Follow the Via Crucis and Venerate the Relics of Christ in Rome
The Via Crucis – Relics of Christ Tour is a 3–3.5-hour Catholic walking pilgrimage through Rome, following the earthly life of Christ from His Nativity to His Passion, Crucifixion and Burial. Led by an expert Catholic guide, the tour visits six churches and sacred sites where pilgrims can see and venerate some of the most important relics of Christ in Rome.
What does Via Crucis mean?
Via Crucis means “Way of the Cross”. This Via Crucis Tour in Rome brings the Gospel accounts of Christ’s life and Passion into focus through sacred relics, ancient basilicas, mosaics, icons and the devotional traditions of the Church. It is not simply a sightseeing tour: your guide explains the historical, biblical and spiritual significance of each place, with opportunities for prayer and reflection along the way.
Which relics of Christ will you see?
According to Christian tradition, St Helena brought relics of the Passion from Jerusalem to Rome in the fourth century. Further relics and sacred images were preserved in the city over later centuries. During the tour, pilgrims will see or venerate:
- Wood traditionally venerated as part of the Holy Crib of the Infant Jesus
- The Holy Pillar associated with the scourging of Christ
- The Holy Stairs, traditionally identified with the steps of Pontius Pilate’s praetorium
- Two thorns traditionally venerated as part of the Crown of Thorns
- Fragments of the True Cross
- A Holy Nail associated with the Crucifixion
- The Titulus Crucis, the wooden title placed above the Cross
- Earth from Calvary, traditionally brought to Rome by St Helena
- Fragments of stone associated with the Holy Sepulchre and the Cave of the Nativity in Bethlehem
- The Salus Populi Romani icon, traditionally associated with St Luke the Evangelist
- The miraculous icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help
Six sacred sites from Bethlehem to Calvary
The route begins at the Basilica of St Mary Major and continues through St Praxedes, St Alphonsus Liguori, the Scala Santa, the Archbasilica of St John Lateran and the Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem. Together, these places trace a spiritual journey from Bethlehem to Calvary.
A Catholic pilgrimage through the mystery of the Cross
At the end of the tour, your guide draws together the history, Scripture, art and relics to reflect upon what the Via Crucis means for the life of every Catholic: how Christ’s Way of the Cross illuminates our own suffering, vocation and journey towards salvation.
Important: The tour visits the Holy Stairs and explains the Sancta Sanctorum at the top, but the itinerary does not allow time to ascend the Holy Stairs on one’s knees. This devotion can take up to 45 minutes and should be undertaken privately after the tour.
Please note: This is a 3–3.5-hour walking tour and is not suitable for those with significant mobility or stamina difficulties. Travellers who would still like to experience the pilgrimage can contact us about a private version with transport options.
For other individual experiences, explore our Catholic Tours. For multi-day packages combining several tours, visit our Pilgrimages page.
| MEETING POINT | The fountain under the great column of Mary in front of the entrance of St Mary Major (Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore). See the precise location on Google Maps or What3Words. | ||||
| FINISHING LOCATION | Basilica of the Holy Cross of Jerusalem (Basilica di Santa Croce) | ||||
| DEPARTURE TIME | 8:45am Monday – Friday | ||||
| DURATION | Approx. 3-3.5 hours | ||||
| DRESS CODE | Comfortable clothing, covering shoulders and knees | ||||
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Additional information
| Ticket Type | Adult (16+), Student ID, Child (under 16) |
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Basilica of St Mary Major (Santa Maria Maggiore)
The Via Crucis – Relics of Christ Tour begins at St Mary Major, one of Rome’s four Major Basilicas. Here pilgrims venerate wood traditionally believed to come from the Holy Crib in Bethlehem and see the ancient Salus Populi Romani icon, traditionally associated with St Luke. Your guide introduces the pilgrimage’s movement from the Nativity of Christ towards His Passion.
Basilica of St Praxedes (Santa Prassede)
We continue to the Basilica of St Praxedes, whose present form largely dates from the ninth century. After exploring its celebrated Christian mosaics, pilgrims venerate the Holy Pillar traditionally associated with the scourging of Christ.
Church of St Alphonsus Liguori (Sant’Alfonso all’Esquilino)
At the Church of St Alphonsus Liguori, we encounter the miraculous icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help, also known as Our Lady of Perpetual Succour. Your guide explains the symbols of Christ’s Passion held by the Archangels in this famous icon and its place in Catholic devotion.
Holy Stairs (Scala Santa)
The Holy Stairs are traditionally believed to be the steps from the praetorium of Pontius Pilate that Christ ascended during His Passion. Your guide explains their history and the Sancta Sanctorum, or Holy of Holies, at their summit. The itinerary does not allow time to ascend the stairs on one’s knees, but pilgrims may return to undertake this devotion privately after the tour.
Archbasilica of St John Lateran (San Giovanni in Laterano)
The pilgrimage continues to the cathedral of Rome and the oldest of its four Major Basilicas. Your guide recounts the history and significance of the Archbasilica of St John Lateran and shows pilgrims the reliquaries traditionally containing the heads of St Peter and St Paul, the two great Apostles of Rome.
Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem (Santa Croce in Gerusalemme)
The final destination is the Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem. As we walk there, your guide tells the story of St Helena and the discovery of the relics of Christ’s Passion. Inside Santa Croce, pilgrims venerate relics traditionally associated with Calvary and the Crucifixion, including fragments of the True Cross, a Holy Nail, thorns from the Crown of Thorns and the Titulus Crucis.
The fountain under the great column of Mary in front of the entrance of St Mary Major (Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore).
See the precise location on Google Maps or What3Words.
Tour Reviews
The tour was outstanding! We got to see so many things and details in the churches/basilicas we visited! Our guide gave us so many insights to the art and the history behind it, that it made us feel being experts on the field!!! We are glad to have chosen this tour letting us visit exceptional places, we would have missed otherwise….
We booked this tour after experiencing the St. Peter and St. Paul Tour (which was wonderful). We enjoyed our initial tour so much, we booked this tour a few days later. We were pleasantly surprised to have Tom as our guide again. He is incredible–his immense wealth of knowledge of history and art again was impressive, but for this tour he arrived for our tour after being hit by a car–no joke–that is dedication and commitment. The thing that made this tour special were the number of holy relics we encountered. Seeing items that were part of the life of Jesus was awe-inspiring and humbling. Tom also told us about the early church and miracles that shaped Christian life. Other tours in Rome spend a great deal of time on the pagans and Romans, but little on Christians and their vital role in shaping the history of Rome and beyond. This tour was amazing–highly recommended!!
Tom’s mastery of Catholic theology continued to shine brightly as we embarked on our subsequent adventures. With each tour, he revealed new layers of insight into Rome’s spiritual heritage, enriching our understanding of its sacred sites and traditions. Whether we were exploring the catacombs beneath the city or tracing the path of the ancient apostles, Tom’s passion for his work illuminated our path, transforming each moment into a profound encounter with history and faith.
Yet it wasn’t just Tom’s knowledge that kept us coming back—it was his genuine warmth and hospitality. Despite our familiarity with Rome’s streets and landmarks, Tom made each tour feel fresh and exciting, as if we were experiencing it for the first time. His ability to tailor the experience to our interests and preferences ensured that no two tours were alike, leaving us eagerly anticipating our next adventure together.
In addition to his expertise and personal touch, Tom’s professionalism and attention to detail were evident in every aspect of our interactions with him. From the seamless booking process to the thoughtful gestures he made to enhance our experience, Tom went above and beyond to ensure that our time with Crucis Tours was nothing short of extraordinary.
As we reflect on our continued adventures with Tom, we are filled with gratitude for the memories we have created together. His passion, expertise, and unwavering commitment to excellence have left an indelible mark on our hearts, and we look forward to many more adventures with him in the future.
In summary, if you’re searching for a guide who will elevate your travel experience to new heights, look no further than Tom of Crucis Tours. His expertise, warmth, and professionalism guarantee an unforgettable journey—one that will leave you longing for more long after the adventure has ended.
Booked this on the recommendation of an acquaintance who did it earlier in the year. It’s a unique tour experience because everything is presented from the perspective of a well-educated professing Catholic and, as such, there is far more to it than just the history (as fascinating as that is for those with or without the faith). Tom delves deep into the theological and spiritual significance of all the stops on the tour which makes it a profoundly edifying experience for a believer.
Thanks so much Andre! It was a pleasure having you and your family along!
Wow! Tom was an amazing guide and brought the life of Christ and the early church to us in a way my children ages 8, 10, 12, 14 could all relate to and appreciate. If you want the Catholic experience and need help understanding the symbolism in art and churches in a beautifully crafted way book this tour. It was the best tour we had all Holy Week! I cried and laughed and appreciated his reverence at the holy sites. As pilgrims we were gifted spiritual knowledge that will last a lifetime. He wrapped the tour up with a final message that filled my eyes with tears of understanding and gratitude. I wish I’d booked all of his tours. Thank you Tom, you are a true blessing and we thank you for sharing your gift with our family.
The best part of our week long trip. My dad is a pretty religious man, and I was slightly less religious, but this was a perfect tour. Our guide Tom knew everything about every church, about every painting and relic, and even other facts about Rome in general. I would recommend this to everyone who comes to Rome. Even if you’re not Catholic or Christian at all, this is such an interesting and informative tour. I would easily pay double for this tour, and it was literally life changing.
If you want an authentically Catholic tour of some of Rome’s most important churches, look no further than Tom’s Via Crucis Tour. Although I had visited the churches on this tour multiple times, re-visiting them with such a knowledgable guide gave them newfound importance. The tour beautifully integrated history, architecture, and theology, and made truly made the faith come alive. There were many ‘aha’ moments where truths of the faith that I had heard my whole life were understood in a whole new way, as I experienced them concretely in church architecture. Thank you Tom!
Excellent tour guide, my family and learned a lot and really enjoyed the tour. He was kind,understanding, compassionate, and definitely knowledgeable.It was the best tour we’ve had in rome. I’d recommend this to my family and friends
An amazing guide! I was impressed with his depth of knowledge. He wasn’t feeling well but he didn’t let it slow him down. We loved the sites visited and I wish we recorded everything he told us so we could remember it. Highly recommend this tour for those interested in the religious history of Rome.
In partaking in three tours (Via Crucis, Religious Life in Trastevere and St.Paul outside the Walls) through some of the most beautiful and famous churches in Rome, I was very lucky to find in Tom a highly knowledgeable and kind guide who introduced me not only to the life of the early Christians in Rome, their martyrdom and the rich history of the catholic church, yet also to the catholic faith itself. I found his profound explanations both insightful and inspirational as he is able to create a synthesis between art, culture, history and philosophy, theology and faith. Therefore, going into a church with Tom is not a mere lesson in (art-) history: by his explanations and lucid telling he turns the whole building into a living testimony of lasting wisdom and faith. He answered my questions patiently and with reference to scriptures and scientific evidence. It helped me a lot to understand. But once I had learned what a guided church tour could be, afterwards, whenever I entered a church during my stay at Rome without Tom, I kind of missed him, wondering what I was going to omit here due to all the things that go unnoticed (“one only sees what one knows “).
So, I wholeheartedly recommend the Crucis Tours – it is worth every penny and leaves one with loads to think about and a deeper understanding of the Christian faith. Furthermore, the contact with the organizer Matthew before my depature to Rome was also very kind and helpful as he gave me some good advice.
Thanks again a lot!
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