St Lawrence Pilgrim Church Tour

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St Lawrence Pilgrim Church Tour – One of the 7 Pilgrim Churches of Rome

Our St Lawrence Pilgrim Church Tour allows you to visit one of the famous 7 Pilgrim Churches of Rome – the Basilica of St Lawrence Outside the Walls (Basilica di San Lorenzo Fuori le Mura) where the bodies of St Lawrence, St Stephen (the first martyr) and Pope St Pius IX rest. One of our bitesize standalone tours, the St Lawrence Pilgrim Church Tour is part of the 7 Pilgrim Churches pilgrimage made famous by St Philip Neri in the 16th century and now one of the most famous pilgrimages in the world.

You will meet your guide at the great column of St Lawrence in front of the Basilica of St Lawrence where your guide will explain background to the life of early Christians and the persecutions of the early Christian Church, the role of martyrdom, relics & catacombs in the early Church, and the history of the Basilica of St Lawrence geographically, including the effects here of the Second World War.

Exploring the porch of the Basilica of St Lawrence, your guide will help you make sense of the eclectic mixture of early Christian funerary symbols, sarcophagi, ancient frescoes and the modern monuments also contained there, before moving inside the Basilica.

Once in the Basilica your guide will go into detail to recount the fascinating lives and deaths of St Lawrence and St Stephen – the two Holy Deacons – and how they are connected. You will also learn about the other liturgical features of this Pilgrim Church Basilica, including the Cosmati-designed ambones and the side altars. You will also learn about the ancient catacomb below the Basilica and the miracles and indulgences associated with it.

Venturing lower, you will then enter the crypt of Pope St Pius IX to see his tomb and the magnificent mosaics that adorn his final resting place. You will also have chance to pray before the indulgenced altars here to experience the grace of pilgrimage in Rome.

Finally, you will then return into the main part of the Basilica of St Lawrence to visit the holy tomb of St Lawrence and St Stephen and venerate their holy relics in prayer and contemplation.

For those pilgrims who wish to do our other bite-size tours of each of the 7 Pilgrim Churches, please click on the links below.  You should also read our article on St Philip Neri’s 7 Pilgrim Churches pilgrimage.

1. Cathedral of St John Lateran
2. Basilica of St Peter
3. Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls
4. Basilica of St Mary Major
5. Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem
6. Basilica of the St Sebastian Outside the Walls

Pilgrims to Rome may also be interested in our flagship tour of the relics of Jesus – the Via Crucis Tour, that actually includes two of the 4 Major Basilicas of Rome, St Mary Major and the Cathedral of St John Lateran, in addition to another of the 7 Pilgrim Churches, the Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem (Santa Croce). The Via Crucis is therefore great value for money. See too, our Jubilee Year Pilgrimage Packages for extra ideas and savings!

If you have any problems booking, or if you would like to have a private or bespoke tour, please do not hesitate to contact us!

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