In March 2026 35 students and 4 staff made the pilgrimage to Rome. 

On the first day, they walked to the tomb of Pope Francis in the Papal Basilica of St. Maria Maggiore. Students loved getting to see this tomb, the relic of the Holy Crib where Jesus was born, and plenty of ancient Roman sights at sunset along the way. 

The second day was the big day: the group woke up at 6am for an audience with Pope Leo XIV.  Pope Leo waved to our students from the "Popemobile" and then they heard him address the audience with a talk on the importance of divinity at work in our world right now. Our students took great pride in this event as the name of our school was called over loud speakers at the Vatican: 

After the audience with the Pope, students spent time getting their first Italian lunch and exploring the Vatican museums. The highlight was the Sistine Chapel, as we study The Creation of Adam and The Last Judgement in GCSE RE. After visiting St. Peter's Basilica, they visited the Trevi Fountain. 

Thursday, was Ancient Rome day, with the first stop being the Colosseum before heading to the nearby Basilica of San Clemente to see another artwork that we study for GCSE. After lunch, the group explored the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill.  A group of our older students attended mass in Trastavere.

Finally, they visited The Pantheon, one of the oldest churches in Rome, before setting off for some last minute shopping, gelato, and food. The pilgrimage concluded on the Spanish steps as each student received a medallion marking the Jubilee Year: Pilgrims of Hope.

This experience was one to treasure for many years to come.