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World Youth Day in Washington D.C.

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World Youth Day is not only for those able to travel to Rio.  WYD events are planned in many cities throughout the world.  They offer a great opportunity for young people to get together to celebrate this occasion and participate in various activities.  One of these is in Washington, D.C. at the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in what is appropriately called Rio in DC.  The event will be held Saturday evening at  the Monastery beginning at 6:00 pm and ending at 11:00 pm.

There will be live feeds of Pope Francis from Rio, relics John Paul II on display (courtesy of the John Paul II Shrine in Washington), Mass and much more.  It is open to ages 18-35.

Click here for the official Archdiocesan website for details of Rio in DC.

Click here for the official website of the Franciscan Monastery in the Holy Land in Washington, D.C.

Click here for more information about The John Paul II shrine in Washington, D.C.

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Relics of John Paul II are now in Rio for WYD 2013

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Pope John Paul II is the one who organized the first World Youth Day back in 1985.  The first one was a relatively small event held in Rome, but it has now grown to be an international sensation for young Catholics from countries all over the globe.  So it is very fitting that the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano reported that the relics of John Paul II reached the Brazilian capital on Sunday July 7th.  They will be on display at various locations throughout World Youth Day  Pope John Paul II made four visits to Rio during his Pontificate, the last being in 1997 for the World Meeting of Families.

In addition to the World Youth Day there is an art display from July 9th through October 13th entitled  “In the Footsteps of Christ”, with masterpieces from Italy and the Vatican at the National Museum of Fine Arts in Rio. It primarily contains  works by the most famous artists, painters and sculptors, ranging from the year 1400 to 1800, most of which have never been seen in Latin America.

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Egypt in the News

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As we watch the events unfold in Egypt, it might be interesting to consider the reported apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Zeitoun  Here is a video concerning the apparitions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMEWxRB-1dc

Obviously we don’t encourage anyone to travel there right now, but it will be interesting to look back some day and ponder the significance of her appearance in this predominantly Muslim nation, with an ancient Coptic Christian minority..

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Pope Francis’ Summer Schedule Update

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We announced previously that there would be no Wednesday Public Public audiences in July but that is now extended through the month of August.   Nevertheless, Pope Francis will be busy.

On Monday July 8th he will travel to the island of Lampedusa off the coast of Sicily.  It is to this island that many refugees from north Africa (only about 90 miles away) flee and often die in the attempt.   Those who do survive the trip then are held in temporary quarters which are filled beyond capacity and this naturally places a strain on local facilities. Recently some 10 immigrants drowned trying to reach the island.  On this trip  Pope Francis will be dropping a ceremonial wreath in the waters off the coast in memory of all who lost their lives on this perilous journey through the years. 

Plans were previously announced for him to travel to Castel Gandolfo on Sunday, July 14th to lead the Angelus.  Normally the public attends the Angelus when the Pope says it, either in Rome or Castel Gandolfo.  However, we are trying to confirm that this is still on his schedule.  Also, we’ve heard that Pope Francis will be in Castel Gondolfo, as previous popes  have, for the Feast of the Assumption (August 15), but are still trying to verify that.  If you have any information please let us know.

He will travel to World Youth Day in Rio from July 21st through July 30th.

So if you had planned to see Pope Francis in Rome this summer we think you will probably be disappointed.  We don’t expect the weekly Papal audiences to begin before September.

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Feast of Saints Peter and Paul in Rome

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This is one of the Church’s most popular feast days, especially in Rome.  The feast is on June 29th and will be celebrated with fireworks at Castel Sant Angelo beginning at 9:30 p.m.  The feast is also celebrated with the ancient tradition of floral designs laid out in the Piazza Pio XII in front of Saint Peter’s Basilica made of salt crystals and colored sawdust.  The two displays will depict the Sistine Chapel and the other one will show Saints Peter and Paul. A third picture, made up entirely of flowers, will be to honor the Pope and Saint Francis of Assisi.

For more information on the flower festival and its origins click here (in Italian, use the Google Translate button)

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Lourdes Grotto to remain closed for several weeks

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The flooding at the Shrine at Lourdes, France has proven to be much more devastating than the floods of 2012.  Mathias Terrier, the sanctuary’s communications director, has indicated that it will be several weeks, if not longer, before the Shrine will be open to pilgrims.  

Click here for a video showing the damage.

Naturally this is a huge disappointment to those who already had trips planned here.  Those going with an organized group should contact their tour operator or group organizer to find out what changes have been made to their itinerary.

Most tour operators probably cannot cancel their tours at such short notice and we are not sure if trip cancellation/interruption insurance will come in to play in this case. Of course there are a few “cancel for any reason” policies that probably will cover this if you cancel. We invite any tour operators or insurance providers to comment on our blog.  

It is also an economic disaster for the hotels in Lourdes, many of which have suffered flood damage; and even those that have not will undoubtedly be hurt by the lack of visitors over the peak summer season.  

We will keep you updated with all the latest news from the shrine.

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Flooding in Lourdes

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The heavy rains in Europe have made visiting Lourdes, France a challenge.  On June 18th the Grotto was again flooded, as it had been in 2012.  There have been interruptions due to flooding.  If you heading there on your own you may want to check ahead, but don’t let that stop you from visiting the shrine. We expect the situation to return to normal within a few days. 

Click here for a video from the official Lourdes website.

Just a side note:  some independent travelers are mis-spelling Lourdes in their  GPS, leaving the  letter S off the town’s name and thereby going to the wrong town.  There actually is a town named Lourde just south of Toulouse, so be careful that you are headed in the right direction.  The shrine at Lourdes is roughly 100 miles Southwest  of Toulouse whereas the small town of Lourde is only a few miles south of Toulouse.   

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Strike season in Europe

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With the austerity measures hitting home in several European countries you can count on transportation strikes throughout the summer.  Why summer?  Well, that’s high tourist season for European destinations and so that is where the unions can cause the most disruption and have the most leverage in their demands.

Recently France has announced a 3-day strike of air traffic controllers beginning June 11, also a general strike has been called in Portugal for June 27, and the busy tourist season has just begun.  So how do strikes effect your travel plans?  Well, if you are traveling in a group you will no doubt have someone in charge who will help to work around whatever problems arise (see below for an example where this did not work out too well).  Independent travelers, you too need to be aware of the situation and, above all, be flexible.

The good news is most Catholic sites (churches, some museums, etc.) will probably not close, even if state-run museums do.  If possible, call ahead to find out.  You don’t want to break your neck getting to a location only to find that it is not even open.

While you cannot eliminate them, there are a few things you can do to help lessen the effects of a strike on your travel plans.

1. Make yourself aware of pending strikes before you leave.  Most of these are announced days—or even weeks—in advance, giving you time to adjust your plans.  Here is one site that claims to notify of air cancellations…..we will continue to look for others.

2. Purchase travel insurance that covers trip interruption for unforeseen events.  This is a complicated subject, for example you must purchase the insurance before the strike is announced. After the strike is announced, most insurers will not cover you since it’s not an unforeseen event. Check with the travel insurance company and especially look at the fine print. Many travel insurance providers will post a list  of dates and airlines that are not covered.

3. Try to keep bookings as flexible as possible unless you plan to stay in one place for a period of several days.  Pay as little in advance as possible, in the event that it’s nonrefundable.

4.  Have a back-up plan.  If you think that a strike is likely, then figure out in advance what you might do in that situation and come up with an alternative plan.   Spur of the moment decisions, under stress, are not always the best ones.

5.  Most importantly— learn to enjoy the moment.  Being stranded somewhere could present a golden opportunity.  In other words, make the best of  an unpleasant situation.  That is what sets the smart traveler apart from the befuddled tourist who allows their whole trip to be ruined because of a failure to adjust to  unavoidable circumstances.

6.  Finally, don’t put off that trip.  Plan as best you can, then relax….don’t let your fear of the unknown or lack of being in total control prevent you from travelling. 

Remember what I said about how being in a group means someone will take charge?  

Read more

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Pope Francis announces his summer schedule

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The month of July is obviously a very popular time for Catholics to travel to Rome and one of the highlights is the opportunity to see the Pope at a general audience on Wednesdays or perhaps when he says the Angelus in Saint Peter’s Square on Sundays.  Unfortunately that is usually the same month that most Popes leave Rome for the Papal residence at nearby Castel Gandolfo and the weekly Papal audiences are often cancelled.

It has been announced by Prefecture of the Pontifical Household that Pope Francis will not be going to Castel Gandolfo but will be staying in Rome at the Domus Sanctae Marthae Residence where he has been living since becoming Pope.  However, the weekly Wednesday audiences will be cancelled during most of July (there will be a Wednesday audience on July 3rd) and not resume until Wednesday August 7.  This will disappoint many so if you or someone you know is planning to be in Rome during that time period let them know in advance.  

Castel Gandolfo, summer Papal ResidencePope Francis will be traveling to Castel Gandolfo on Sunday July 14th to say the Angelus and the public is welcome so that is your best chance to see him if you will be in Rome during this time period. Those who watched the departure of Pope Benedict XVI on EWTN will no doubt recognize the building on the left. Click here for more details about Castel Gandofo and how to get there.

Pope Francis heads off to World Youth Day in Brazil on July 21st and won’t return until around the first of August.

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Free children’s admission to museums in Italy for non-Europeans

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Until recently the state-run museums and archeological sites in Italy granted free admission to minors who came from European Union countries; however, minors visiting from non-EU member countries were charged admission.  This included such famous sites as the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, the Colosseum in Rome, the National Archeological Museum in Naples and many more.  At 15 Euros or more per admission that could put quite a dent in a family’s budget when traveling with children, or probably even more of a dent for minors traveling alone (the EU defines a minor as being under age 18).  So this is welcome news for those coming from the U.K., Australia, U.S. or other countries outside the European Union.

Note that this does not apply to private museums (notably such places as the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel) which will continue to charge admission for minors.

For a complete list of state-owned museums check out this page on Wikipedia to help you in your travel plans.