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SEPTEMBER 3, 2009, THURSDAY

I traveled today with a group of twenty five people for pilgrimage to Portugal, Spain and France. Last night, at 8:30 PM, we flew from Newark, New Jersey going to Portugal via Continental Airlines. We arrived here in Portugal  this morning at about 8:30 A.M. It was a 6-hour and 16 minute flight from the US.

When we arrived at the airport, we were met by our travel agent and manager, Ari. Ari is a Swiss national, with a pleasing and interesting personality. Ari is our tour guide during the course of the pilgrimage. From the airport, we started the day by touring the city of Lisbon, the capital city of Portugal. Lisbon is a very impressive and interesting city. It is rich in tradition, architecture and art. We were given a bus tour of Lisbon, where we were introduced to sights of one of the most beautiful capitals in Europe. We passed by big avenues, the Saint George Castle on the hill and the old town below. We visited some interesting places and sites like the Cathedral of Lisbon, a magnificent piece of art ; a combination of Renaissance art, baroque and gothic arts, with massive walls and high ceilings nicely decorated.  We also visited the birth place of St. Anthony of Padua, where a Church is now built. It is a church situated near the Cathedral of Lisbon.  The town of Belem and the Monastery of the Geronimos were very impressive. You can find here a number of great museums, the tower of Belem along the city of "porto," magnificent edifices, the residence of kings and others. Their  sea port, along the city of "porto"  was just magnificent. Along the sea port, you can find a massive monument of art  where the kings of  Portugal, poets and adventurers have been immortalized in massive monuments and structures. Henry the Adventurer is one of the most  famous Portuguese adventurer. From the city of porto, you can have a nice eye view of a look-a-like copy  of the  "golden gate" bridge of San Francisco and the towering  statue of Christ the King in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.  Lisbon has many beautiful parks and gardens;there are lot of "piazzas" at almost every corner. On top of the hill, you can find mostly the residences of the upper class people in Portugal. Then we drove through the grounds of the Expo 98 and saw impressive contemporary architecture. Now I understand why in the Middle Ages Portugal was one of the most powerful countries in the world.

In the afternoon, we traveled to Fatima, the site of the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1917. Fatima is a city at the outskirts of Portugal. It took us about almost two hour ride from Lisbon to Fatima. When we arrived here in Fatima, we did not do anything in particular except to check in our baggages at a hotel, had a short tour of the apparition site, had dinner, and then retired for the night. Tomorrow at 7:00 AM, I will be saying mass near the site of the apparition. 

SEPTEMBER 4, 2009, FRIDAY

At 7:00 AM, we started our day with an early morning mass at the chapel of the apparition. At this mass I have prayed and remembered all the people who gave or sent  me their intentions to be prayed for. It was such an overwhelming experience for me to be saying mass at the site of the apparition of our Lady.  There were a number of other people who attended our mass  aside from our group. After the mass, we went back to our hotel and had breakfast. At the breakfast table our tour manager informed us that we will be visiting two famous places in the morning, a Cistercian cloister monastery in Alcobaca, and the monastery in Batalha. At 8:30 AM, we travelled to these holy sites. From Fatima to Alcobaca, it took us about an hour ride. It is in Alcobaca where the biggest church in Portugal was built,the Real Abbey de Santa Maria de Alcobaca, one of the best example  of a medieval Cistercian Abbey and which Unesco has granted recognition as the Heritage of Humanity. Alfonso Henriques,the first King of Portugal, had made a promise to build a big temple for the Order of Cister if he managed to beat the Arians. And so it happened: in 1147 the king conquered the moslem fortress of this town, and in 1153 founded  the Abbey of Alcobaca. I have never seen anything like this structure in my life. Both the monastery and the Church were constructed with a gothic architectural design. It has a very high pillars reinforced with columns. The side naves areas are as high as the central nave. The transept of the temple houses the sepulchres of King Pedro I and Dona Ines de Castro, situated one opposite the other.

In the rooms of the monastery, the 'cloister of silencio' can be seen, the main Gothic cloister in all the country. Going around the cloister on the upper level there are two interesting rooms; the chapter room, which was were the monks met in order to choose the abbot and discuss matters in regard to the monastery, and going up the steps, the bedroom of the monks, an immense gothic rooms.

From Alcobaca we drove to Batalha, to visit another very interesting monastery called 'Mosteiro de Santa Maria da Victoria.' Again,in this piece of structure, you will find the masterpiece of gothic and manueline architecture. This monastery was built to commemorate the victory over Spaniards at the battle of Aljubarrota in 1385. King Joao I promised to dedicate a grandiose church to  the Virgin if he won on the battlefield.  And he did won the battle.The remains of the king is entombed in a chapel at the front corner of theAbbey.

After visiting these two famous sites, we returned back to Fatima. We made a side trip to one of the shopping centers in Fatima, where we bought some gift items and religious memorabilia. We had lunch there as well. After lunch, we went to see the village where the three seers were born. Their village was not far from the apparition site. Francesco and Jacinta, as you know, were brother and sister. They died very young; and Lucia was a cousin, who lived not very far from where Francesco and Jacinta lived. We visited first the house of Lucia. It was a very humble residence,with three small rooms. So with the house of Francesco and Jacinta. By the way,at the house of Franceso and Jacinta I got the chance to have a picture taken  with a nephew of Francesco, who is  still alive. He showed me the room where Francesco died. Near the house of Lucia, we also went to see an apparition site, where an angel appeared to the three seers, prior to the apparition of the blessed Virgin in May 1917. At the apparition site, I saw an old woman sitting by herself praying the rosary, which caught my attention and really impressed me. After visiting the houses of the three seers, we went back to our hotel. After dinner in the evening, at 9:30 PM, we joined a candle light  procession at the site of the apparition. First we had a rosary, and then a candle light procession. There maybe about 2 to 3 thousand people who joined in the candle light procession for this night. The candle light procession was very touching really. The whole celebration took about an hour or so. It was already past 10 PM when we went back to our hotel.This is the third day of our pilgrimage.

SEPTEMBER 5, 2009, SATURDAY

We had breakfast at 7 AM in the hotel. At 7:35 AM,we drove to  Spain. It was a 6-hour drive from Fatima,Portugal to Salamanca, Spain. We made one stop in between. During the course of our journey, Ari, our tourist guide and manager, gave us a short lecture on the history of the Roman Empire, how it spread and subdivided.  In an hour or so, Ari was able to present how,from the time of the death of Mohammed in 632, Islam has spread to Saudi Arabia and the Middle East so rapidly. About 100 years later, it spread to Eastern Europe, starting at the landing in Spain in 711. Ari spoke about great emperors, starting with Charles Martell, the reign of his son Pepin the Short,and then the ascendancy to the throne by Charlemagne, the greatest emperor, who brought order, law, discipline and full political power in the empire. After him came his son, Louis the Pious. After Louis the Pious, he spoke about the division of the empire, the many scandals in the Church, and many other related topics. Ari gave us a great presentation on the history of the Church as well as Western Civilization.

Our first official stop in Spain was Salamanca,where we find the oldest University in the country, famous all over the world for its theology.  Salamanca is  considered to be one of the most exceptional cities in Spain, due to its rich historic, artistic and cultural heritage. From pre-historic times to the present, this city has been the passing of the most important civilizations established on the Liberian Peninsula, while its civil and religious buildings are among the maximum espressions of Spanish and European architecture. We toured the center of the city and I was overwhelmed really by the richness of its culture, arts, and the architectural designs  of its buildings- that dates back from the middle ages, or even earlier. Salamanca, I was told, has become a cultural center of the first order, thanks to the labour carried out by its two universities, in particular Salamanca University, which was founded in 1218,thus making it the oldest university in Spain and one of the first in Europe.

We had only an hour to tour the main center of the city. The first thing that I saw and which impressed me so much was the panorama of the so called Plaza mayor. The Plaza mayor is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful of its kind in Spain, and dates from the baroque era. From the Plaza Mayor, we walked through the portal of the University. We continued walking  around the city and visited the Romanesque Cathedral of Santa Maria which was built in the 12thcentury. It is an outstanding Spanish Romanesque monument, which is so overwhelming - just looking at its decorative arts and massive structure. We have also visited the convent of Santa Maria De Las Duenas which was founded in 1419. The University of Salamanca was an epitome of knowledge and learning,even at this time.

From Salamanca, we continued our travel going east. Along the way, we stopped by a little village called "Alba de Tormes," where we find the Convent of the Carmelites where St. Teresa of Avila was buried. I have seen the room where she died and the chapel where she is entombed. At 5 pm today, I celebrated mass in this chapel where the body of St. Teresa of Avila was entombed. After Mass, we proceeded to the city  of Avila. It took us about more than an hour ride from Alba de Tormes to Avila. This is the city  where St. Teresa was born and raised.  The city  of Avila is exquisite. It is surrounded by high thick walls with 88 towers. I have never seen one like this before. It looks like the towering  great walls of  China, or the famous Berlin Wall that surrounded the city. We walked and toured around the  city. The buildings and architectures of the city are magnificent. Again, you witness here the wealth of Spanish arts,culture and architecture par excellence. I have seen nothing like this incomparison. It is very unique, overwhelming, and just awe-inspiring  to see and look at these magnificent edifices in the city. After touring the city, we walked down to our hotel, which was situated outside the great wall. Our hotel's name is "Hotel Cuatro Postes," a 3-star star I would guess. It was nothing fancy but at least  comfortable.  We had dinner at 9 PM. Then we retired for thenight.  

SEPTEMBER 6, 2009, SUNDAY

I woke up very early at 3:45 AM for no apparent reason. We had our early morning breakfast at 7:00 AM, and off  we go. From Avila we headed  for a famed Unesco-Site,Burgos, the capital of Spain in still earlier years. It took us about three and a half hour ride from Avila. Like the other Spanish cities that we already visited, the city of Burgos is equally stunning from a distance. We visited the impressive gothic Cathedral and prayed in the chapel of the flagellated Christ. Burgos is located on the "Camino de Santiago." Ari, our tour guide and manager,explained to us how pilgrimage influenced the religious, cultural and economic life in the Middle Ages. Then from Burgos, we headed North toward Loyola, in the heart of the Pyrenee Mountains. We wanted to visit here the house of St.Ignatius of Loyola, the famed saint and founder of the Jesuits. Again, this  was a bout a 3-hour ride from Burgos to Loyola. We made one stop in between. I celebrated mass here at the shrine of St. Ignatius, the founder of the Jesuit Order. This was a grand and overwhelming experience for me indeed.

Finally, we drove to France, and made our stop in Lourdes. This was more than a four- hour drive from Loyola to Lourdes. When you are entering the town of Lourdes, it would seem like a little village until you reach the other corner where the apparition to Bernadette happened. Then you will see high rise hotels one after another, shops, etc. We arrived here in Lourdes at almost 9 PM. We had dinner immediately upon arrival. After dinner, we had a little socialization, and then retired for the night.

SEPTEMBER 7, 2009, MONDAY

We woke up at 7 AM. Our breakfast  was served at 7:30 AM. Our day began with a mass in one of the side chapels of the big cathedral above the grotto. After the mass we visited the baths with the miraculous waters. We waited in line for almost 3 hours. The bath was for me a mystical experience. Two men guided me into this very cold water without any clothes. Before they asked me to sit on the water, I had to make the sign of the cross and think of my intentions. Then they let me kiss the image of the Blessed Mother just in front of me, before going into the water. The bath was done in a minute. 

The entire afternoon was free time for our private devotions and meditations, and to do some last minute shopping. I took the opportunity to go around the old town just to see how it is. I visited the house of Bernadette, which was situated in the old town, and a walking distance from the grotto. The house of Bernadette was just a one little room kind of house. Afterwards, I did a little shopping for rosaries and some gift items. After doing some little shopping, I decided to make  the Stations of the Cross on the crest of the Espelugues, a high and steep mountain at the other side of the grotto. These monumental Stations of the Cross was really stunning. I was told that in 1885, a cross brought from  Jerusalem had been put up there. Then the fourteen stations by Raffl, consists of colossal groups, whose statues in cast-iron are 2 meters high. The first Station was consecrated on the 5th of October 1901 and were inaugurated on September 14th 1912.

After the Stations of the Cross, I went down to the grotto to meditate and pray.  Before I went back to our hotel, I went to fill up my jar from the miraculous water of Lourdes. I intended to bring some water from Lourdes when I go back home to the States.

Dinner was served at 7:30 PM at the hotel.  At 8:45 PM, the group went down to the grotto to join in the candle light procession which was scheduled at 9:00 PM. The candle light procession was really stunning and overwhelming. The candle light procession here in Lourdes was nothing compared to the candle light procession we had in Fatima. This was really big. I think I am not over guessing when I say that there must have been six to eight thousand people who participated in the procession tonight. Just think that this was only Monday. How about on weekends or some Marian feasts? I saw a lot of handicapped on wheelchairs who also joined in the procession. It was really very moving. We had first the recitation of the rosary(which was said in many languages) and then the candle light procession on the square, in front of the Rosary Basilica.

It was almost 11 PM when we went back to our hotel. We had to go to bed early because we have another long day tomorrow. Tomorrow, we are headed for Paris.    

SEPTEMBER 8, 2009, TUESDAY

We woke up early and had breakfast at 6:30 AM. Our bus picked us up at 7:45 AM and transferred us to the railway station. We rode on what they call "bullet train" (TGV) headed to Paris. The "bullet train" was very fast; it ran 200 miles per hour. It was like flying very low. From Lourdes to Paris, it took only about 6 hours. In an ordinary train, it would take at least 12 hours, according to our tourist manager. It was such an experience to ride on a "bullet train." It was pretty comfortable too.  In Paris we met our new driver and new motor coach. From the train station, we had an impressive "orientation drive" in Paris as a first preview to this incredibly beautiful city. The first thing that I observed and which impressed me so much was its elegance. Its beauty and architecture are equally stunning. Now I understand why many  call Paris not only the city of lovers but the city of the world. I have never seen any city as elegant as Paris before. It is simply incomparable.

While making a tour of the city, we had our first stop near the Eiffel tower- where we had some group picture taking. The Eiffel tower is simply stunning and incredible. There are no words to describe its sight. Then we drove to many different areas of the city. We passed by to see the original statue of Liberty, and many other interesting and historic places. From the city, we drove to Versailles, about an hour drive from Paris, to see this incredibly massive castle of  Louis XIV and its beautiful garden. For overnight, we drove to Chartres, the town with perhaps the most splendid cathedral in the whole of France and one of the most impressive architectural monuments of mankind, according to our guide manager.  Upon arrival in Chartres, we drove to our hotel(called 'novotel')  which was situated not very far from the town. We had dinner at 7:30, and then we retired early for the night.

SEPTEMBER 9, 2009, WEDNESDAY

After breakfast we drove to the cathedral of our Lady of Chartres, situated in an old town outside of Paris,  where I celebrated mass at the crypt of the cathedral. This cathedral of Chartres  is famous for its magnificent medieval stained glass windows. It is also here where you find the white veil which belonged to the Blessed Virgin. This piece of cloth, which Mary was supposed to have worn when she gave birth to Christ,was soon to make Chartres into one of the most popular pilgrimage shrines of medieval Europe. This cathedral is equally famous for its intriguing giant labyrinth; pilgrims used to make their way through the labyrinth praying and skidding on their knees, according to our tour manager. Truly, just looking at the Cathedral itself even from the outside is simply mesmerizing.

From Chartres we headed for Lisieux, home of St.Therese of Lisieux (the Little Flower). First, we visited Carmel, where the incorrupt body of the "little flower" lies in a crystal coffin. In front of the coffin of St. Therese, we said our prayers and intentions. Then we also visited the Basilica dedicated to St.Therese and her parents, Louis and Zelie,  who were  declared as Blessed quite recently. We made our first stop at the crypt of the Basilica, and then we went  inside the Basilica. This basilica was constructed in 1929, and was consecrated in 1954. Its walls and those of the crypt are covered with mosaics that illustrate the message of St. Therese.

After a short drive from Lisieux, we reached Caen. First, we stopped at the "Abbaye aux Hommes," one of the most impressive Romanesque building in the world, not only here in France. We visited the tomb of  Henry the Conqueror and contemplated on some European history going back nearly 1000 years.

After this long day, we went home to our hotel. Our hotel's name is Kyriad Hotel, situated in the town of Caen. We had dinner at 7:30 P.M. and then retired for the night.

SEPTEMBER 10, 2009, THURSDAY

This day is the highlight of our tour. We woke up  at 7:15 AM  and had breakfast at 7:45 AM. After breakfast we drove to the famous landing beaches of Normandy. This is where we revived "the longest day," a critical chapter of the history of the Second World War. Our first stop was at the American War Cemetery of Normandy,where we offered some prayers for all the fallen soldiers who sacrificed their lives so we may be free. The cemetery of Normandy has an impressive location. I understand that there were more than 9,000 allied soldiers who were buried in this cemetery, excluding 1000 soldiers who remained missing.

From here we continued our journey and made a stop at Omaha Beach and at the Pointe du Hoc,which was taken in a daredevil attack by the US Rangers. Military speaking,this was the most impressive stop. We saw some German bunkers, the many pot holes where bombs were dropped during the invasion, and the cliffs where the US Rangers had to climb from the beach to attack the Germans. Looking at these sites was for me a very heart-wrenching experience; not only because many allied forces died in this place, but just the thought  of their bravery and sacrifices, so the future generations may live free, was very moving.

Our next destination was the top highlight of our tour,the Mont St. Michel (Shrine of St. Michael, the Archangel). This shrine was located off the coast of Normandy and Brittany. It was originally called Mont-Tombe. Religious hermits settled here during the 6th century.According to a text written in the early 9th century, St. Aubert,Bishop of Avranches founded the cult to St. Michael. This shrine covers thirteen centuries of history. I was overwhelmed just looking at the massive structure of the abbey (on top of this high mountain). Going up to the Abbey was really an experience you would not forget(it was like climbing up the stairs to heaven). At the top of this massive structure, you find the archangel brandishing a sword 159 meters above the shore. The inside of this monastery was equally stunning. Inside you will find traceried staircases, from the crypt of large Pillars to the Abbey Church and the walled town, from the scriptorium to the refectory - it was simply mesmerizing. It  was such a great experience for me to come and  see this awe-inspiring shrine. After our tour of the shrine, we celebrated mass in honor of St. Michael at one of the side chapels. After mass, we had some time to pick up some little gift items from the many stores in the area. At 6 PM, we returned back to our hotel in Caen. It was a one- and- a-half drive  long going back. We had dinner at 8 PM, then retired for the night.  

SEPTEMBER 11, 2009, FRIDAY

We departed from Caen at 8:00 AM for Paris. It was a three-hour drive journey. When we arrived in  Paris, we continued our extensive and exciting sightseeing. As I said earlier, Paris is such a beautiful and elegant city which is hard to describe in words. Again, we made an overview tour of the city, stopping at some important and historic sites. Our tour manager showed us some very important sites like the Conciergerie building, with its twin towers flanking the entrance to Paris' oldest prison. At the western sector, we saw the Ile-de-la-Cite which is occupied by the Palais de Justice or Palace of Justice, a complex of buildings dating to various periods; From the outside, we also saw the Sainte-Chapelle, a masterpiece of Gothic architecture; we have passed through Pont des Artes, also known as the Passerelle des Arts, a bridge which unites the Louvre's Cour Carree and the left bank of the Seine, where the Institute of France building stands. The Place du Chatelet is a magnificent square which takes its name from an ancient fortress built in wood by Charlesthe Bald in 870, and a fountain is standing at the center of the square, its base decorated with sphinxes and statues; These and many others were the center of our sightseeing in the morning.

For lunch, a number of us from the group were able to find a Chinese restaurant in the area, where we had soup and rice and some veggies for the first time for a meal, after being on a pilgrimage now for a week. We were so elated to be eating rice for the first time on this pilgrimage.

At 3:30 in the afternoon, we stopped at the Rue duBac and visited the Shrine of the Miraculous Medal which contained  the incorrupt body of St. Catherine of Laboure. I celebrated mass here with a group of more than a hundred people. After the mass, I met some Filipino pilgrims from the Philippines and some Irish ladies from Ireland. They attended my mass at the chapel of St. Catherine Laboure, and they were all very delighted to hear mass in English.

After the mass at the shrine of St. Catherine Laboure, we visited the famous cathedral of Notre-Dame. The splendid,  stern cathedral of Notre-Dame dominated Lle-de-la Cite. From the outside, one can readily observe the portals of the basilica with rich sculptural decoration in the lunettes and splays. On the top center, you can find the gallery of all the emperors who ruled France. Upon entering the interior of the cathedral, one is immediately struck  above all by its dimensions: no less than 130 meters long, 50 meters wide and 35 meters high.Cylindrical piers 16 feet in diameter divide the Church into five aisles, and there is an ambulatory around the transept and choir. A gallery with double openings runs around the apse above the arcades, surmounted in turn by the ample windows. Chapels rich in artworks from the 17th and 18thcenturies line the aisles up to the transverse arm of the transept. At each end of the transept are rose windows containing splendid stained glass pieces dating from the 13th century. Finally, there is the ambulatory, with radial chapels containing numerous tombs. Then you find the entrance of the treasury , displaying relics and silverware. Among the most important relics is the Crown of thorns, which many people come and see in this Cathedral. Indeed,this cathedral is just  so marvelous to look at.

From the Cathedral of Notre-Dame, we walked to the Ile St.Louis, where we had our farewell dinner. Ari, our tour guide and manager, gave us a Parisian Treat. The dinner was simply wonderful.

After dinner, a new motor coach picked us up and dropped us near the foot of the Eiffel Tower, where we took an illumination cruise on the Seine river with the "Bateaux Mouches." It was a one hour ride on Seine river. The experience was just wonderful - cruising the river and just having a good time watching at these beautiful structures and buildings on the left and right hand corner of the river.

After our illumination cruise, we  went back  to our hotel. It was past 11 PM when we arrived at our hotel. This was the 10th day of our pilgrimage.  

SEPTEMBER 12, 2009, SATURDAY

We had breakfast at 8 AM. At 8:45 AM, we went out from our hotel and took the underground train of Paris to the foot of the Eiffel Tower. We took the elevator to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower.From this vantage point, we had  a wonderful panoramic view of the whole city of Paris. We were up there for thirty minutes enjoying these beautiful scenic view of the city and taking some memorable pictures.

From the Eiffel Tower, we took a taxi to the Musee d'Orsay. This is a famous museum here in Paris where you find the works of great artists like Cezanne, Monet, Manet, Pisarro, Renoir, Sisley, Lautrec, VanGoh, and many others. We stayed at the museum for almost four hours just admiring these great masterpieces of art works. We had our lunch here too.

From Musee d'Orsay, we walked about quarter of a mile to another great museum, the famous museum of Louvre. I was told that this is the most famous of all the museums in Paris, if not in the world.  Due to lack of time, we were not all able to explore the museum. Some of our group members just went in to see the great art work, "Monalisa." The rest of us travelled to another destination.  

This ended our stay in Paris and our european pilgrimage and tour. Tomorrow morning we will be flying back home to the US.