing.nuns |
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| START | 2.45 meet for 3.00pm start | ||||
| END | 6.00pm at the Major Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls | ||||
| DURATION | 3 hours depending on traffic | ||||
| DRESS CODE | Comfortable clothing, covering shoulders and knees | ||||
| INCLUDED |
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| NOT INCLUDED |
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Day 3 (Friday) – Afternoon – Basilicas of Sts Sebastian with Catacombs & Lawrence
| MEETING POINT | In front of the entrance to the Basilica of St Sebastian. Please check carefully the map links below which show the location of the meeting point accurate to 3 square metres. | ||||
| START | 2.45pm meet for 3.00pm start | ||||
| END | Approximately 6 pm Rome historical centre | ||||
| DURATION | 3 hours depending on traffic | ||||
| DRESS CODE | Comfortable clothing, covering shoulders and knees | ||||
| INCLUDED |
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| NOT INCLUDED |
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Day 4 (Saturday) – Medieval Rome Walking Tour – Religious Life & Vocation
| MEETING POINT | Piazza dei Cavallieri di Malta on the Aventine Hill. Location on Google Maps What3Words: took.sofa.december | ||||
| START | 8:45am meet for 9.00am start | ||||
| END | Approximately midday at the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere | ||||
| DURATION | 3 hours depending on queues | ||||
| DRESS CODE | Comfortable clothing, covering shoulders and knees | ||||
| INCLUDED |
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| NOT INCLUDED |
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Prepare for Rome’s wider pilgrimage tradition with the Crucis guides to the four Major Basilicas of Rome and the seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome.
Additional information
| Ticket Type | Adult (16+), Student ID, Child (under 16) |
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Schedule note: The itinerary below is the standard Wednesday–Saturday small-group programme. Private packages may begin on any day, with the experiences reordered around church and catacomb schedules.
1
Wednesday Morning – Via Crucis: Relics of Christ
Begin at St Mary Major and follow the Via Crucis through churches associated with relics of Christ’s Passion. The route includes St Prassede, St Alphonsus Liguori, the Scala Santa, St John Lateran and the Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem.
2
Thursday Morning – St Peter's Basilica
Explore St Peter’s Basilica with an expert Catholic guide. See Michelangelo’s Pietà, the tomb of St Peter and important works and places of veneration. The meeting time may be brought forward when seasonal queues require it.
3
Thursday Afternoon – Sts Peter & Paul in Chains
Follow the lives and martyrdoms of Rome’s two principal Apostles. See the chains associated with St Peter, visit the place traditionally connected with St Paul’s execution and conclude at his tomb in St Paul Outside the Walls.
4
Friday Afternoon – St Lawrence and St Sebastian
Visit St Lawrence Outside the Walls, where St Lawrence and St Stephen are venerated, then continue to St Sebastian Outside the Walls. Descend into the catacombs and explore the memory of Rome’s early martyrs.
5
Saturday Morning – Religious Life & Vocation
Explore the development of religious life from early monasticism to the mendicant orders. Walk through the Aventine’s churches and communities before descending towards Santa Maria in Cosmedin and the older Christian traditions of Rome.
Meet at 8:30am for an 8:45am departure at the fountain in front of the Basilica of St Mary Major.
What3Words: chemistry.ember.braked
Price range: €215.00 through €425.00
One tour per person
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Tour Reviews
We had a great experience on our 4 days with Crucis Tours – covering the main basilicas of Rome/ all 4 Holy Doors, and a day dedicated to St Francis of Assisi. Our guides Tom and Marco are knowledgeable, engaging, and provided unique insights into the history of the places we visited. At this day and age it is hard to find guides who are not only cognizant of the practicalities of attending Jubilee events but also practicing Catholics attuned to the spirit of pilgrimage. If you are looking for a meaningful experience as a Catholic touring Italy, I would strongly recommend engaging their services!
Originally posted on Google
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