Holy Land Pilgrimage St. Francis Sea October 2023

Begin your spiritual journey as we depart for the overnight flight to Tel Aviv.

Day 2 –Tel Aviv – Overnight in the Tel Aviv area.

Arrival at Ben Gurion Airport. Exit the terminal at the sign marked “groups” and meet your local guide who will escort you to your hotel.  Dinner and overnight.

Day 3 –En route to the Galilee – Caesarea, Nazareth, Basilica of the Annunciation, Cana, Sea of Galilee

Today you will travel via the coast to Caesarea, where the Romans held Paul prisoner. Visit the Roman and Crusader ruins before traveling on to Nazareth where the group will celebrate Mass in the Basilica of Annunciation. Afterward, you will Mary’s Well and the Church of the Angel Gabriel. Here you will have lunch and then drive to Cana, the village of Jesus’ first miracle of changing water into wine; here couples may renew their wedding vows. Continue on to Galilee for dinner and overnight.

Day 4 –The Ministry of Christ in the Galilee: Tiberias, Boat ride on Sea of Galilee, Gerasene, Capernaum

Some of today’s highlights are a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum to see the synagogue and St Peter’s house, a visit to Tabgha to see the splendid mosaic about the miracle of the loaves and fishes, and to the nearby Church of Peter’s Primacy where Peter was told: “Feed my lambs, feed my sheep.” Visit Gerasene (Kursi) where Jesus exorcised demons out of a man and into a herd of swine, causing them to run down the hill into the Sea of Galilee where they drowned. There will be an unforgettable Mass near the shores of the Sea of Galilee at the Primacy. Dinner and overnight at your hotel in Galilee.

Day 5 – Mt. Beatitudes, Mt Tabor, Emmaus, Jerusalem

Start the day with a visit to the Mount of the Beatitudes where the Sermon on the Mount was given. Then on to Mount Tabor, the scene of the Transfiguration, where you will have Mass. Take in the views of the Jezreel Valley before driving to Jerusalem, stopping in Emmaus along the way. It was on the road to Emmaus where Jesus appeared to two disciples after His resurrection on the third day. They did not recognize Him until He sat and broke bread with them. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Jerusalem.

Day 6 –Ein Karem and Bethlehem the Nativity –Church of Visitation, Church of the Nativity, Shepherd’s Fields

Head to the village of Ein Karem, the birthplace of St John the Baptist, and to the Church of Visitation where the Blessed Virgin Mary visited her cousin, Elizabeth, and proclaimed the ‘Magnificat’. Afterward, you will drive to Bethlehem, where you will have Mass at the Church of the Nativity, which stands upon the site where Jesus was born. Visit Shepherd’s Fields where the angels announced the birth of Jesus and enjoy lunch in Bethlehem. There will be time for shopping before returning to Jerusalem for dinner and overnight.

Day 7 – Jerusalem, the Holy City, The Passion of Jesus’ Last Hours: Mt Olives, Palm Sunday, Dominus Flevit, Gethsemane, Cave of Betrayal, Cave of Assumption, Pater Noster

Begin our day with a visit to the Mt. of Olives where you will be presented with an overview for a better understanding of its geography and some of the key sites surrounding the area. This includes a dramatic view of the Old City, revealing a city with 4000 years of history. From this vantage point see much of what makes Jerusalem such a unique city to the three major religions – Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Visit the Pater Noster, which has the Lord’s Prayer in many languages, and the site of the Ascension from where Jesus ascended to Heaven.  Walk the Palm Sunday route down the mountain stopping at Dominus Flevit, where Jesus wept over Jerusalem.  Continue on to the Garden of Gethsemane, and celebrate Mass at the Rock of Agony where Jesus prayed His last prayer before His arrest. Visit the cave of betrayal then the cave of Assumption of Mary to heaven.  Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Jerusalem.

Day 8 –The Wilderness: Bethany, Jericho, Mt Temptation, Jordan River-Baptismal Site, Dead Sea

The desert east of Jerusalem is rich in Christian tradition. Begin with a visit to Bethany where Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. Further east, just off the Roman road that Jesus ‘walked’, is Wadi Qelt gorge, the site of the Monastery of St George. At the oasis town of Jericho, visit the excavations of the oldest city in the world and view Mt. Temptation where Jesus fasted and was tempted by Satan. Enjoy lunch in Jericho and visit the site where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist along the Jordan River. Enjoy a swim (or rather a float!) in the mineral-rich waters of the Dead Sea, renowned for its healing properties before returning to Jerusalem for dinner and overnight.

Day 9 –Stations of the Cross, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, St Anne’s Church. Ecce Homo, Western Wall, Upper Room, Dormition

Early in the morning, the group will retrace the last steps of Jesus. Then walk along the Via Dolorosa (Way of Sorrow), through the markets of the Old City praying the Stations of the Cross, reflecting on the greatness of His sacrifice. Finally, you will arrive at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for Mass.  After breakfast at your hotel, return to the Old City of Jerusalem to visit St. Anne’s Church, the home of the Virgin Mary, and her parents Saints Joachim and Anne. Pass the Ecce Homo where Pilate proclaimed “Behold the man”; then the Western Wall of the Temple, the holiest place for those of the Jewish faith.  Nearby is the Dome of the Rock and the Haram al-Sharif or Temple Mount, exit at Mt Zion. At the Cenacle visit the Upper Room of the Last Supper. Next, go to Dormition Abbey where it is believed that the Blessed Mother’s earthly life came to an end. Visit St. Peter in Gallicantu, the House of Caiaphas, where Peter denied Him thrice.  Special Farewell Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.

Day 10 –Jerusalem – USA – Return to the USA