General
DAY 1: TEL AVIV / TIBERIAS
On arrival in Tel Aviv we will be met and assist and proceed to our accommodations in Tiberias where our dinner will be served.
DAY 2: TIBERIAS: MT. OF BEATITUDES / PETERS PRIMAC / TABGHA / CAPERNAUM
We begin our day with a visit to the most prominent physical landmark around the Sea of Galilee, towering Mt. Arbel. We then visit the Mount of Beatitudes, where we celebrate Mass. We will take a walk down from Mt. of Beatitudes to Mt. Eremos and visit the Cave which Egeria mentions in her writing. We will visit Tabgha where Jesus fed the crowd of 5,000. A short distance away is what is known as “Peter’s Primacy”, the site where, after His resurrection, Jesus met with his disciples and told Peter to “feed my lambs; feed my sheep.” From that place we will visit Capernaum where Jesus began his Galilean ministry, and see the synagogue that dates to the time of Jesus and the site of Peter’s home. Dinner and overnight at hour hotel.
DAY 3: TIBERIAS: NAZARETH / SEPPHORIS / CANA
This morning we leave for Nazareth, the site of Mary’s home and the town where Jesus played as a child, learned a trade, and grew to manhood. Arriving in Nazareth, we visit the Basilica of the Annunciation for Mass, and then continue to St. Joseph’s Workshop and Mary’s Well. We will have the exceptional opportunity to visit the fascinating archaeological dig under the Convent of the Sisters of Nazareth. This site is not open to the general public. This afternoon we drive to Sepphoris to visit the excavations of the ancient town from the Roman period. We then travel to Cana, where Jesus performed His first miracle at the request of his mother. There we will visit the Franciscan chapel for a renewal of wedding vows. We return to our accommodations in Tiberias for dinner and the evening.
DAY 4: TIBERIAS: MT. TABOR / SEA OF GALILEE / JORDAN RIVER / ANCIENT BOAT
We begin today with a trip to Mount Tabor where Jesus was transformed before Peter, James and John and they glimpsed a sign of his glory before they witnessed His passion and death. Following Mass on Mount Tabor, we travel to the shore of the Sea of Galilee for an afternoon excursion on the Sea of Galilee, where we recall the episode of Christ calming the waters. After our boat ride, we will stop to view the ancient boat, discovered in the Galilee area, then we concluded our day with a stop at the Jordan River where we recall Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River. In this place we will have the opportunity to renew our own baptismal promises. Before returning to our accommodations for dinner.
DAY 5: TIBERIAS: JERICHO / WADI KELT / ST. GEORGE’S MONASTERY / JERUSALEM
Today we travel to Jericho to get the flavour of the Judean Wilderness where Jesus fasted 40 days and 40 nights before beginning his public ministry. We celebrate Mass in the Desert overlooking Wadi Kelt. Here also, is where we find the Greek Monastery of St. George. The Good Samaritan story is related to this area. After our visit of the monastery we continue on to Jerusalem. We enjoy an orientation drive around walls of the Old City of Jerusalem before checking in at our hotel for dinner and the evening.
DAY 6: JERUSALEM: EIN KAREM / SHEPHERD’S FIELD / BETHLEHEM
Our first stop will be in the city of Ein Karem, the home of Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist. It was here that Mary, the Mother of Jesus, visited Elizabeth, her cousin, following the news that she was with child by the Holy Spirit. We will visit the Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist and the Church of the Visitation. This afternoon we travel to the Shepherds’ Field and visit the Shepherds’ Cave. We enter the town of Bethlehem for Mass at the Church of the Nativity. We return to our hotel for dinner and the evening.
DAY 7: JERUSALEM: MT. OF OLIVES / GETHSEMANE
Today begins with a ride to Mt. Scopus and to the Mt. of Olives, where we gain a panoramic view of the old City of Jerusalem. We celebrate Mass in a beautiful little church, Dominus Flevit It was here that Jesus wept over Jerusalem prior to his death. We then walk down the Mount of Olives on the “Palm Sunday Road” to the Garden of Gethsemane, and we visit the garden and the Church of All Nations located there. The balance of the day is at leisure for our private reflections. Dinner is at our hotel this evening.
DAY 8: JERUSALEM: DOME OF THE ROCK / ST. ANNE / ECCE HOMO
Our day begins with a visit to the El Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock, which is built on the ancient site of Solomon’s Temple, and over the Rock of Sacrifice where Abra ham offered Isaac, where the ceremonial sacrifice of animals took place. Next, we visit the Church of St. Anne. The church marks the traditional site of the House of Anne and Joachim, Mary’s parents. We will visit the Pool at Bethesda where Jesus healed the paralytic, and visit the Shrine at the Ecce Homo Arch. Mass will be celebrated at the Convent of the Sisters of Zion. We return to our hotel for dinner and the evening.
DAY 9: JERUSALEM: DORMITION ABBEY / CENACLE / CHURCH OF HOLY SEPULCHRE
This morning, we travel by bus across the Kidron Valley to the eastern slope of Mt. Zion, the site of Caiaphas’ Palace where Jesus experienced the Jewish portion of His trial. The site is known today as St. Peter in Galicantu Here we celebrate mass. Later, we return to Jerusalem for a visit to the Dormition Abbey and the Cenacle, where we recall the Last Supper. We also visit the restored Roman Cardo. Next we visit the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for a tour of Calvary and the Tomb of Jesus. There is much history connected with these sites that will be explained to us by our guide. We return to our hotel for dinner. Later we make our way to the Garden of Gethsemane for a Holy Hour of prayer and reflection.
DAY 10: JERUSALEM: STATIONS OF THE CROSS / WESTERN WALL
We begin the morning early as we gather at the Antonia Palace to walk the Via Dolorosa, the Way of the Cross. We conclude the Way of the Cross at the site of Calvary for Mass at the Crusader’s Chapel in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Following Mass, we return to the hotel for breakfast.
Later, we will visit the Western Wall (Wailing Wall) where the faithful Jews cried their petitions to God, and the Southern Wall excavations. The balance of the day is at leisure. We return to our hotel for dinner and the evening.
DAY 11: JERUSALEM: EMMAUS / ABU GHOSH
Today we drive to Emmaus. It was on the road to Emmaus that Jesus appeared to his disciples following his resurrection and revealed himself in the breaking of the bread. Our next stop of the day is at Abu Ghosh, where we recall the disciples’ post-Resurrection recognition of Christ in the breaking of the bread. We celebrate Mass at the Crusader’s Church. We will also visit the Benedictine Monastery at Latrun for a tasting of their ‘heavenly’ elixir. We return to Jerusalem for dinner and the evening.
DAY 12: JERUSALEM: LEISURE
Today is our day at leisure in the Old City, and our guide will have some suggestions for us on possible places to visit.
DAY 13: TELAVIV AIRPORT
Transfer to Tel Aviv airport for our return flight.