CATHOLIC AND ORTHODOX PILGRIMAGES

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CATHOLIC AND ORTHODOX PILGRIMAGES

TOUR 034

PROGRAMME "UKRAINIAN PILGRIMAGE 1"

Day 1 - Arrival to Kiev from USA.Transfer to the "UKRAINE" hotel. Welcome dinner and show with folk ensemble "Koomasenky" at the hotel restaurant. Overnight at hotel.

Day 2 - Breakfast at the hotel restaurant. Sightseeing. Visit to St.Sophia Cathedral (X! cent.), Mikhailovskiy Carthedral (X-X! cent.) - the Orthodox sacred places of Ukraine. Aquaintance with historic monuments of Kiev. Lunch at the restaurant "Vavilon" (the Kiev Cimema Hall). Visit to the mass at the Nickolay Cathedral (end of the XIX cent.). Dinner at the hotel restaurant.

Day 3 - Breakfast at the hotel restaurant. Sightseeing with visit to Kievo Pecherskaya Lavra (including the visit to the caves with relic of saints' bodies). Visit to the Greek-Catholic church at the Ascold' s grave tomb. Lunch at the city restaurant. Visit to the Alexandrovskiy Cathedral, mass in the Cathedral. Free time. Dinner at the hotel restaurant.Transfer to the railway station. Accommodation the train N 91 (Kiev-Lvov) in double and single seat compartments. Overnight transfer to Lvov.

Day 4 - Arrival to Lvov. Transfer to the hotel "Grand Hotel". Breakfast at the hotel restaurant. Sightseeeing town with visits to: St.Martin's Roman Catholic Church (founded in XYII cent. by the Carmelite Order) , St.John the Baptist's Roman Catholic Church (XIY cent.), Mariyi Snezhnoyi Roman Catholic Church (XIY cent.), Benedictine Monastery Complex (XYI cent.), Armenian Cathedral (XIY cent.). Lunch at the restaurant "Dzherelo". After lunch the sightseeing programme continued. Visit to the mass in the Catholic Cathedral of Lvov. Dinner at the hotel restaurant. Overnight in hotel.

Day 5 - Breakfast at the hotel restaurant . After breakfast the sightseeing programme with visits: Bernardynsky Kostel (St. Bernard's Roman Catholic Church, XYII cent.), Dominican Roman Catholic Church (XYIII cent.), Kostel Yezuyitiv (Jesuit Roman Catholic Church, XYII cent.) Sobor Svyatogo Yura (St.George's Cathedral, XYIII cent.), main church of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church. Lunch at the restaurant "Oselya" (the Ukrainian national cuisine). Transfer to Olesky (50 km from Lvov) with visit to the castle and the monastery of caputsins. Return to Lvov. Dinner at the hotel restaurant. Organ music concert in the Catholic Cathedral. Overnight in hotel.

Day 6 - Breakfast at the hotel restaurant. Bus transfer to Pochaev (100 km from Lvov). On the way visit to the town of Brody (XI cent.) and its historic monuments. Arrival to Pochaev, visit to the most important Orthodox sacred place-Pochaev Lavra (XYI cent) as well as other historic monuments of the town. Lunch at the town restaurant. Return to Lvov via Kremenets with visits (o the places of interest Bogoyavlenskyi Catholic Monastery (XYII cent.)., Collegium ensemble (XYII cent.), Castle (XII cent.) and other architecture monuments.Return to Lvov Dinner at the hotel restaurant. Overnight in hotel.

Day 7 - Breakfast in hotel. Transfer to Zovkva (32 km from Lvov) with visits to cathedrals and churches: - St. Bartolomey Roman Catholic Church (XIY cent.), Voznesensky (Assumption) Roman Catholic Church (XY cent.) and etc. Visit to the mass. Lunch at the local restaurant. Return to Lvov. Free time. Transfer to the railway station. Accommodation the train N 92. (Lvov-Kiev) in 2/1- seat compartments. Dinner at the train restaurant.

Day 8 - Arrival in Kiev. Breakfast at the city restaurant. Departure for the Borispol airport. Flight home

TOUR 035

PROGRAMME "UKRAINIAN PILGRIMAGE 2"

"... For Ukrainians of Western Ukraine, who are mostly Catholics, the Zarvanytsya place of worship was equivalent to Fatima in Portugal, or Lourdes in France, and it is much older than these two."
Atanas T. Kobryn, "Sun Herald" columnist

Escorted all-inclusive tour.
Kyiv - Lviv - Yaremcha - Chernivtsi - Ternopil - Lviv - New York (plus Hrushiv, Hoshiv, Univ, Pochaiv, Pidkamin, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kolomiya, Kamyanets-Podilskiy, Hoverla National Park, and more);
First class rail (Kyiv - Lviv) and private motorcoach.
First class hotels.
All guided tours by private motorcoach with bilingual English/Ukrainian guides. Guided sightseeing even on travel days (no "dumb rides").
Three meals daily (including special national cuisine and farewell dinners) starting with lunch day of arrival ending with breakfast day of departure (total 36 meals).

Day 1 - Kyiv . Fly into Golden-domed Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine and the cradle of Eastern Slavic civilization. Founded in the 5th century, it became the capital of Kyiv Rus. It was in Kyiv that Christianity first found a foothold among Eastern Slavs when Prince Volodymyr the Great had his people collectively baptized in the Dnipro [Dnieper] River in A.D.988. Kyiv suffered severely during World War II; many irreplaceable architectural and art treasures were destroyed. After considerable restoration, Kyiv is now the most popular tourist city in Ukraine.
Arrival in Kyiv , motorcoach transfer to the hotel. Lunch at the hotel.
After lunch - a tour of Kyiv. Of the most interesting sites the standard city tour includes: the magnificent St.Sophia's Cathedral, consecrated in 1037 by Prince Yaroslav the Wise (he was buried there in 1054); the Golden Gate of Kyiv built in 1307; St.Andrew's Church (18th century), designed by Rastrelli, the famous architect who built the world famous Winter Palace in St.Petersburg; St.Volodymyr's Cathedral (19th century); St.Volodymyr's Hill and the Monument to St.Volodymyr; Khreshchatyk Street, the city's elegant main boulevard; Maydan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square); Kyiv University; Opera House; etc

Day 2 - Kyiv. In the morning - visit to Kiyevo-Pecherska Lavra. Kiyevo-Pecherska Lavra, cave monastery founded in 1051 by monks Anthony and Theodosius, in the catacombs where one can see the "holy relics" of the most spiritually advanced monks. It comprises a whole series of churches, cathedrals and monuments. Among them are: the Trinity Church, built over the entrance gate, which dates from 1108; the walls of the Upper Monastery, built between 1698 and 1701; All Saints' Church (17th century), built over another gateway; the unimaginably high monastery belfry, built in 1731-45. Outside the complex of buildings stands the ancient church, built early in the 12th century by Prince Volodymyr Monomakh as a burial place for the princes of Kyiv.Lunch downtown. After lunch - a brief visit to the Podol area where many souvenir stores, galleries, etc. are located. Early dinner. Transfer to the rail station. Departure for Lviv by first class (two-berth compartments) overnight train #91 at 20:51.

Day 3 - Lviv. The administrative center of Lviv Province and the "unofficial capital" of Halychyna, Lviv is the most European city in Ukraine. Most of the old architecture (16th to 19th centuries) remains intact. It is a treasure of many architectural styles: Gothic, Italian Renaissance, Byzantine, German Baroque, rococo, classicist and many more. Arrival in Lviv at 07:34. Transfer to the hotel. After breakfast - tour of Lviv. The standard city tour includes the following major sites: the High Castle or Prince Hill, where the fortress used to be, with the panorama lot; the Church of St.Nicholas (13th century); the Church of Assumption and the Kornyakt Belfry (16th century); the Church of St.Parasceve (17th century) and its unique 70-icon iconostasis; the Cathedral of Dominicans (18th century); the Old Pharmacy; Market Square (over 40 14th-18th-century buildings enough for a separate 2 to 3-hour tour); St.George's Cathedral (18th century); St.John's Cathedral (14th century); the "Vienna-like" Prospekt Svobody (Liberty Avenue); the magnificent Opera House (exterior),
etc.
After lunch - excursion to the National Museum (Section of Sacral Art).
Apart from good Ukrainian, Polish, Russian and Western paintings, it has a remarkable collection of 14th-18th-century icons (Christian sacral paintings). From the Museum we will proceed to St. Michael Studites Monastery. Visit to the monastery's icon workshop to see the collection of 13th-20th c.c. icons (many of them were found, saved and restored by the monks), including the unique 13th c. icon of St. George. A brief lecture on how the icons are created; meaning and traditions of Ukrainian iconography, saving of icons during the years of persecution and their restoration. Dinner at the Monastery.

Day 4 - Lviv. In the morning - visits to the local History Museum (including the Hall of Jan III Sobieski with its unique collection of treasures). Lunch downtown. In the afternoon - visit to the Historical Park "Shevchenkivskiy Hai" The city-located open-air Museum of Traditional Rural Architecture and Every-Day Life "Shevchenkivskiy Hai", shows how country people lived in various ethnographic zones of the western Ukraine, the biggest sections being those pertinent to the Carpathian region. Boyko wooden churches are stunningly beautiful (some of them operating, some are just exhibits).

Day 5 - Lviv- Univ (Mehzyhirya) - Hlynyany - Lviv .After breakfast - day trip to the Univ Holy Assumption Monastery. Lunch at the Monastery. The Univ Holy Assumption Monastery is the headquarters of the Studites (founded by Clementy Sheptytskiy). Under the Soviets the building was used by a psychiatric hospital and gradually turned into ruins. Recently, due to the efforts of the Studites, the Monastery has regained its original splendor. Today it is a major place of pilgrimage and a unique sample of medieval (14th c.) fortress-like monastery architecture. Tourists also visit the 14th c. Assumption Church, house of Clementy Sheptytskiy (restored fall 1999), rich collection of sacral objects at the Monastery's museum. They may visit the graveyard in the woods, where monks were secretly buried during the Soviet rule. Visitors will also see how the monks live now in their daily prayers running a small cattle farm, bee hives, helping orphans and disabled. On the way back - visit to the local church in Hlynyany to see the famous icon of Mary, Mother of God, that miraculously restored itself in the early 1920-ies.

Day 6 - Lviv - Pidkamin - Pochaiv - Lviv . After breakfast - day-trip to Pochaivska Lavra and Pidkamin. Lunch en route. The Pochaiv Monastery (16th-20th centuries), also known as Pochaiv Lavra, is a major East European Christian sanctuary always full of pilgrims from all over Ukraine and neighboring countries. The tour usually includes visits to the Assumption and Trinity churches, and the cave chapel of St. Iov of Pochaiv. Day-trip to Pochaiv usually includes a visit to the village of Pidkamin located about 45 min drive from Pochaiv. This is a place that undoubtedly deserves to be on the front page of The National Geographic Magazine. It derived its name from a huge hanging rock. In the 17-th c. a wonderful Baroque church was built there by the Dominicans, which made the view even more impressive. The Dominican Monastery in Pidkamin was turned into asylum by the Soviets, and just recently returned back to the church (though a part of it still belongs to the psychiatric hospital). Right by the monastery stands a pillar with the gilded statue of the Virgin Mary of Gdansk

Day 7 - Lviv - Hrushiv - Hoshiv - Ivano-Frankivsk - Yaremcha. En route to Yaremcha we will visit The Holy Trinity Church in Hrushiv and the Hoshiv Monastery. The Holy Trinity Church (early 18th c.) in Hrushiv is not only a beautiful example of Galiciam traditional architecture, but also a place of pilgrimage from all-over the world. The church gained renown during the 1970-ies and 1980-ies after parishioners reported seeing a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Hoshiv is another popular place of Christian pilgrimage.In the 16th century a monastery was founded there. En route - a brief stop in Ivano-Frankivsk for lunch and to see the Old Town.
Ivano-Frankivsk is the administrative center of Ivano-Frankivsk Province. Built on the site of the village of Zabolottya, in 1662 (during the period of Polish reign) it was named Stanislawow. In 1962 the city was named after the famous Ukrainian writer, Slav scholar and philosopher - Ivan Franko. The standard city tour usually includes: Roman-Catholic Cathedral (1672-1703); Armenian Church (1742) and Resurrection Cathedral (1753) - samples of baroque style; the City Hall (1695).
Yaremcha is the most popular climatic resort in the Carpathian Mountains. Picturesque location, fresh air, peculiar cuisine.

Day 8 - Yaremcha - Hoverla National Park - Yaremcha . Visit to the Hoverla National Park. The section of the Hoverla National Park open for public is about 50 km south of Yaremche (a nice scenic ride) and about 10 km east of the highest peak of the nation - Hoverla (2060 m above the sea level).
Climbing the peak is not included in a standard visit, but from the parking lot tourists may have a pleasant walk through the beautiful forest untouched by civilization (this is one of the few places in the world where you can still find such rare plants as arnica and edelweiss - pick at your own risk, for it is illegal). The views of the mountains are absolutely stunning (even tourists from Switzerland admit that). National Hutsul cuisine dinner at the "Hutsulshchyna" Restaurant.

Day 9 - Yaremcha - Kolomiya - Chernivtsi. After breakfast departure for Chernivtsi. En route - visit to the Museum of Traditional Carpathian Crafts in Kolomiya (wood-carvings, "lizhnyks" - ornamented sheep wool blankets, carpets, leather goods, embroidery, etc.). Upon arrival - a brief tour of Chernivtsi. Chernivtsi is the administrative center of Chernivtsi Province (ethnographers refer to it as Bukovyna or, rather, northern Bukovyna). The first mention of the city of Chernivtsi dates back to the 12th century. It was founded on the river Prut as a fortress to protect the Slavic territories from steppe nomads raids. Lasting periods of foreign domination and the multi-national ethnic structure of the population determined the peculiar architectural image of the city, folk art and cuisine.
Standard city tour of Chernivtsi includes: the former residence of the Bukovynian archbishops, now the University of Chernivtsi (erected in 1864-82, designed by famous Czech architect Josef Glavka); Chernivtsi Opera House (1869-75) - a masterpiece of the Austrian architects Fehlner and Helmer (the ones who designed Opera House buildings in Vienna and Odesa); Armenian Church (1869-75) designed by Joseph Glavka (due to its excellent acoustics, chamber music concerts often take place there); and the famous Kobylyanska Street - most characteristic example of Austro-Ukrainian secession style.

Day 10 - Chernivtsi - Khotyn - Kamyanets-Podilskiy - Ternopil. After breakfast - departure for Ternopil via Khotyn and Kamyanets-Podilskiy (it is worth every extra mile). Kamyanets-Podilskiy is an ancient (at least 940 years old) town located 90 km north-east of Chernivtsi. World War II intensive fighting and air raids destroyed almost three quarters of the priceless architectural monuments of the pre-war Kamyanets-Podilski, but even the remainder - with over 100 architectural monuments and other sites of 11th-18th c.c., including the huge fortress, numerous churches and cathedrals, public buildings - is very impressive. Since 1977 the whole town is the National Historical and Architectural Preserve. Kamyanets-Podilskiy is usually visited together with the town of Khotyn to see the most outstanding sample of Ukrainian medieval fortification. Khotyn fortress (12th-16th centuries) was the biggest fortress in Europe. The area near the fortress was the site of many battles in the course of the lasting wars with Turkey. The biggest took place in September 1621, the total number of men on both sides was nearly 300,000. Lunch en route.

Day 11 - Ternopil - Zarvanytsya - Lviv. After breakfast - departure for Zarvanytsya. Zarvanytsya has been a major pilgrimage place for centuries. The shrine of a miraculous icon of Mary, Mother of God, was destroyed during the war and the Soviet communist occupation. As of fall 1999, construction of a new Basilica Of Blessed Virgin Mary In Zarvanytsya was under way. It should be completed in 2000. By the decision of the Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church national pilgrimage to Zarvanytsya has taken place July 22-23, 2000. Lunch en route to Lviv.

Day 12 - Lviv. All day free for individual activities (like last-minute shopping for souvenirs). Farewell dinner. Overnight transfer to Kyiv by rail.

Day 13 - Kyiv - New York
After breakfast - transfer to Kyiv Airport .

TOUR 036

"UKRAINE - THE CRADLE OF ORTHODOX IN EAST EUROPE"

Day 1 - Arrival in Kiev. Transfer to hotel "Ukraine". Welcome dinner and folk ensemble "Koomasenky" show at the hotel restaurant. Overnight in hotel.

Day 2 - Breakfast at the hotel restaurant. Sightseeing with visits to St.Sophia Cathedral (XI cent), Mikhailovsky Cathedral (X-XI cent.) – the Ukraine Orthodox objects of worship. Acquaintance with the monuments of Kiev architecture. Lunch at the restaurant "Vavilon" of the Cinema Hall. Attend service at Vladimir Cathedral. Dinner at the hotel restaurant. Overnight in hotel.

Day 3 - Breakfast at the hotel restaurant. Excursion to Kievo-Pecherskaya Lavra. Attend service at one of the Lavra's temple. Lunch at the restaurant "Tet-a-Tet". Visit to St.Frol nunnery, St.Nickolay Church and other Orthodox temples at Podol (one of the historic regions of Kiev). Dinner at the hotel restaurant. Transfer to the railway station. Accommodation the train N 28 Kiev-Sevastopol in 1/2 -seat compartments. Overnight transfer to Sevastopol.

Day 4 - Breakfast in train. Lunch at the train restaurant. Arrival in Sevastopol. Transfer to the hotel "Ukraine". Accommodation. Excursions in Khersones: the place where prince Vladimir was christened. The history of the Khersones monastery. Visit to Vladimir Cathedral on the territory of the Khersones museum-preserve. Transfer to Balakklava St.Jorje monastery, one of the oldest Orthodox monasteries (founded in 891). Sightseeing city with visits to the St. Peter and St. Paul Cathedral, St.Vladimir Cathedral - the burial-vault of Russian admirals and others. Dinner

Day 5 - Breakfast at the hotel restaurant. Visit to the St. Climant Monastery in Inkerman with cave temples of St.Andrew, St.Martin and St. Climent with relic of saints, bodies of St. Nickolay - the Miracle man, St. Climent of Romas, Gerge Pobedonosets, Sergiy Radonezskiy and others. Lunch at the refectory of St. Nickolay temple. Free time. Dinner at the city restaurant. Overnight in hotel.

Day 6 - Breakfast at the hotel restaurant. Transfer to the "cave-town" Esky-Kermen Sightseeing the remains of the Middle Ages Orthodox temples and the temple of Three Riders cut in the rock's fragment. Lunch in Bakhchisaray. Sightseeing town, visit to Uspenskiy Monastery (XY=XIX cent.)- the centre of Orthodox religion in Crimea. Return to Sevastopol. Dinner at the city restaurant. Overnight in hotel

Day 7 - Breakfast at the hotel restaurant. Transfer to the South Beach of Crimea. Livadia. Visit to the palace-nuseum- the summer residence of the last Russian tsar Nickolay II. Visit to the temple Vozdvishenier (Exaltation of the Cross), the former tsar family church. Transfer to Yalta. Visit to the Alexander Nevskiy Cathedral, sightseeing town. Lunch at the town restaurant. Transfer to Simpheropol to accommodate the train N12 leaving for Kiev, in 1/2-seat compartments. Dinner at the train restaurtant. Overnight on board the train

Day 8 - Arrival in Kiev. Breakfast at the city restaurant. Free time, shopping, walking in the city. Transfer to airport. Flight home. END of the tour.

Tour 036-A

UKRAINIAN AND RUSSIAN CATHOLIC PILGRIMAGE - 2002

07.07, Sunday – Arrival in Kiev. Accommodation train-hotel "Dzherelo". Welcome dinner. Night transfer to Lvov

08.07, Monday – The train stands in Brukhovichi. Visit the Theological Seminary. Bus transfer to Lvov. Accommodation "Grand Hotel". Sightseeing with visits Catholic churches and Monastery and Cathedrals

09.07, Tuesday – Continue sightseeing with visit Catholic churches of XYII-XYIII centuries and Sobor Svyatogo Jura (St.George's Cathedral, XYIII cent.), the main church of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic churches, the residence of the Pope during visit to Ukraine in June 2001. Mass in the St.Anthony. Night transfer to Chernovtsi.

10.07, Wednesday – Accommodation the hotel "Cheremosh". Sightseeing with visit churches and the state University, the former residence of the Bookovina metropolis since 1864.

11.07, Thursday – "Dzherelo" train transfer Chernovtsi-Kolomiya-Ivano Frankovsk with visit and Mass in the church of Lord Christ. Night transfer to Kiev

12.07, Friday – Arrival in Kiev. Accommodation Hotel "President Hotel-Kievskaya".Sightseeing with visit St.Sophia Cathedral, Mikhailovskiy Cathedral and others sacred places of Ukraine

13.07, Saturday – Continue sightseeing with visit Kievo-Pecherskaya Lavra and Creek-Catholic and Catholic Churches. Train "Dzherelo" transfer to Moscow.

14.07, Sunday – Accommodation the Moscow hotel "Ukraine". Visit Kremlin with Cathedrals and the Palace of Treasures.

15.07, Monday – Continue sightseeing with the whole day visit the Trinity Monastery of St.Sergius

16.07, Tuesday – Bus sightseeing Moscow with visit Fine Arts Pushkin's Museum. Mass in SS.Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church. Departure by fast train to St.Petersburg. Accommodation the hotel "Pribaltiiskaya"

17.07, Wednesday – Sightseeing with visit Our Lady of Kazan Church, St.Alexander Monastery, St.Nickolas Cathedral

18.07, Thursday – Continue sightseeing with visit Hermitage, Admiralty and St.Isaac's Cathedral

19.07, Friday – Boat transfer to Peterhoff, Peter and Paul Fortress, Summer Palace, Alexander Palace

20.07, Saturday – After breakfast bus transfer to Poolkovo airport. Flight home.

Tour 36-B

SWITZERLAND PILGRIMS IN UKRAINE

16.08, Friday - Arrival in Kiev. Accommodation "Dzherelo" train. Welcome dinner

17.08, Saturday - Sightseeing Lvov with visit churches and cathedrals. Concert of organic music. Dinner and overnight in hotel

18.08, Sunday - Continue sightseeing with visit churches and cathedrals. Overnight transfer to Chernovtsy

19.08, Monday - Sightseeing with visit the State University, the former residence of the Bookovina Metropolitan. Visits churches, Mass. Dinner and overnight in hotel

20.08, Tuesday - Transfer Kolomiya-Ivano Frankovsk with sightseeing of both towns. Overnight transfer to Kamenets Podolskiy

21.08, Wednesday - Visit and Mass in the Cathedral of SS Peter and Paul. Sightseeing with visit the fortress, Train transfer to Gorodok. Night transfer to Zhitomir

22.08,Thursday - Sightseeing with visit and Mass in the Cathedral of St.Sofia. Transfer by train to Kiev. Accommodation "President-Hotel Kievskaya". Free time. Dinner and overnight in hotel

23.08, Friday - Sightseeing. Lunch at the city restaurant "Vavilon" with folk ensemble. Continue sightseeing with visit and Mass in the St.Alexander Cathedral. Dinner and overnight in hotel

24.08, Saturday - Sightseeing with visit Kievo-Pecherskaya Lavra. Lunch at the restaurant "Tete-a-Tete". Visit and Mass in the St.Nikolas Cathedral. Overnight and dinner in the hotel

25.08, Sunday - Free time, departure home.