Another gorgeous day for our guided tour of Milan — emphasizing the incredible Duomo Cathedral of Milan dedicated to the Nativity of the Virgin Mary. Because of it’s Gothic style it seems to rise into the sky as light as a feather. It holds 40,000 people and boasts 135 spires!

It has 3,400 statues! It took almost six centuries to build. It is the largest church in Italy (not counting Saint Peter‘s in Vatican), 2nd largest in Europe and arguably the third largest church in the world.

One of the treasures of this church is in the grotto below with the eight-sided baptistery where St. Ambrose baptized St. Augustine the end of the fourth century. Just imagine the intellectual and spiritual fire power between those two Doctors of the Church!

We celebrated Mass in the apse behind the high altar. Magnificent! A mail from the cross hovered above us. (Homily here)

Lunch on own and free time before the second big treat of the day. We were able to secure tickets to see Leonardo da Vinci‘s “The Last Supper“. These tickets are very difficult to obtain but our folks got to see the famous painting.

Continue tour of Milan to visit the Basilica of Santa Maria delle Grazie, and my favorite, St. Ambrose church with his bones in the grotto below, passing by the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele and “La Scala” Theater and Museum along the way.

Return to the hotel, blessing of all religious items andtime at leisure — then our final dinner together at Restaurant Sabatini. I gave a short recap and critique of the Passion Play.

Very early departure for the Malpensa Milan airport for flights home. The conclusion of a stupendous pilgrimage with 1000 compliments and nary one complaint!

be sure to watch our final video with comments and farewells.

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