Pope Benedict’s Bavaria & the Passion Play

DAY 1 – Departure

Our journey begins as we board our international flight  to Munich, Germany.

DAY 2 – Freising, Germany

Upon arrival in Munich, we meet our tour director and motor coach and drive to nearby Freising, where we have a locally guided tour. It was in Freising at the School of Philosophy and Theology that Pope Benedict studied and later taught. He received his priestly ordination here in 1951 in the Cathedral of St. Mary. In 1977 Pope Paul VII named the then Josef Ratzinger Archbishop of Munich and Freising. Our tour ends at the Weihenstephan Monastery Brewery, a hilltop site with a magnificent view of Freising and the surrounding countryside. This brewery, now owned and operated by the state of Bavaria, was founded in 1040 A.D. and is said to be the oldest continuously operating brewery in the world. After checking into our hotel, we have the rest of the day to relax from our long flight. (D)

DAY 3 – Freising

A drive northward along the Autobahn brings us to Regensburg on the Danube River, where we spend the morning learning about this ancient city and diocesan center. The Celts and then the Romans built settlements here, the Romans arriving in 70 A.D. Still surviving is Porta Pretoria, constructed in 179 A.D. Regensburg’s Stone Bridge spans the Danube and dates from the early 12th century. Pope Benedict held the Chair of dogmatics and history of dogma at the University of Regensburg, where he also served as Vice-President. On our return to Freising this afternoon we stop in Ingolstadt for an assembly-line tour of the Audi factory and a visit to its museum. (B,D)

DAY 4 – Salzburg, Austria

We depart for Salzburg this morning with a full-day of sightseeing en route. First we visit Altötting, Bavaria’s most visited pilgrimage site and one of the stops during Pope Benedict’s 2006 tour. The Ratzinger family made pilgrimages to this place when Josef was a boy. Here we see the Black Madonna in the chapel on the main square, a place of healing. Our next stop is in nearby Marktl, where the Holy Father was born on June 29, 1927. We see his birthplace and the font used for his baptism, now located in the town museum. We also pay a visit to the village of Traunstein where Josef Ratzinger spent his childhood. From here it’s just a short drive to Salzburg, the birthplace of Mozart and film site of “The Sound of Music.” (B,D)

DAY 5 – Salzburg

A morning walking tour acquaints us with this lovely city, which for centuries was ruled by local “Prince-Bishops” who enjoyed independence from the Austrian Empire. The salt trade brought enormous wealth to the city, still very evident today. Our tour includes the Mirabell Garden, the magnificent Salzburg Cathedral, Mozart’s birth house, and the Getreidegasse, the narrow, bustling shopping street. In the afternoon we take an excursion to Berchtesgaden, Germany. Near the site of the former Nazi mountain retreat, Obersalzberg, we board a smaller bus and traverse narrow roads up the Kehlstein Mountain. Our trip continues with a walk through a tunnel into the mountain and ends with an elevator ride to the summit. We arrive in the tea house known as the “Eagle’s Nest,” which was presented as a birthday gift to Adolf Hitler in 1933. The view on a clear day is magnificent! After returning to Salzburg, we enjoy the “Sound of Salzburg” Dinner Concert, which includes songs from “The Sound of Music.” (B,D)

DAY 6 – Oberammergau, Germany

Today we enjoy scenic views of Bavarian and Austrian alpine landscapes on our drive to Oberammergau. Our route takes us along the shores of the beautiful Plansee. We arrive at Neuschwanstein for a tour of the fairy-tale castle built by the eccentric King Ludwig II and completed in 1886. Its design was copied by Walt Disney for his Magic Kingdom. Before arriving in Oberammergau, we visit the Wieskirche (Church of the Meadow), one of the finest examples of Rococo architecture in Germany. (B,D)

DAY 7 – Oberammergau

We enjoy a relaxed morning in Oberammergau, admiring the bright frescoes that adorn many of the homes and businesses, perhaps shopping for a souvenir woodcarving for which the village is famous. We might choose to take the regional bus to nearby Ettal for a visit to the impressive Benedictine abbey. During WW II, the Protestant theologian, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and the Jesuit Priest, Rupert Mayer, both active in the resistance against the Nazi regime and later martyred, were given refuge here. This afternoon we attend Part One of the Passion Play, the legacy of a vow made by the Oberammergauers in 1633 to enact the Passion story. Due to the ravages of the Thirty Years War, the plague had taken its toll in lives. But many of the people were spared, and the following year, 1634, the first Passion Play was performed on a stage set up in the cemetery. After dinner we attend Part Two. (B,D)

DAY 8 – Munich

This morning we set out for Munich, the capital of Bavaria and one of Germany’s most popular cities. En route we visit Benediktbeuren, the oldest monastery in Bavaria with over 1250 years of history. The emperor Charlemagne visited here in 800 A.D., bringing relics as gifts. The monastery was founded by Benedictines, but is now staffed by the Salisians of Don Bosco. Upon arrival in Munich we take a city tour which includes sites associated with the Pope as well the famous Glockenspiel at Marienplatz, Nymphenburg Palace, and the Viktualienmarkt (food market). This evening we enjoy a buffet dinner and traditional Bavarian entertainment at the world-famous Hofbräuhaus. (B,D)

DAY 9 – Munich

Our final day is at leisure to enjoy individual interests in this lively city – shopping in the mile-long pedestrian zone, eating a traditional Munich white sausage with sweet mustard, visiting one of Munich fine museums (Alte and Neue Pinakothek, Deutsches Museum, BMW Museum), strolling through the Olympic grounds with their distinctive architectural style or riding to the top of the Olympic tower for a grand view of the area, or touring the Royal Apartments at the Residenz and viewing the crown jewels in its treasury. The motor coach is available this afternoon for an excursion to nearby Dachau to visit the concentration camp memorial – a vivid reminder of the terror of the Nazi era. At a farewell dinner this evening we celebrate our shared experiences. (B,D)

DAY 10 – Return

Our tour comes to an end as we transfer to the Munich airport and board our homebound flight. We return home with many treasures gathered on this journey of faith. Auf Wiedersehen! (B)