Ultimate Pilgrimage – 5 Day Rome Pilgrimage

Ultimate Pilgrimage – 5 Day Rome Pilgrimage

The Ultimate 5 Day Rome Pilgrimage combines St Philip Neri’s 7 Pilgrim Churches, Rome’s four Major Basilicas, sacred relics, the Catacombs of St Sebastian and a final day devoted to St Francis in Assisi. Across five days, expert Catholic guides connect the history of Rome and Assisi with catechesis, prayer and the lives of the saints. The package is designed for pilgrims who want the fullest Crucis itinerary without having to assemble the individual tours themselves. The standard small-group programme begins at 3:30pm on Tuesday and concludes in Assisi on Saturday. Private packages can begin on any day, with the same experiences reordered around church schedules and the operating days of the individual tours.

What is included in the five-day pilgrimage?

The standard programme includes:

• Tuesday afternoon: Medieval Rome Walking Tour – Religious Life & Vocation
• 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 afternoon: St Francis of Assisi Pilgrim Tour

The first four Rome days include all seven churches of St Philip Neri’s traditional route. The Assisi day then adds the life, tomb and spiritual legacy of St Francis.

Rome’s 7 Pilgrim Churches

The seven churches are 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 and the Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem. St Peter’s, St Paul Outside the Walls, St Mary Major and St John Lateran are the four Major Basilicas. The other three preserve important connections with the martyrs, relics and ancient pilgrimage traditions of Rome.

St Philip Neri revived the seven-church route in the sixteenth century as a joyful pilgrimage of prayer, fellowship and catechesis. Read more in our guide to the 7 Pilgrim Churches of Rome and St Philip Neri. Pilgrims who want to book the churches separately can browse the 7 Pilgrim Churches standalone tours.

Major Basilicas and Holy Doors

Each of the four Major Basilicas has 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 place within 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 religious life

The Via Crucis – Relics of Christ Tour follows sacred places associated with relics of the Passion, from St Mary Major to the Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem. Thursday’s tours focus on St Peter and St Paul, their lives in Rome, their martyrdoms and the basilicas built over their tombs. On Friday, you visit St Lawrence Outside the Walls before continuing to St Sebastian Outside the Walls and its catacombs. Tuesday’s opening tour traces the development of religious life from monasticism to the friars and mendicant orders through the churches and communities of medieval Rome.

Day five: pilgrimage to Assisi

The final day is devoted to St Francis of Assisi. Make your own way from Rome to the medieval Umbrian city, where your guide leads the St Francis of Assisi Pilgrim Tour. The route centres on the Basilica of St Francis and other places connected with the saint’s life and vocation. Transport between Rome and Assisi is not included. Pilgrims may travel by train or arrange a private car and driver separately. The guided Assisi tour begins at 2:00pm, allowing time to travel from Rome that morning. The package concludes in Assisi, so you may either return to Rome or continue your journey from there.

Departure and practical arrangements

The booking form lists the standard small-group departure at 3:30pm on Tuesday. Private packages are available on any day and the order of the experiences is adjusted accordingly. The meeting time for St Peter’s may be brought forward when seasonal queues require it. Accommodation is not included. Transport between the Friday basilicas is included, while travel to daily meeting points and the Rome–Assisi journey are not included. For the Rome itinerary without Assisi, choose the 7 Pilgrim Churches – 4-Day Rome Pilgrimage. You can also explore our other Catholic pilgrimage packages.

Day 1 (Tuesday) – Medieval Rome Walking Tour – Religious Life & Vocation

Day 2 (Wednesday) – Via Crucis – Relics of Christ Tour

Day 3 (Thursday) – St Peter’s Basilica Tour

Day 3 (Thursday) – Afternoon – Sts Peter & Paul in Chains Tour

Day 4 (Friday) – Afternoon- Basilica of St Lawrence Tour and Basilica of St Sebastian Tour with Catacombs

Day 5 (Saturday) – St Francis Tour of Assisi

Plan the full pilgrimage with Crucis guides to the four Major Basilicas of Rome, Catholic pilgrimage in Assisi and the Rome pilgrimage planner for one to four days.

Additional information