The Holy Land Pilgrimage
October 26 – November 4, 2020
Itinerary
Day 1
Depart United States for Tel Aviv. Make your way to your local airport where you will board your overnight flight. Your meals will be served on board.
Day 2
Arrive at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. Upon arrival collect your luggage in the baggage claim area and follow The signs to the “Groups Assembly Exit” where you will be greeted by your tour escort and driver. You will sleep in Nazareth on your first night.
Day 3
Begin the day in Nazareth at the Basilica of the Annunciation. The Grotto, the home of the virgin Mary. Then, we will walk to the Church of St. Joseph’s. After that we will head to the actual site where Christ had performed his first miracle in Cana. Our staff will have a surprise for all the couples there! In the afternoon we’ll climb Mt. Tabor; the site of the Transfiguration of Jesus. You will stand where Peter, James and John stood and see the view of where the Glorified Lord with Moses and Elijah appeared. We will celebrate a thanksgiving mass there.
Day 4
Begin the day traveling to the Sea of Galilee. We will visit the Mount of Beatitudes where the Sermon on the mount is remembered. Travel to Tabgha; best known for the miracle of the multiplication of loaves and fishes. Tabgha stands on the site of a 4th-century church, displaying a beautiful! Byzantine mosaic decorations that are among the most elegantly executed in the Holy Land. After that we will take a memorable boat ride across the lake where Jesus walked also known as the Lake of Genesareth or the Sea of Tiberias. We’ll have lunch & continue on to the Church of Peter’s Primacy (where Peter declares his love for Jesus three times). Holy Mass will be celebrated there. Then on to Capernaum to see the spectacular ruins of the ancient synagogue. You will visit the Catholic Church that hovers over St. Peter’s house then head back to the boat for another beautiful ride across the Sea of Galilee.
Day 5
We will be checking out of the hotel and departing for Caesarea Maritima, the old capital of the Roman Province of Palestina Prima. We will see the Roman and Crusader ruins, along with the Harbour where St. Paul was taken prisoner to Rome. We’ll continue on to Haifa where we visit Mount Carmel and the Cave of Elijah. The place where he had lived and hid before his fateful encounter with the priests of Baal. From the top of the Carmel mountain you will enjoy a breath taking view of Haifa port and the Mediterranean sea. We’ll visit Bahai Gardens; the most visited distinct tourist attraction in all of Haifa. We’ll finally have the opportunity to do souvenirs shopping right before we end the night with an amazing dinner at our hotel in Bethlehem.
Day 6
Start a wonderful day in Bethlehem by heading to Church of the Nativity. We will go below it to enter the cave-stable of Jesus’ birth. Holy Mass will be celebrated where St. Jerome translated the bible into Latin. After lunch we’ll drive to the town of Beit Sahour and visit the Shepherd’s Fields, inhabited by Christians for hundreds of years. In the afternoon we’ll visit Ein karem the birth place of John the Baptist. We’ll visit the visitation church where our blessed mother visited her cousin Elizabeth. Then after that we’ll head to Rosary Sisters (The first Palestinian congregation) founded by Saint Marie Alphonsine Danil Ghattas who was canonized by pope Francis.
Day 7
Early morning we’ll travel to the real site of Jesus’ Baptism by the Jordan River where we will renew our baptismal vows. Afterwards we’ll take the Jordan Valley to get to Jericho to celebrate mass there. (The oldest city in the world). We’ll climb Mt. ofTemptations onward to Qumran where they found the dead sea scrolls. Finally, we will have one of a kind experience in the Dead Sea. The saltiest & deepest hypersaline lake in the world.
Day 8
This moming we’ll drive up to the Mount of Olives for a wonderful view of beautiful .Jerusalem. We will visit the Place of Ascension and the Pater Noster Church (The site where the “Our Fathe prayer was first taught). Walk the Palm Sunday way. At the foot of the hill we’ll see the Garden of Gethsemane with its ancient olive trees. Next we ‘II stop by the Church of All Nations (The place of the rock where
Jesus prayed in agony). We will get to visit the Wailing (Western) Wall and witness amazing views of the AI-Aksa Mosque and Dome of the Rock. Next, we’ll see the site known as David’s memorial and visit the caenaculum. lhe place where the Last Supper occurred & the Descent of the Holy Spirit. We’ll get to walk the Kidron Valley and see the Pool of Siloam; where Jesus ordered a blind man to go to wash mud out of his eyes. we•11 wrap up the night visiting St. Peter in Gallicantu where Peter denied Jesus three times.
Day 9
We’ll start the day very early praying the Stations of the Cross as we walk the true way of the Cross (Via Dolorosa). The road will lead us to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher; where Jesus was crucified (Calvary) and buried, and then rose again. View the Pool of Bethesda scene of Jesus’ healing the paralytic next to the wind-ruffled water. Travel back to the hotel to pack and prepare ourselves for the welfare
dinner in Bedouin cultural restaurant.
Day 10
After an early breakfast and heartfelt farewells, your group will leave by motor coach and transfer to Ben Gurion airport for your return flights home. Taking with you all the unforgettable memories that you’ll cherish for the rest of your life.