The Holy land - Trip to Israel
19 Oct 2017 To 29 Oct 2017
Day 1 : Oct 19- DEPART (Direct Flight – El Al Airlines)
(Meals: Dinner in-flight)
Day 2 : Oct 20-ARRIVE – TEL AVIV – CAESAREA-HAIFA-NAZARETH
After arrival at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel-Aviv, you will be met by your local guide, who will be with you during your stay in the Holy Land. Drive to ancient Caesarea, a center of the early Christians. Here, Cornelius became the first Gentile to convert to the religion, and Paul was imprisoned before being taken to Rome for trial. Visit the Roman Amphitheatre, Crusader’s Moat, the Byzantine Churches, and the Aqueduct. We drive along the coastal site to Haifa, Mt. Carmel home of the Prophets Elijah and Elisha; visit St. Elijah church and have a scenic view of the city and the port. Mass: 11:30 noon Stella Maris. Continue to our hotel in Nazareth; check-in followed by dinner and overnight.
Meals (Breakfast+ Dinner included)
Tel Aviv (and vicinity), Israel
Caesarea, Israel
Haifa, Israel
Nazareth, Israel
Day 3 : OCT 21-TIBERIAS – CANA - TABGHA
Drive to Cana of Galilee where Jesus performed his first miracle at the Wedding Feast.
Optional renewal of marriage vows at Wedding Chapel.
Drive to Tiberius and take a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee to Kibbutz Ginossar. See a recently discovered, A 2,000-year-old boat still perfectly intact.
Holy mass on the Boat
Lunch (not included)
Drive to Capernaum, home of Our Lord during his ministry. Visit Synagogue and town. Drive on to Tabgha, site of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes.
Visit Church of St. Peter’s Primacy. Here He said to Peter, “Feed my lambs, feed my sheep”. Drive to Mount of Beatitudes where the Sermon of the Mount occurred.
Meals (Breakfast+ Dinner included)
Tiberias, Israel
TABGHA
Day 4 : OCT 22-NAZARETH – MOUNT TABOR
Drive to Nazareth, boyhood home of Jesus.
Holy Mass at the Basilica of the Annunciation. Visit Joseph’s workshop, the cave of the Annunciation and Mary’s well. Walk about Nazareth. Visit the Poor Clare Monastery.
Lunch (not included)
Take an excursion to the summit of Mount Tabor. Visit Church of the Transfiguration of Jesus. View the beautiful scenery of Valley of Jezreel.
Meals (Breakfast+ Dinner included)
Nazareth, Israel
MOUNT TABOR
Day 5 : OCT 23-NAZARETH – ABU GOSH - BETHLEHEM
After breakfast, check-out from hotel and drive south to Abu Gosh visit the Crusader church and continue to Bethlehem to visit Church of Nativity, the Birthplace of Jesus and one of the most revered sites. Mass at 3PM.
Transfer to hotel in Bethlehem,
Meals (Breakfast+ Dinner included)
Nazareth, Israel
Abu Ghosh, Israel
Bethlehem, Israel
Day 6 : OCT 24-JERUSALEM – BETHLEHEM
Stand atop the Mount of Olives as Jesus did and enjoy the spectacular view of the “Golden City” of Jerusalem, significant to Christians, Jews and Muslims alike. Visit the Church of Pater Noster (commemorating the Our Father) and celebrate Holy Mass.
Visit Chapel of Ascension and then walk the “Palm Sunday Road” visiting on the way Dominus Flevit, “Jesus Wept”, and the Russian Orthodox Church. Walk into the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus prayed for God’s will to be done. Visit Church of All Nations and the Rock of Agony.
Lunch (not included)
Drive to Bethlehem to visit the birthplace of Jesus at the Church of Nativity in Manger Square. See the Church of St. Catherine, the Grotto of St. Jerome and the Shepherds’ Fields. Drive to Herodian.
Meals (Breakfast+ Dinner included)
Jerusalem, Israel Bethlehem, Israel
Day 7 : OCT 25-JERUSALEM
Visit the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Visit this holiest of shrines in Christendom and see within, the Chapel of Golgotha and the Sepulcher of Christ itself. Drive to Temple Area and view the Dome of the Rock, El Aqsa Mosque. Visit the Wailing Wall. Drive to visit sites at Mount Zion; Dormition Abbey; the Upper Room - the site of the Last Supper, St. Peter in Gallicantu where Peter denied Jesus, and see Shrine of King David’s Tomb.
Holy mass (location TBA)
Lunch (not included)
Enter the Old City of Jerusalem and step back in time. Visit Church of St. Anne. See Pool of Bethesda, where Jesus performed the Sabbath miracle. Visit Chapel of Flagellation, Lithostrotos and the arch of “Ecce Homo”. Walk & Pray the “Via Dolorosa” as it winds its way through the narrow alleys and bazaars back to the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher.
Meals (Breakfast+ Dinner included)
Jerusalem, Israel
Day 8 : OCT 26-DEAD SEA – QUMRAN AND JERICHO
Drive to Qumran to see the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. Continue to the Dead Sea to swim in the salty and mineral-laden waters. Drive to ancient Jericho. Celebrate Holy Mass.
Lunch (not included)
Visit the ruins of the ancient city conquered by Joshua. From the top of the ancient “tel,” view Elisha’s Fountain and the Mount of Temptation. Enjoy a stunning cable car ride to Quarantal. Depart for Jerusalem driving the winding mountain roads. Stop at Bethany to visit the site of the House of Mary, Martha and Lazarus; and see the Tomb of Lazarus.
Meals (Breakfast+ Dinner included)
Dead Sea, Isreal
QUMRAN JERICHO
Day 9 : OCT 27-JERUSALEM
Drive to the New City, by way of the Knesset (Israel’s Parliament), to see the scale model of this ancient city as it was during the time of Jesus. Drive to the Shrine of the Book, where the Dead Sea Scrolls are housed.
Lunch (not included)
Holy Mass in the Crusader Chapel of the resident monastic Community.
Meals (Breakfast+ Dinner included)
Jerusalem, Israel
Day 10 : OCT 28- BETHLHEM –EIN KAREM
Free morning to relax. Late check-out, then we drive to Ein Karem, the birthplace of St. John the Baptist and visit the Visitation Church where Mary proclaimed her famous “Magnificat.” Drive to Abu Gosh Today we bid farewell to the Holy Land.
Mass at 3:00 PM. Farewell dinner at a surprise location to enjoy your last day in the Holy Land.
Meals (Breakfast+ Dinner included)
Ein Karem, Jerusalem, Israel
Bethlehem, Israel
Day 11 : OCT 29– TEL AVIV AIRPORT
Drive to the airport to board our departure flight back home.
Meals (Breakfast)
Tel Aviv (and vicinity), Israel
