Relics of Christ Tour in Rome: Catholic Via Crucis
Description
Follow the relics of Christ’s Passion across Rome on a 3–4-hour Catholic walking pilgrimage. Beginning at St Mary Major, visit St Praxedes, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, the Holy Steps and St John Lateran before reaching Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, where relics associated with the Passion are venerated. An expert Catholic guide connects the sacred art, relics and traditions of each church with Scripture and the life of the Church. This shared tour is created for pilgrims seeking a distinctly Catholic experience rather than a purely secular sightseeing visit.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Begin at St Mary Major, one of Rome’s four Major Papal Basilicas and the city’s great Marian shrine. Venerate the relics of the Holy Crib, see Salus Populi Romani—attributed by Catholic tradition to St Luke—and discover fifth-century biblical mosaics and the tomb of Pope St Pius V.
At St Praxedes, venerate the Column of the Flagellation, traditionally associated with the scourging of Christ. Discover the relics of early Roman martyrs and the basilica’s remarkable ninth-century mosaics, including the Chapel of St Zeno.
Visit the Church of St Alphonsus Liguori to see the original icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, also known as Our Lady of Perpetual Succour and, in the East, Our Lady of the Passion. Learn about the icon’s symbolism and its place in Catholic devotion.
Visit the Holy Steps, traditionally those climbed by Christ at Pilate’s praetorium and brought to Rome by St Helena. See the Sancta Sanctorum and the revered image of Christ attributed by tradition to St Luke and completed by angels. The tour does not include time to climb the steps on your knees; you may return separately.
Enter the Archbasilica of St John Lateran, the cathedral of Rome and Mother and Head of all the churches. Venerate the reliquaries of the heads of Sts Peter and Paul and see part of the table traditionally associated with the Last Supper. Discover the papal cathedral, the Apostles and the Holy Door; the next Jubilee of the Redemption is anticipated in 2033.
Conclude at the Basilica of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, founded around St Helena’s imperial residence and associated by tradition with the relics she brought from Jerusalem. Venerate relics of the True Cross, a Holy Nail, thorns from the Crown of Thorns and the Titulus Crucis, together with the finger of St Thomas and other relics from the Holy Land.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Shoulders and knees must be covered inside places of worship. Please dress respectfully.
- Because Rome’s churches are active places of worship, liturgical celebrations or other events may occasionally require an itinerary adjustment. Any material change will be communicated by email.
- This is a 3–4-hour walking tour covering more than 2 kilometres. Summer heat can make it physically demanding; bring water and wear comfortable walking shoes.
- Not recommended for travellers unable to walk more than 2 kilometres.
Reviews(28)
Claudio a local Roman very devout Catholic, was not only informative of the highlights of this Basilica but gave a very impressive tour of not only the Basilica but the grottoes and was helpful in explaining the Basilica dome climb. Highly recommend this tour.
Very informative! You do quite a bit of walking but it’s worth it!
Our guide was WONDERFUL!! You can tell she really knew the church history and was very kind and warm and friendly !!
This tour was one of the most meaningful experiences of our time in Rome. Our guide Tom was not only deeply knowledgeable, but genuinely charismatic and rooted in the Catholic faith. Rather than just pointing out historical facts, he brought the sites to life through Scripture, theology, and Church history, helping us understand why these places matter to Catholics. Walking the Via Crucis with someone who clearly loves the Church made the experience both intellectually enriching and spiritually moving. I left with a deeper appreciation for the Catholic faith and the Church’s rich heritage, not just more information. If you’re looking for a tour that nourishes your faith as much as your mind, this is absolutely worth it.
We toured churches and Basilcas with Wen on Friday morning (21/11). Wen was a wealth of knowledge about the art, architecture and spiritual significance of what we saw. Highly recommend.
Wen was an exceptional guide! She was extremely knowledgeable and attentive to the curiosity of each of the members of our group. Thank you!
We had an incredible tour guide. Daniel really knows his stuff and made the tour incredibly fun. He was insightful, funny and demonstrated an immense knowledge of the various holy sites we visited. He answered tons of questions and kept the tour moving so as to make the most of our experience at each site. We covered 5 different sites going from the Basilica of San Clemente to St. John Lateran, The Pontifical Sanctuary of the Holy Stairs, The Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem and the Basilica of Saint Mary Major. Its a brisk 3.5- 4 hour tour but covers SO MUCH! This included 2 of the 4 'Holy Doors' and we got to see tons of Holy relics! Every corner we turned uncovered more and more. Cannot say enough good things about our guide and the experience we had.
If you want to get fired up about your Catholic faith in the heart of Rome, this is the tour for you. We learned more on this tour than any tour we have ever taken. Tom is amazing!
A most significant experience. This tour gives you a combination of new discoveries (unknown courageous story of saints), church history, and unseen relics that confirms and strengthens our faith. A MUST see!
This was by far the best and most moving tour we did while in Rome! This is a must do if you are Catholic and even if you are not it is still amazing. Tom was by far the best and most knowledgeable guide in Rome and with the Catholic faith. He was patient with our kids and engaging with them as well. All I can say is Amen Tom and if I could give this tour a 10 I would.
