Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Chartres

An early-morning coach will be arranged to pick up the group from Corpus Christi Church in Brixton and take you to Dover for the ferry crossing to Calais. Upon arrival, our guide will join us for the drive southward to Paris. Our tour of the City of Light begins visiting the Basilica of St. Denis, built on the burial site of the famous Christian martyr now considered the patron saint of the people of France. We continue at Sacre-Coeur Basilica distinguished by its white facade and Roman-Byzantine design. Father Stephane reminds us as its rector that Sacre-Coeur is “first and foremost a shrine dedicated to the goodness and tenderness of Christ’s heart. It is a heart open to all.” After lunch we proceed to Notre-Dame Cathedral to be viewed from outside then onto the Chapel of the Miraculous Medal to have Mass. In 1830 the Virgin Mary appeared to Catherine Laboure here, asking that a medal be made that would bestow great graces to those that wear it. Finally, we walk down the street to the Chapel of St. Vincent de Paul where his body can be viewed within a silver reliquary. Check in to our hotel. Dinner and overnight here.

After breakfast we check out from our hotel and depart for Chartres with our guide. As we approach the city, the towering spires of Notre-Dame de Chartres Cathedral rise into view. In 876 AD, Chartres was gifted the Veil of the Virgin (Sancta Camisa), believed to have been worn by Mary during the birth of Jesus. The silken veil has survived fire and revolution to be on display in Chartres Cathedral today. During our guided tour of this UNESCO World Heritage Site, we will view a large fragment of the veil within a gold reliquary. We also view the Blue Virgin, a stained glass masterpiece depicting in incredible detail the Virgin and Child surrounded by angels. After a break for lunch, we return to tour the crypt below, the largest in France at more than 200 metres in length. Mass here in this special setting. We also view the Notre-Dame de Sous-Terre or Our Lady of the Underworld statue before proceeding upstairs to see the towers and finishing our guided tour of the cathedral. If time permits, we will stop at the Church of St. Aignan on our way to the hotel. Check-in, dinner and overnight here for 2 nights.

Today we enjoy a day at leisure, starting together with Mass at St. Peter’s Church before free time to explore the city. Here are some suggestions: revisit Chartres Cathedral for prayer and reflection; many interesting shops, cafes and medieval buildings in the Old Town area; Parc des Bords de L’Eure, a public park along the River Eure and nearby cathedral; International Stained Glass Centre; Museum of Fine Arts; tourist office in 16th century building, Maison du Saumon.

After breakfast we check out from our hotel and leave Chartres with our guide. Today we visit two benedictine abbeys in Solesmes. We arrive at the first, St. Peter’s Abbey, to join their Mass at 10:00. This promises to be a special experience given the abbey is renowned for its study and restoration of Gregorian chant. Afterwards we may view the exhibition on the abbey and monastic life here. Following lunch we will observe a prayer by the monks at 13:00 (Office of Sexte). We will also stop at St. Cecilia’s Abbey to visit the benedictine nuns here and view the exhibition on the abbey and monastic life. Depart Solesmes for Lisieux where we check in to our hotel. Dinner and overnight here for 2 nights.

In Lisieux you will discover the life of St. Therese who, according to Pope Pius X, was the “greatest saint of modern times”. We first visit the Basilica of St. Therese with its distinctive mosaics and stained glass windows. Mass here. After free time at lunch we then proceed to the Carmel of Lisieux. It is in this monastery that St. Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face, canonised in 1925, spent her religious life from 1888 until her death in 1897. While in Carmel we enter the Chapel of the Tomb to view the shrine to St. Therese with her relics on display and statue shown as resting in peace. We end the day at Les Buissonnets, the Martin family home where she lived from the age of 4 until entering Carmel at 15 years old. Dinner at our hotel and overnight here.

We check out from our hotel in the morning and proceed to the Cathedral of St. Peter in Lisieux for Mass, where St. Therese attended Mass every Sunday during her youth. Depart for Calais. Depending on the ferry schedule, we may be able to have some free time before boarding. Upon arrival in the UK, we will take our coach back to Corpus Christi Church in Brixton.