Holy Land in Ten Days and Nine Nights

Day 1: Home – Tel-Aviv – Galilee

After meeting your guide in Arrivals at Ben Gurion Airport, you begin your spiritual journey by exploring Caesarea Maritima, where the Roman link to the East eventually became the Christian catalyst to the West.  (This, however, depends on your flight arrival time)

Dinner and lodging await you either in Nazareth or Tiberias.

Day 2: In Mary's footsteps

We visit Cana to the church where Jesus performed his first miracle of transforming a large quantity of water into wine at a wedding feast (John 2:1-11).   Here couples can renew their wedding vows.

We come to Nazareth, the childhood home of Jesus and go to the Basilica of the Annunciation, where the angel Gabriel announced to the Virgin Mary that she would conceive and become the mother of Jesus, Son of God. Adjacent to the Basilica is St. Joseph Church, which was the house of Joseph and his Holy family. 

We make our way through the Nazareth suk (old market) to the    Synagogue where Jesus studied and prayed, and more importantly where one Sabbath day Jesus delivered his famous sermon (Matthew 13, Mark 6, Luke 4) based on Isaiah 61 declaring himself as the Messiah.  We stop at Mary’s Well (The spring of the Virgin Mary).

We drive towards Haifa amongst the Carmel Mountains to Mukhraka “burned place” where Elijah challenged the profits of Baal and God sent down fire from Heaven (I Kings 18:17-46).  Up in the Carmel Mountains, we visit Stella Maris Monastery and enjoy a breath-taking panoramic view of the city Haifa and the Mediterranean Sea.

Day 3: In Jesus' and the Disciples' Footsteps

We begin the day with a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee to absorb the main sites of Jesus ministry.  Then we take the picturesque drive along the Sea of Galilee to the Mount of Beatitudes, where Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount.  We continue to Tagbha to view the splendid mosaics representing the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes which Jesus fed five thousand (Mark 6:30-46).  We visit the Church of St Peter’s Primacy, which honors Jesus reinstatement of Peter as Chief of the Apostles.   Our route then takes us to Capernaum, the synagogue and place where early Christians remembered Peter’s house.  Prior to the morning break, we go to the southern end of the Sea of Galilee to renew your Baptismal Vows in the Jordan River.

In the afternoon, we ascend Mount Tabor, the Mount of the Transfiguration and visit the beautiful Basilica and the rock under the altar where the Transfiguration took place.  

We proceed to admire the panoramas from Mount Tabor and take some time for meditation and reflection.

Day 4: Tiberias – Masada – Dead Sea – Qumran

We leave Tiberius to travel through the Jordan Valley and drive along the lowest place on earth “the Dead Sea” to Masada.  We ascend the mountain by cable car and tour the 2000-year old fortress palace built by King Herod the Great and the last stronghold of the Jewish Zealots.

We take time to enjoy basking in the sun at the beach or floating in the mineral-rich waters of the Dead Sea, renowned for its healing properties.   You can also cover yourself from head to toe with Dead Sea much, which has unique therapeutic qualities and will leave your skin feeling soft.

We go to the caves at Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were hidden.  We will watch a three-dimensional movie about the area and visit the excavations of the Essene Monastery.  We continue to Jericho to visit the ancient City Elisha’s spring and the Sycamore fig tree that Zaccheaus climbed in order to see Jesus.   Then on the southeast slope of the Mount of Olives, we go to the village of Bethany “House of Misery” to see the Tomb of St. Lazarus in which Jesus raised Lazarus from the Dead.

Day 5: Bethlehem – Ein Karem

We enter Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus of Nazareth.  We visit the

Grotto of the Nativity, which is the oldest continuously, operating Christian church "Church of Nativity”, sits atop.  We continue to the Church of St. Catherine where the Patriarch of Jerusalem celebrates Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve and we see the caves of St. Joseph and St. Jerome underneath the church.

Before the morning break, we go to Shepherds’ Field identified as the place where the Angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds watching over their flock during the night and informed them of Jesus’ birth.

In an ancient village of the Jerusalem District, we explore Ein Karem (Spring of the Vineyard), birthplace of St. John the Baptist (Church of the Birth of St. John the Baptist).  We honor Mary’s (Jesus’ mother) visit and proclaimed “Magnificant” to Elizabeth (John the Baptist’s mother) at the Church of the Visitation.  If time permits, we will visit the Holy Land Model.

Day 6: Jerusalem, the Passion of Jesus' last hours

We explore the Old City of Jerusalem.

We begin in the Jewish Quarter and the Western Wall, the site for Jewish prayer and pilgrimage for centuries.  We then ascend the Temple Mount and view the Dome of the Rock, Al Aksa Mosque, and the site where the Temple stood.  We visit the Church of the St. Anne where the parents for the Virgin Mary lived, and the Pool of Bethesda described in St. John’s account of Jesus curing a paralyzed man. 

We make our way to Pilate’s Judgment Hall “Antonia Fortress” where Jesus was condemned to death by the Pontius Pilate.  “Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified” (John 19:16).  From there, we retrace Jesus’ final footsteps on the path of Via Dolorosa (“Way of Grief” in Latin) where Jesus was lead in agony, carrying the crucifixion cross towards the Holy Sepulcher.  There are a total of 14 Stations along this path through the market of the Old City.  We pray at each of the fourteen Stations, reflecting on the greatness of his sacrifice until we reach the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher (Church of the Resurrection).  We honor the Calvary “Golgotha” and the empty Tomb of our Lord.  We then explore the different sections of the church.  Free time is given for prayers and reflection.

Day 7: Mount of Olives – Mount Zion

We drive to the top of Mount Olives for a panoramic view of Jerusalem and observe the key sites surrounding the area.  We go to the Church of Peter Noster where Jesus taught his disciples how to pray.  We follow the Palm Sunday route to the Church of Dominus Flevit, where our Lord wept over the city.  We continue our walk on the Palm Sunday route to the Garden of Gethsemane, where we see the rock of Agony where Jesus prayed before his crucifixion.  Time will be allotted at the dimly-lit church for prayer and reflection.

Ascending the highest point of Mount Zion, we go to the Abbey of Dormition of Our Lady which is identified in Christian tradition as the place where the Virgin Mary died, and the Cenacle (Upper Room) known as the site of The Last Supper and Pentecost. 

On the Eastern slope of Mount Zion, we visit the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu (meaning cock’s crow).  This is in remembrance of Peter’s triple rejection of Jesus “…..before the cock crows thrice.”  (Mark 14:30).   The spot is also believed to be the location of the High Priest Caiaphas palace (high priest of the Jews), where Jesus was imprisoned for the night.  Afterwards, we return to the hotel for dinner and lodging.

 Day 8: Jerusalem, going around

We visit Mini Israel where you can see miniature models of some of the sites you visited on this pilgrimage. Afterwards, we return to the hotel for a special lunch.

In the afternoon, we go to the City of Victory “Emmaus Nicopolis”, where Jesus appeared after his death and resurrection.

Day 9: Free Day

Enjoy the day on your own to re-visiting Holy Sites and doing some shopping. Return to your hotel for dinner and lodging.

Day 10: Jerusalem – Home

After a memorable journey in this historic region, it is time to say farewell.