Exciting news for citizens of the world
For some thirty years now, our team has been working with people from across the United States and around the world, creating global travel programs to help transform individuals and organizations. We have heard from thousands of travelers about how our programs have changed their lives. And just as lives have been changed by global travel, global travel has been changing.
We believe the world could use a dose of friendly, positive change. Guiding travelers on journeys to places that have inspired change in human history motivates us to offer the most skilled, precise, and experienced travel service available—Illume.
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Recent news
Jubilee of St. Paul - 2008-2009
2008-2009 has been designated as the Jubilee of St. Paul. It is approximately 2000 years since this visionary man of faith was born. Christians from around the world will be traveling to places where Paul preached the Gospel and established some of the first Christian communities - in places such as Ephesus, Miletus, Philippi, Corinth and Rome.
Archaeologists in Rome report that they have discovered what they believe to be the sarcophagus of St. Paul under the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. Archaeologist Giorgio Filippi who has been exploring structures under the main altar of St. Paul's Basilica since 2000 reported on December 4, 2006, that he found the sarcophagus several feet below the marble structure of the altar. Tradition holds that St. Paul suffered martyrdom along the Via Ostiense. A church was first erected on the site of his burial in 320 AD and enlarged in 390. In 1823 the church burned and was rebuilt according to the original plans - thus making St. Pauls one of the best examples of a large 4th century Christian basilica in the world! Rome is an excellent venue for exploring early Christianity. Illume develops unique programs for Roman Catholic and Protestant congregational groups as well as programs for students in seminaries, theological schools, and institutes for ministry. Learn more
The Calvin Jubilee 2009
The World Alliance of Reformed Churches have announced a special year of celebration coinciding with the 500th Anniversary of the birth of John Calvin. Special events are being planned in 2009 to celebrate the heritage of this visionary man of faith. This is a unique opportunity for pastoral leaders to bring people to places of great historical and religious significance as a way to foster continuing education and faith formation as participants explore the heritage of the Reformation. Learn more
Lourdes Jubilee 2008
150 years ago, February 11, 1858, the Virgin Mary appeared to Bernadette Soubirous near the Massabielle Grotto. Over the years, Lourdes has grown in popularity as a place of spiritual and physical healing. Special events are planned in Lourdes to coincide with this international celebration. Members of Dominican institutions will be combining a celebration of the Lourdes Jubilee with their own 800th Anniversary of the Dominicans in Southern France and Jesuits continue to celebrate the heritage of Ignatius and Francis Xavier in northern Spain. Learn more
Follow in the Footsteps of Pope Benedict XVI
Illume celebrates the historic visit of Pope Benedict XVI to Turkey in December, 2006. In addition to visiting early Christian sites such as Ephesus, the Pope made a historic gesture by praying in the Blue Mosque in Istanbul. Turkey is an ideal venue for interfaith groups as it has active and historic Sephardic Jewish communities (welcomed to Istanbul after their expulsion from Spain in the late 15th century), the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Protestant and Roman Catholic communities and, of course, the Muslim community. Turkey provides some of the most important sites for studying the history of early Christianity and tracing the journeys of Paul. Learn more
800th Anniversary of the Dominicans
Carlos A. Azpiroz Costa, OP, Master of the Order of Preachers, announced on April 29th, the feast of St. Catherine of Siena, that beginning with the first Sunday of Advent, December 3, 2006, and continuing through Epiphany, 2008, the Order of Preachers will celebrate the 800th anniversary of the founding of the first community of nuns by St. Dominic in Prouille, France. This is an important opportunity for Dominican institutions to celebrate their heritage. Illume is organizing events to southern France and Italy to celebrate the 800th Anniversary of the Dominicans. By traveling to places where visionary men and women witnessed to the Gospel and forged new approaches to ministry, we gain an appreciation for the unique way they responded to the challenges of their day and, we are, ourselves, moved and inspired to make the Gospel come to life in our own time. Learn more
World Youth Day 2008
Pope Bendedict XVI has extended an invitation for the youth of the world to gather in Sydney, Australia, July 15-20, 2008. One of the most powerful and moving aspects of WYD is young people meeting others of different cultures, languages and regions of the world, encouraging growth and transformation. This cross-cultural experience inspires young people to become citizens of the world in recognition that they are part of a global faith community. Learn more
500th Anniversary of the laying of the first stone for the New Basilica of St. Peter in Rome
On April 18, 1506, Pope Julius II laid the first stone for the new St. Peter's Basilica, a project that would take 130 years to complete. The "Fabbrica di San Pietro," the entity responsible for the building and preserving of the Basilica, is organizing a series of events to celebrate this anniversary. An exhibit will open on October 3, 2006 and run until March 8, 2007. Called "Petros Eni," the exhibit will include models and other artifacts that chronicle the building of the world's largest basilica. Illume invites you to organize group travel events to Rome from November 2006-February 2007 in order to celebrate this milestone, view special exhibits, and take advantage of better rates and fewer crowds. Learn more
International Catholic Ethics Conference
The First International Catholic Ethics conference was held in Padua, Italy, July 8-11, 2006. The conference was envisioned as a way to get preeminent Catholic ethicists from around the world together to discuss contemporary ethical issues, share current research, and learn from each other. Participantswere able to dialogue about ethical challenges in their regions and ways in which Catholic ethicists were addressing those issues. The opening session took place in the Aula Magna of the University - place where Galileo had lectured centuries before.
Illume is proud to announce that its own in-house scholar, Michael Hartwig, presented a paper at the conference entitled: "The Use of Sociological Studies to Confirm or Critique Catholic Sexual Ethics." It was subsequently chosen to be part of an anthology of conference papers to be published by Orbis Press.
For information and reviews that have been published about this conference visit www.catholicethics.com
A follow up 2nd conference is being planned for the future.
Ara Pacis Reopened in Rome - April 21, 2006
On the birthday of Rome, the Ara Pacis Augustae, known as the Altar of Peace, was opened to the public after seven years of work to replace the old protective building with a new one designed by Richard Meier, an American architect. This is one of the most important monuments of the ancient Roman world. It was erected by the Roman Senate in 9 BCE to celebrate the peace that Augustus had established throughout the Roman World. There has been a good deal of controversy associated with the design of the enclosing structure. It is modern and stands in contrast to the surrounding historic buildings. Some work remains to be done, but the monument is now open to the public during the regular hours of other Roman museums. Below is a picture of the new structure and altar.
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