Nov 26 - Dec 5, 2017 Holy Land pilgrimage itinerary

Please browse the Tentative itinerary for Holy Land pilgrimage:

Arrive in Tel Aviv
After Passport Control, be greeted by our guide and driver
Drive north along the Mediterranean Seacoast to Nazareth
Father will celebrate Mass after we check into our hotel and then have dinner and rest

Father will celebrate a special Mass in front of the Grotto of the Annunciation before breakfast.

After breakfast

Walk across the street to the Church of the Annunciation to visit the Grotto where Mary ‘heard The Word’ and the upper parish church
After, visit the museum built over the village of Nazareth and learn about the many churches that have been built over the House of Mary
Stop at Joseph’s Carpenter Shop
And then walk through the town where Jesus grew up
Continue up to the Synagogue Church to read scripture and pray before walking to Mary’s Well in the Greek Orthodox Church
Enjoy lunch (included) in a local restaurant

In the afternoon

Drive to Mount Tabor
Transfer to taxis and go up to visit Antonio Barlucci’s magnificent church. Here where Jesus revealed His Glory in the Transfiguration
Return to Nazareth, drive to the Wedding Church in Cana where Father will renew the wedding vows of our couples
Return to Nazareth for dinner and overnight
After dinner, experience praying the Rosary in the Grotto if possible

*Possible visit to Stella Maris-Mt. Carmel is being scheduled as well. At Mt Carmel visit will be at Stella Maris church, of the Carmelite Order.

After breakfast

Depart for the Sea of Galilee to visit Tabgha where Our Lord fed the 5,000 men with 2 loaves and 5 fishes
Continue to The Primacy where he asks Peter, “Do you love me?” and then to the Mount of Beatitudes
Stop to enjoy the (included) lunch of Saint Peter’s fish (there’s other choices if you don’t care for fish)

In the afternoon

In the evening

NAZARETH – CAESAREA MARITIMA – BETHLEHEM – JERUSALEM

After breakfast

Drive to the Mediterranean Seacoast to visit Caesarea Maritime and visit of the ancient city, with the roman theatre and crusader’s fortress
Visit the city of Bethlehem, the oldest Christian church in the world, built over the place where Our Lord was born
Father will celebrate Mass
Drive down to Shepherd’s Field
Lunch (included) at the Franciscan Casa Nova

Afternoon

Time to shop in one of the big Christian stores before return to our hotel in Bethlehem.
Transfer to Jerusalem and check in to our hotel. Dinner and overnight

JERUSALEM – JERICHO – QUMRAN – DEAD SEA – JERUSALEM

After breakfast

Drive South to the Judean Desert
Stop at the Jordan River, where Father will renew our Baptismal promises before continuing to the Holy City of Jerusalem
Enter Palestine, and visit the old city of Jericho
See the Mount of Temptations and the excavations of the oldest city in the world
Stop at the Sycamore tree
Transfer to the Dead Sea, and visit the excavation of Qumran, where the Dead sea scrolls where found
Enjoy floating (optional) the very lowest and saltiest waters of the world
Drive to Jerusalem, and check into our hotel
Dinner and overnight

JERUSALEM: MOUNT OF OLIVES – MOUNT SION

After breakfast

We’ll drive up on the Mt of Olives and walk down from the place of the Ascension to the Carmelite Convent where we remember Jesus teaching the Our Father
Continue down to Dominus Flevit where He wept over the city
Down to the Garden of Gethsemane
Continue to St. Peter in Gallicantu where our Lord was held by the high priest when he was arrested and where Father will celebrate Mass

After free time for lunch

Drive around the Old City to Mt Zion to visit Dormition Abbey where “Mary Slept” and the Upper Room (Last Supper)
Return to hotel for dinner and overnight

JERUSALEM: OLD CITY

After breakfast

Father will celebrate Mass at the Holy Sepulchre
(Time TBA) Pray the Via Dolorosa, the actual Stations of the Cross, carrying a cross up through the Old City to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre
Stop on Calvary, and have an opportunity to enter the Tomb
Drive around the Old City to visit the Western Wall
We pass the closed Golden Gate as we leave and enter the Crusader church of St. Ann’s and the Pools of Bethesda
Leave the city by St. Stephen’s Gate

JERUSALEM – AIN KAREM – JERUSALEM

After breakfast,

Depart to Ein Karem to visit the Birthplace of St. John the Baptist
Climb to the Church of the Visitation where Mary went to help her cousin Elizabeth

Back to our hotel

Enjoy a free afternoon in the Old City, in the market or for another visit to the Holy Sepulchre
Depart by bus for a Special Farewell Middle-East Feast dinner
Back to hotel and overnight