Veronica's Veil, Poland, and off to the Holy Land
As we continue our series on the Lenten Station Churches of Rome, we come to a relic that’s shrouded in mystery and intrigue, Veronica’s Veil. And this Sunday you’ll have exactly 60 seconds to see it!
Saint Peter’s Basilica is Sunday’s Lenten Station Church, and during the procession, Veronica’s Veil is brought to the balcony above her statue. Incense is burned, bells are rung, and the reliquary containing the veil is used to bless the faithful — and curious on-lookers.
Next week we also visit Santa Maria in Via Lata. No big deal here, just where where Peter, Luke, and John the Evangelist lived for a while. This is also where Paul was on house arrest for two years, during which time he wrote his letters to the Colossians, Philemon, the Ephesians, and to the Philippians.
You’ll find all the Station Churches here.
Lithuania and Poland Pilgrimage
My annual Lithuania and Poland pilgrimage launches today.
The first group I took to Poland was part of a Patrons’ Only Oberammergau Pilgrimage in 2022 that included Germany, Austria, Czechia, and Poland. Covering that much ground is not my usual style, as I’m sure you know, but we had a lot of great experiences.
Poland was definitely the highlight of that trip and within the first few days we decided we needed a Proper Poland Pilgrimage, which is exactly what we called it. Several people from the 2022 trip signed up for the 2023 trip. That’s how impressive Poland is.
While planning the Poland trip, we decided to go all in on Divine Mercy and include two nights in Vilnius, Lithuania as well — home of the original Divine Mercy image. And wow, Vilnius is amazing! So amazing that for 2024 I added a third night in Vilnius and now the trip is perfection.
For 2025 I am doing the exact same pilgrimage… three nights in Vilnius, three nights in Warsaw, one night in Częstochowa, and five nights in Krakow.
Don’t tell my other itineraries, but Lithuania and Poland is one of my favorites.
You can read the full itinerary here.
As always, Patrons and Paid Substack Subscribers get an early access link to sign up — which you’ll see at the bottom of this email.
For everyone else, sign ups begin on April 9th at noon Eastern. (FYI: Both of the last trips sold out in 48 hours during the pre-sale.)
Off to the Holy Land
Tomorrow I’m headed back to the Holy Land! This will be my first visit since the war began and I can’t wait to touch down in Tel Aviv.
I am excited to lead a group of 20 pilgrims on a nine night pilgrimage that will bring us into Holy Week, as we join the locals for the Palm Sunday procession along the path where Christ entered Jerusalem.
Couldn’t make this trip? Waiting to see how it goes? I’m taking another group in June, which will also include Jordan. Before the war, my Holy Land pilgrimages were selling out in minutes. Now people are understandably a bit more nervous, so I still have space available. This summer should still be pretty quiet, but if things continue to improve, next year could be crazy busy again with 100 buses at each site.
Here’s the link to my June pilgrimage.
Thanks for reading, happy Lenting, and please pray for my group!
— Mountain
And for you paid subscribers, here’s the early sign up link for the Lithuania and Poland Pilgrimage…