Augustine Institute on a Pilgrimage Through Catholic Scotland & Northern England

ITINERARY

Day 1: Saturday, July 17 - Depart USA

Depart on overnight flights bound for Edinburgh, Scotland, the gateway to a journey through centuries of faith, history, and holy ground.

Day 2: Sunday, July 18 - Arrival in Edinburgh

Arrive in the historic city of Edinburgh, where cobblestone streets and ancient spires set the tone for the days ahead. After lunch on your own and hotel check-in, gather to celebrate Mass before coming together for a Welcome Dinner.

Day 3: Monday, July 19 - Catholic Edinburgh

Explore the rich Catholic heritage woven into the heart of Edinburgh, including a 12th-century stone chapel dedicated to St. Margaret Mary, the grand St. Mary’s Metropolitan Cathedral, historic St. Patrick’s Church, and the parish church where St. Cuthbert himself once preached. The day includes the celebration of Mass and an evening free to explore the city’s charm at your own pace.

Day 4: Tuesday, July 20 - Day Trip to St. Andrew’s

Journey to the coastal town of St. Andrew’s, home to the majestic Cathedral of St. Andrew's with centuries of storied history around Scotland’s devotion to the first apostle of Christ. Celebrate Mass before enjoying free time to explore. There may be an opportunity for experienced golfers to golf along St. Andrew’s world-renowned greens (more information will be provided) before returning to Edinburgh for the evening.

Day 5: Wednesday, July 21 - St. Cuthbert’s Way

Set out along the legendary path of St. Cuthbert’s Way, beginning with a visit to Melrose Abbey, where St. Cuthbert entered religious life and later served as prior. Wind through the breathtaking Scottish countryside and the scenic Tweed River Valley, then celebrate Mass nearby.The day concludes with an overnight stay on Lindisfarne, the Holy Island where St. Cuthbert lived and died, capped with a group dinner.

Day 6: Thursday, July 22 - Walk the Tidal Causeway

Experience one of the pilgrimage’s most memorable moments: crossing the ancient tidal causeway onto Holy Island, passable only during low tide. Celebrate Mass on this sacred island before exploring the evocative ruins of Lindisfarne Priory, the historic St. Mary’s Church, and the striking Lindisfarne Castle perched above the sea. Learn about the lives of St. Cuthbert, St. Bede the Venerable, and St. Aidan, the famous bishops of Lindisfarne.

Day 7: Friday, July 23 - St. Cuthbert’s & St. Bede’s Tomb

Travel to the cathedral city of Durham, where St. Cuthbert’s and St. Bede’s remains rest within the soaring nave of Durham Cathedral, a masterpiece of Norman architecture and a place of deep pilgrimage significance. Celebrate Mass nearby before gathering for a memorable group dinner and overnight stay in Durham.

Day 8: Saturday, July 24 - Retreat at Ampleforth Abbey

Spend a day in quiet retreat and reflection at Ampleforth Abbey, the peaceful Benedictine monastery nestled in the English countryside that is the Mother Abbey of St. Louis Abbey in Missouri. Celebrate Mass amid its serene surroundings before returning to Durham for a special Farewell Dinner, marking the close of an unforgettable pilgrimage.

Day 9: Sunday, July 25 - Return to USA

Begin the final morning with a traveler’s Sunday Mass, a fitting close to a journey of faith and discovery, before departing for New Castle Airport and your return flights home.

Itinerary is tentative and subject to change

MORE INFORMATION ON ST. CUTHBERT, ST. ANDREW, ST. BEDE, ST. AIDAN, & ST. MARGARET OF SCOTLAND

Saint Cuthbert (c. 634–687) was one of early medieval England’s most revered Catholic saints. Cuthbert lived as a monk, missionary, and eventually became the Bishop of Lindisfarne. He was known for his pious devotion and evangelization. Cuthbert so desired a contemplative life that he retired near the Holy Island to a place now known as "St. Cuthbert's Cave". Despite his desire for a contemplative life, he obediently spent years preaching, caring for the poor and providing many miraculous healings to the people of Lindisfarne. His holiness drew many to conversion. His posthumous miracles were so many that his tomb and incorrupt body in Lindisfarne and ultimately at the Durham Cathedral became the center of English and Scottish devotion for hundreds of years.

Saint Andrew was a first century fisherman from Galilee and the brother of St. Peter. He is referred to as the “First Called” since he is the first disciple Christ invited to follow him in the gospels. He is credited with bringing his brother Simon to Jesus. After the Resurrection, tradition holds that St. Andrew completed missionary trips throughout the Mediterranean to spread the Gospel. He was martyred in Patras, Greece, and like his brother Peter, considered himself unworthy to die by crucifixion and was tied to an X shaped cross. This saltire cross is the trademark white cross on the Scottish national flag. The relics of St. Andrew are believed to have been moved from Greece throughout Europe to protect them from war, ultimately being brought by St. Regulus to the coast of Fife, Scotland, where St. Andrew’s Cathedral was built to house them.

Saint Bede (c. 672–735), often referred to as the Venerable Bede, was an Anglo-Saxon monk and scholar, who lived in the time period after St. Cuthbert. He spent nearly his entire life at the Monastery of St. Paul in Jarrow, England. He was an incredibly gifted scholar and was a master in nearly all the sciences and the teachings of the Church. We owe him for helping standardize the use of the Anno Domini (AD) dating system throughout Europe. Bede’s masterpiece, The Ecclesiastical History of the English People, merited him the title "the Father of English History". He also wrote The Life of St. Cuthbert, which is considered one of the greatest works of history of all time due to its incredible detail and direct sources. St. Bede the Venerable is the first English speaking saint and the only British saint to be named a Doctor of the Church until St. John Henry Newman.

Saint Aidan of Lindisfarne (d. 651) was an Irish monk and missionary who preached on the Scottish island of Iona and was eventually sent to the tidal island of Lindisfarne where he became its first bishop. Under orders of King Oswald of Northumbria, Aidan founded a monastery on Lindisfarne, which became a popular center for faith and conversion. He was profoundly devout and engaged with the common man, offering them physical and spiritual support as well as education. Aidan was an inspiration to St. Cuthbert and tradition holds he appeared to him in a dream that inspired Cuthbert to become a monk. St. Aidan died in Bamborough and was laid to rest in Lindisfarne.

Saint Margaret of Scotland (c. 1045–1093) was an Anglo-Saxon princess who ultimately became Queen of Scotland after marrying King Malcolm III Canmore. Margaret was a loving wife and mother and credited with instilling virtue in her family; her youngest son David also became a saint, and her husband notably grew more patient and loving as a ruler. Margaret’s influence as Queen radically improved the Catholic landscape of Scotland as she founded several churches and made Catholic education more widely available. She was known for her deep personal devotion to our Lord in prayer and in caring for the poor, providing daily meals to orphans and beggars. St. Margaret helped found the famous Dunfermline Abbey, where part of her remains can be found today. She was canonized in 1250, is Scotland’s only female saint, and venerated as the patron saint of Scotland and mothers.