Visiting Spain , Portugal , France , Monaco and Rome gives one the chance to trace the footsteps of saints, popes and kings. The sights of centuries-old cathedrals and palaces transport you to the times of ball gowns and frocks, of horse-drawn carriages and church services said in Latin.

A group from Bacolod City recently went on a 15-day pilgrimage tour in Europe that brought them to Madrid , Toledo , Avila , Lourdes , Montecarlo, and Vatican . Also in their itinerary was a visit to the apparition sites in Fatima , a tour of the St. Peter's Basilica, the Colosseum and the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

While the well-preserved structures and original artworks of famous artists like Michelangelo are easily captured in cameras, the feeling of devotion and sense of holiness when we prayed at the Grotto of Massabielle in Lourdes or when we hear mass at Sta. Teresa Convent in Avila was overwhelming, Luisa Millan, a member of the group said.

The simplicity of the place where Jacinta, Lucia, and Francisco – the three children to whom Mary appeared in May 13, 1917 in Fatima, a small village in Lisbon — provides the contrast to the subdued elegance of the Great White Basilica where the tombs of Francisco and Jacinta were enshrined, Millan said.

The group -- composed of Gene Mapa, Ditas Gatuslao, Resty Gabalda, Luisa Millan, Ninfa Golez, Janet Jalbuena, Letecia Bernandino, Gloria Nicodin, Cecilia Torres, Aniceta Canilla, Jasmin Gequillana, Josefa Escamilla and Fr. Mau Buenafe -- also took part in the candlelight procession in Fatima before traveling to Zaragoza, Spain for a mass and religious visit to the Basilica of Our Lady of Pillar.

The journey to the Underground Basilica in Lourdes brought the group near to Monaco and Monte Carlo where they have a chance to visit the Royal Palace and the cathedral were Princess Grace was buried. While in Monte Carlo , the group from Bacolod City grabbed the chance of having their pictures taken with the famous Leaning Tower .

The Cathedral of Florence was another sight to behold with the “Gates of Paradise” adorning the baptistry a marvel in itself. Gazing at these awesome structures makes one wonder the painstaking effort put in by artists who build them, Resty Gabalda said. Ironically, she said she noticed only a handful of Florence residents going inside the cathedral to actually pray.

From Florence the group went to Assisi to visit the town of St. Francis before proceeding to Rome for the last stop of the tour. The time spent at St. Peter's Square and Basilica re-introduced the group to the foundation of the Catholic faith. And while the monumental façade of the Basilica captivated all of them, the chance to join the audience with the Pope at St. Peter's Square was the most memorable.

We were not able to see him closely but were there when he appeared at the window of his room that overlooked the square to wave at the crowd that gathered at the square, Millan said. And despite taller men in front of us blocking the view, we raised our hands to wave back to Pope Benedict XVI, she added.

The 15-day European Pilgrimage made the group from Bacolod City wonder at the richness of the history and tradition of the Catholic faith. The magnificent works of art, the paintings, sculptures and architectures made them realize that devotion can take the form of prayers, of hearing mass, of joining processions and creating beautiful masterpieces to express one's faith and passion. Nida Buenafe