There are numerous faiths in this world, innumerable gods and religions and the world we are living really needs something to rely on, a religion, a god or a faith. Pilgrimage’ is a wide-ranging topic touching on many aspects of human existence, signifying not only a physical journey to a special place, but also an inner spiritual journey and indeed life itself. Pilgrimage to holy places has deeply influenced the spiritual and physical landscapes of many countries.
YexploreTM brings to you a range of Pilgrimage tours to various parts of the world letting you experience not only physically but also spiritually the aura of such holistic destinations.
Pilgrimage is and has always been important in history, literature, art, architecture & social anthropology, as well as religion & spirituality. Pilgrimage has fired the imaginations of writers and artists for centuries. Pilgrimage is still very much alive. 21st century pilgrims – from all faiths and none – so come with YexploreTM and just continue to explore the significance of place and of journey.
Journey
Itineraries those are not just visits but jouneys to a place of special significance which play a part in almost all cultures and religions. The goal may be a site given prominence by particular events, the shrine of a saint or other significant figure, or a remarkable geographical feature. Our aim is to give you a motivated experience in a religious belief that is still very much alive in the twenty-first century.
Spiritual
For some people pilgrimage acts as a rite of passage, for others it involves seeking spiritual or material rewards. We at YexploreTM bring to you holy visits to all the pilgrimages which are celebrated as well as the less known but still of uttermost significance in their own way.
SPIRITUAL HIGHLIGHTS OF ITALY
Italy is traditionally home to the Catholic faith, and this tour touches on the most important religious sites combining them with some of the most iconic Italian highlights. Spend three full days to explore Rome and Vatican City, get to know the most important highlights such as the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. Enjoy the verdant, relaxing Tuscan landscapes and learn about the cradle of the Renaissance, Florence. In Siena, immerse yourself into medieval ages and visit some of the most significant churches of this charming town.
LEGACY OF ST PATRICK – IRISH FAITH & HISTORY
Enjoy 10 days in Ireland. In Dublin, visit Our Lady of Lourdes Church, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and Oscar Wilde’s Trinity College. Visit Knock Shrine, the Church of the Apparition, the basilica, and the Folk Museum, and join the evening rosary processions. On the way to Galway we stop at Kylemore Abbey. Explore Inishmore, the largest of the Aran Islands where many Catholics fled. Read the Globus Religious Travel itinerary for a full appreciation of all the highlights.
LOURDES AND SHRINES OF FRANCE
Enjoy 11 days in France. Visit the Grotto where the Virgin Mary appeared to St. Bernadette in 1858, Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine, and St. Bernadette’s birthplace and family home. You may wish to bathe in the healing waters, attend the “Blessing of the Sick,” or join the evening’s rosary and candlelight procession. This pilgrimage was designed for those who would like to spend more time in Lourdes, to pray and reflect.
MARIAN SHRINES OF EUROPE
This 12 day Globus Religious Pilgrimage from Lisbon to Madrid takes you through Fatima, Burgos and Lourdes where you visit Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine, and St. Bernadette’s birthplace and family home. Visit the Church of the Holy Miracle in Santarém. In Fatima, visit Our Lady of Fatima Shrine..
THE GREAT SHRINES OF FRANCE
Lourdes, Paris, Rouen, Lisieux, Nevers, Paray-le-Monial, Ars, Lyon, La Salette – La Salette is the site where the Virgin Mary appeared in 1846 to two shepherds, Melanie Matthew and Maximin Gird. Our Lady appeared to these shepherds crying, lamenting over the lack of observance of Sundays and the profaning of her Son’s holy name.
LOURDES PARIS ROME
On this pilgrimage you will visit the wonderful shrines of France spending reflection time in Lourdes before discovering Paris, Lisieux and Nevers then travelling on to Rome where our sightseeing tour will offer insight into the most significant Catholic sites in Rome. Our visit to Rome includes a Papal Audience and the Vatican Museums tour.
SHRINES OF SPAIN
This tour will take in the sacred sites in Barcelona, Montserrat, Manresa, Zaragoza, Toledo, Madrid and Santiago de Compostela. Highlights include a tour of Barcelona with panoramic views of the harbour area, Montjuic, Plaza de España, and Plaza de Catalunya; visiting the Shrine of Our Lady of Montserrat; a tour of Madrid including the Royal Palace and Plaza Mayor; and stopping in Villafranca del Bierzo, where you will visit to the Collegiate Church of Santa María, the churches of Santiago and San Nicolas, as well as the Agua Street, full of palaces and emblazoned houses.
THE WAY OF ST JAMES – A WALKING PILGRIMAGE
Although this is a “walking tour” – rest assured that everything will be taken care of for you! On your pilgrimage, you will be staying at fabulous hotels. You will have a driver and vans following your group as well as transporting your luggage. Enjoy excellent meals throughout the pilgrimage and you will have an assistant and a guide at your side from start to finish. The Way of St. James, often known by its Spanish name, el Camino de Santiago, is the pilgrimage to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in northwestern Spain, where legend has it that the remains of the apostle, Saint James the Great, are buried.
GUADALUPE & MEXICO CITY
Guadalupe, Mexico City, Coyoacan, Tlaxcala, Ocotlan, Cholula, Puebla. The Shrine at Guadalupe is considered the holiest place in the Western Hemisphere. The Basilica commemorates the Virgin Mary’s appearance to a humble Indian and honors her request that a shrine be built in Her honour. This pilgrimage runs monthly throughout the year.