The Diocese of Evansville completes a successful ten-day pilgrimage and performance tour to Bella Italia

The Diocese of Evansville, Indiana, embarked with Incantato Tours on an exciting ten-day pilgrimage and performance tour to beautiful Italy on September 21, 2010. The Diocesan Choir, under the direction of Mr. Jeremy Korba, was accompanied on this special journey by Evansville’s Bishop Gettelfinger.

The remarkable journey commenced in the small town of Mestre with a Mass performance at the Church Santa Maria Goretti and a special welcome dinner. The group enjoyed a full day of sightseeing along the canals of Venice, including visits to the Piazza San Marco, the Bridge of Sighs, Doge’s Palace, and Saint Mark’s Cathedral where the choir sang High Mass.

The tour ultimately waved arrivederci to Venice as they continued to Padua where they celebrated High Mass with the Franciscan Friars of the Basilica of Saint Anthony before moving on to Tuscany for a traditional lunch and Italian wine tasting. A relaxing tour of Tuscany included an excursion to Siena and the celebration of High Mass at Florence’s Santa Croce Church.

The tour continued to magnificent Assisi en route to Rome. The pilgrimage to Assisi included tours of multiple local basilicas and a very special high mass performance that Jeremy Korba described as “an amazingly prayerful, powerful, and musical experience,” at the famous Saint Francis Basilica. The group eventually arrived in their final destination: the Eternal City.In Rome, the travelers enjoyed guided tours of the Baroque squares including the Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps, visits to the Coliseum and Roman Forum, and a very special private tour of the Vatican Gardens and Museum. The choir even presented a recital in the Sistine Chapel. The choir also sang High Mass at the famed Saint Peter’s Basilica. Bishop Gettelfinger arranged privileged seats for the Evansville group at Wednesday’s Papal Audience, only mere feet from the Pope himself, where the choir was honored as the only ensemble to perform that morning. The tour concluded with a completely packed feature farewell performance at Rome’s Sant’Agnese in Agone and celebratory dinner at Restaurant Nautilus.

The tour returned home to Evansville, Indiana on Thursday, September 30, 2010 with memories to last a lifetime.