(Includes shrines of the original painting of Divine Mercy, canonically crowned images of Our Lady Gate of the Dawn, Our Lady of Siluva and Mother of God in Trakai)

Day 1 (Monday) Depart USA
  Depart Los Angeles International Airport on Lufthansa Flight number 457 at 310pm.
 
Day 2 (Tuesday) – Arrive Vilnius
Arrive Frankfurt Airport at 1050am. Change planes. Depart Frankfurt Airport on Lufthansa Flight number 896 and arrive Vilnius at 605pm. Check in at Centro Klubas located next to the Old Town Square. Welcome dinner and traditional Lithuanian program.
 
Day 3 (Wednesday) – Vilnius
Mass at 8:00am with Archbishop Gintaras Grusas at the Chapel of Saint Casimir (in the Basilica of St. Stanislaus and Ladislaus).The coronation of Grand Dukes of Lithuania took place here. Many famous people from the Lithuanian and Polish history are buried inside the crypts and catacombs, including unidentified prelates believed to be martyrs during persecution years. Built in 1251, after King Mindaugas converted to Christianity and one time became a pagan place of worship. When Lithuania converted to Christianity in 1387, a gothic cathedral was built with five chapels. Tour of the Cathedral and see exact replica of the Shroud of Turin.
 
Breakfast at the hotel. Visit and pray at the Shrine of Our Lady Gates of Dawn. Vilnius is often called the City of Mercy. Throughout history, “it is a place in need of mercy and in the last twenty years, a place where we need to show mercy.”  In the 1600s, a painting of Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn was created and placed in a niche above one of the prominent city gates. When Vilnius was captured by the Swedish army, our Lady came to her people’s rescue.  At dawn, the Polish-Lithuanian army successfully defended the city near the gate.  Many miracles are attributed to the image, which was canonically crowned Mother of Mercy by Pope Pius XI in 1927.
 
Begin tour of Vilnius.  From its first ruler, the Grand Duke to today’s democratically elected government; Vilnius has a rich and varied history. First visit St. Peter and Paul’s church, St. Anne’s and St. Bernadine’s church, House of St. Faustina, the Presidential Palace, the Russian Orthodox Church of the Holy Spirit and Cathedral Heritage Museum. Walk and shop at Gedimino Prospektas. Return to hotel.
 
Day 4 (Thursday) – Vilnius-Trakai-Vilnius
At 800am we drive to Trakai. Before seeing Trakai Castle, visit St. Mary’s Church where the icon of the Mother of God of Trakai is located. It is said to be the first and oldest known in Lithuania. It was a gift from the Emperor of Constantinople on the occasion of the baptism of Grand Duke Vytautas. In 1409, Vytautas built a church in Trakai and donated the portrait to the local church. This picture soon became well-known for its miracles. Pope Clement XI bestowed the canonical crown on September 4, 1718.
 
Continue to Trakai Castle and lunch by the lake.  Back to Vilnius University — one of the oldest universities in eastern Europe  (founded in 1579) with St. John’s Church, KGB Museum and Gediminas Castle. From the top, witness some of the most spectacular views of the city and its surrounding rivers .  Evening Mass at the Shrine of Divine Mercy. Optional walk of the Old Town Square.
 
Day 5 (Friday) – Vilnius
Mass at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul. After Mass, visit Akropolis. Vilnius Akropolis is the largest multi-functional shopping center in the Baltic countries in terms of area, number of shops, choice of services and entertainment. Free time to shop, eat and enjoy the facilities. Optional walk on Pileis Street for souvenirs.
 
Day 6 (Saturday) Vilnius-Dzukija-Grutas Park-Druskininkai
Day in tranquillity of unspoiled nature & past. Trip to Dzukija National Park, famous for wild forests, mushrooms, berries, and authentic villages. Visit ethnographic village and get acquainted with the locals. Learn how to make and try “egg tree cake” or sakotis. Lunch.  Continue to Grutas Parkas, an outdoor museum of notorious Soviet political figures.  Stay overnight at the Best Baltic Hotel Druskininkai Central*** or similar. Enjoy yourself at a spa or water amusement park.
 
Day 7 (Sunday) Druskininkai-Rumsiskes-Kaunas
Mass at the Church of Saint Mary of Scapular. Drive to Kaunas. Proceed to Rumsiskes – open air country life museum, depicting the 18-19th century architecture, traditions, crafts and way of life. Tour of Kaunas Old Town – includes: Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul, the Old Town of Kaunas with its St George’s church, Theological Seminary, Town Hall Square, Church of Vytautas. Overnight at the Hotel Daugirdas**** or similar. 
 
Day 9 (Monday) – Kaunas – Siluva - Klaipeda
Check out of hotel in Kaunas and depart for the Shrine of Our Lady of Siluva. Two hundred fifty years before Lourdes and Fatima, our Lady appeared to little children while tending their sheep at a village, holding her baby in her arms and weeping bitterly. The townsfolk witnessed the apparition and went to look for the painting of our Lady which they venerated some eighty years ago.  A blind man who helped the Catholic pastor to bury it together with other church artifacts during Communist occupation, pointed to the rock that led to its recovery.  A Papal Decree declaring the authenticity of the apparition was issued by Pope Pius VI on August 17, 1775. He also  bestowed the canonical crown on September 8, 1786. It is the second known apparition of the Mother of God in Europe.  Mass at the Shrine of Our Lady of Siluva at noon.  Arrive Klaipeda in the afternoon. Check in at the Hotel Memel.
 
Day 10 (Tuesday) – Klaipeda – Palanga-Klaipeda
Mass at 900am at the Mary The Queen of Peace Church . After Mass, tour of Klaipeda, Lithuania’s main seaport. Visit Theatre Square with statue of Annchen von Tharau, Old Post Office and Town. Continue to Palanga, visit the Botanic Garden and Amber Museum in the palace of Count Tyszkiewicz. Return to hotel in the afternoon. Free time for wine and cheese by the harbor restaurants.    
 
Day 11 (Wednesday) – Klaipeda – Nida - Klaipeda
After breakfast, depart for a full day tour of the Kuronian Peninsula. In Nida visit the summer residence of Thomas Mann, the Nobel Prize-winning German author, Fisherman’s House-museum. See a typical fisherman’s village and walk along some impressive sand dunes. Bring your sandals and shorts to enjoy Nida’s broad beach with shallow waters. Return to Klaipeda. Mass at 600pm in St. Casimir Church.
 
Day 12 (Thursday) – Klaipeda – Telsiai-Siauliai
After breakfast depart for Siauliai. Stop in Telsiai at the Cathedral of St. Anthony of Padua for private Mass at Bishop Vincentas Borisevičius Priest Seminary chapel. Continue to the Hill of Crosses, one of Lithuania’s holiest shrines. Pope John Paul II celebrated Mass here. UNESCO recognizes this site as the intangible cultural heritage of Lithuania, a symbol of national and religious identity. The tradition of planting wooden crosses on this hill has been going on from generations to generations. From mourning relatives of victims from the Russian regime, to strong defiance of religious oppression or simply to ask and thank God for favors granted, thousands come to this holy place for more than hundred years.  Visit the Francisican Monastery nearby. Check in to the Grafo Zubovo Hotel.
 
Day 13 (Friday) – Siauliai - Vilnius
Check out of hotel. Mass at the Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul. Enroute to Vilnius, make a brief stop in Kaunas to visit the Convent of Pazaislis – famous for its architecture and miraculous icon of Virgin Mary. Continue to Kaisiadory's Shrine of Blessed Teofilius Matulionis, Lithuania’s recently recognized martyr. Overnight at hotel in Vilnius. Farewell dinner.
 
Day 14 (Saturday) – Depart Vilnius for Los Angeles
Check out of hotel and transfer to Vilnius airport for your flight on Lufthansa flight number 893 departing at 605am. Arrive Frankfurt at 715am. Change planes. Depart Frankfurt on Lufthansa flight number 456 at 1030am and arrive Los Angeles International airport at 110pm.

For further details contact Vytis Tours (800) 778-9847 Ext. 1001 or (323) 530-7652