Summer Catholic Pilgrimage: Experience Peter Claver in Barcelona!
The 2019 summer pilgrimage was a great experience for the Knights and Ladies of Peter Claver who journeyed on the 10 Hour Flight to Europe. These Catholic faithful found the pilgrimage to be a trip of a lifetime as numerous Claver Family and friends were united in faith. The Barcelona & Rome tour from the US featured 16 devotees, united in faith and fellowship, pursuing deep insight and experience into the early life of the saint.
According to the pilgrims, the tour to Barcelona located in Catalonia, Spain afforded them a firsthand experience of the birth region of St. Peter Claver. Barcelona is a world-class city filled with historic churches, culture, art, and great food. The pilgrimage inspired a deeper understanding of the early life of the saint, enhancing their religious experience in the Catholic faith and improving their fellowship with one another.
More than three centuries ago, St. Peter Claver was born in Catalonia, Spain, in the small town of Verdu, about 1 hour or so outside of Barcelona.
The tour of the place near his birth was a significant start as the Knights and Ladies seek to deepen their connection to the life and ministry of the humble, selfless, Jesuit priest.
The pilgrimage continued to the Black Madonna at Montserrat, where they were worshipped with other pilgrims in a standing room-only Pentecost Mass.
Some travelers ventured into the old Gothic Quarter of Barcelona for some fresh Paella, a great Spanish dish with African influence. Then, they passed the famous Cathedral of the Jesuits in Barcelona at La Rambla, a site that Peter Claver possibly visited himself in his time before his studies.
They also included a three-day stop in Rome! They visited the Vatican Museums before culminating in an exclusive tour of the Tomb of St. Peter under the St. Peter’s Basilica.
2019 Rome Tour 
Basilica of the Sagrada Familia 
Views from the top of Montserrat. 
Pentecost Sunday Mass in the Monastery’s Basilica at Montserrat 2019 
Black Madonna at Montserrat
You could see from the looks and expressions of these Knights and Ladies as they returned home that they longed for more. Such is the rich pilgrimage experience that has often helped scores of Catholic faithful to stay in touch with their roots and be deeply connected to their faith. These Knights and Ladies did not miss a chance to share their personal experiences and many acknowledge their willingness to join in our next Pilgrimage 2020.
The next St. Peter Claver Pilgrimage is scheduled for June 11th-18th 2020 to Cartagena, Colombia & Mexico City, Mexico next summer. The trip will take the faithful for a rich and spiritually-tuned exploration to the place where the saint devoted most of his life and ministry to evangelizing the black slaves of New Granada.
This pilgrimage will come to its climax at the three-centuries-old Saint Peter Claver Church located in the Plaza de San Pedro Claver, Cartagena. Here, the pilgrims will be allowed to see the relics of the saint lying at the bottom of the marble main altar in a golden bronze and glass urn, gift of Pope Leo XIII. After that, they will be allowed a time of rich spiritual reflection before they proceed to the next destination.
We also have a great partnership with Liberty Bank to help finance this great experience. Please Contact Lady Mary Battle (clavertravel@stpeterclaverpilgrimages.com) and mention this article for an exclusive offer! Click Here to reserve your seat today!