HolyLand Tour

Arrival at Tel Aviv Ben Gurion airport, meet guide bus. We drive along the coastal site to Caesarea to ancient Caesarea, a center of the early Christians. Here Cornelius became the first Gentile convert religion, and Paul was imprisoned before being taken to Rome for trial. Visit the Roman amphitheater, Crusader’s Moat, the Byzantine Churches, and the Aqueduct. drive to Haifa, Mt. Carmel home of the Prophets Elijah and Elisha; for a scenic view of the city and the port and Bahaii Gardens. Continue to Nazareth dinner and overnight.

Motor up to the Mt. of Beatitudes the site of the Sermon of the Mount where Jesus preached to the people. The beautiful view of the Sea of Galilee and entire Galilee is spectacular. Next to Capernaum, home of Our Lord during his ministry. After visiting the synagogue where he taught, drive on to Tabgha. This was the site of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes. Next the Church of St. Peter’s Primacy. Here he said to Peter, “Feed my lambs, feed my sheep”. Take a boat on the Sea of Galilee. dinner and overnight.

Leave Nazareth and drive along the Jordan River to the summit of Mount Tabor to visit the site of the Transfiguration of Jesus and the beautiful scenery of the valley of Jezreel. Drive to Nazareth to Visit Jesus boyhood home. Following the visit to Basilica of the Annunciation and Joseph’s workshop, the cave of the Annunciation and Mary’s Well. There is ample time to walk in the streets of Our Lord’s boyhood town. dinner and overnight Nazareth.

Check-out from hotel in Nazareth and drive through the Jordan Valley, Jordan River to Qasr El Yehud Baptismal Site on the Jordan River. Mass on the Jordan River. Stop at Qumran to see the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls, the oldest known Biblical manuscripts ever found. Continue to the Dead Sea to swim in the salty and mineral laden waters of the Dead Sea. The sea has high concentration of various healing chemical salts that one cannot sink in. Dinner and overnight in Jericho.

Start the day with a visit to ancient Jericho, visit the ruins of the ancient city which was conquered by Joshua. Take cable car up to Mt. Temptation to visit the Greek Orthodox Monastery on the Mountain and enjoy the view of the “tel”, and Elisha’s Fountain. Continue to Bethany, home of the siblings Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Have Mass before we continue to Bethlehem. Dinner and overnight.

This morning, stand atop the Mt. of Olives as Jesus did and enjoy the spectacular view of the “Golden City” of Jerusalem, significant to Christians, Jews and Moslems. Visit the Church of Pater Noster (commemorating the Our Father) the Chapel of Ascension and then walk the “Palm Sunday Road” visiting on the way Dominus Flevit, Jesus Wept, and to the Russian Church. Continue to the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus prayed for God’s will to be done and the Church of All Nations and the rock of Agony. Drive back to Bethlehem to to visit Church of Nativity the Birthplace of Jesus and one of the most revered sites. Continue to Shepherds’ Fields to visit the Caves where shepherds “kept watch over their flock” still abound in the area east of Bethlehem

Drive to Mt Sion, Dormition Abbey, the Upper Room, revered as the site of the Last Supper. Then survey the Dormition Abbey, St. Peter in Gallicantu where Peter denied Jesus three times, and King David’s Tomb. This afternoon, enter the Old City of Jerusalem where everyday life and winding cobblestone streets have remained much the same over the centuries. Sing a hymn in the Church of St. Anne and view the Pool of Bethesda. Visit the Chapel of Flagellation, Lithostrotos and the arch of the Ecce Homo”. Follow the Via Dolorosa (Way of the Cross) through the narrow alleys and bazaars to the holiest shrine in Christendom, Church of the Holy Sepulchre to visit Golgotha and the Tomb of Our Lord. Return to hotel.

Drive to the New City of Jerusalem to see the scale model of this ancient city as it was during the time of Jesus and the Shrine of the Book, where the Dead Sea Scrolls are housed at the Israeli Museum. By way of the Knesset (Israel’s Parliament). Continue to Yad Vashem, Holocaust Museum before we go to Ein Karem, birthplace of St. John the Baptist, to visit the Visitation Church where Mary proclaimed her famous “Magnificat.”

Transfer back home.