Holy Land

Depart via scheduled air service. The destination is Tel Aviv.

Arrive at Ben Gurion Airport. Meet your Faith Journeys Tour Manager who will assist the group to awaiting chartered motorcoach for a transfer to Netanya via Joppa for a panoramic orientation to the land and visit the Church of St. Peter. If time permits, celebrate Mass at St. Peter’s Church. Late afternoon hotel check-in. Evening Welcome dinner and overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel. This morning we will follow in the footsteps of Paul and make our way up the Plain of Sharon to Caesarea. We will visit the aqueduct, the ancient Herodian harbor, the remains of the seaside palace of Pontius Pilate, and the theater. Continue to the altar of Elijah at the Muhraka atop Mount Carmel. Lunch, on own. Cross the Valley of Jezreel to Nazareth. Celebrate Mass in the Church of the Annunciation and view ruins of the ancient churches and the town of Nazareth of Jesus’ day. Continue to the Church of the Wedding at Cana, where Jesus performed his first miracle of turning water into wine.. Evening dinner and overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel. Celebrate Mass at the Mount of Beatitudes then descend the hillside to Tabgha and visit the Church of Loaves and Fishes, marking Jesus’ miraculous feeding of the Five Thousand as well as the Church of the Primacy of Peter. Visit Capernaum to see the house of Peter and synagogue where Jesus preached. Lunch, on own. Continue to the headwaters of the Jordan at Banias – Caesarea Philippi, where Peter acknowledged Jesus as the Christ. Return to the Sea of Galilee and board a wooden boat for Tiberias – sailing in the footsteps of Jesus. Evening dinner and overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel. Travel to the baptismal site on the Jordan River then descend the Jordan Valley to Jericho, the world’s oldest city, climbing the ancient Tel to view the Mount of Temptation. Lunch, on own. Continue to Jerusalem as we descend the traditional Palm Sunday Road, to the Church of Dominus Flevit for Mass. We conclude our day at the Garden of Gethsemane to reflect the on the sorrow of Jesus the night preceding his
judgement in the Church of the Agony.. Evening dinner and overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel. We begin our day by entering the Old City to visit the Western (Wailing) Wall, remnant of the Temple in which Jesus preached. We continue to Temple Mount to view the Muslim Dome of the Rock, built on the site of the Holy of Holies of the Temple. Walk through the Jewish Quarter to Mount Zion to visit the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu, where Jesus may have been questioned before the High Priest Caiaphas, and the Upper Room, traditional site of the Last Supper. Lunch, on own. Travel to the Shepherd’s Fields to rejoice over the glad tidings of the birth of Jesus. Continue to Bethlehem to visit the 5th-century Church of the Nativity and celebrate Mass in the Chapel of the Massacre of the Innocents. Enjoy some time at leisure to shop for famous Bethlehem crafts. Evening dinner and overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel. Visit the Crusader Church of St. Anne and the Pools of Bethesda. We then proceed up the Via Dolorosa and make our way past the 14 Stations of the Cross. We enter the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and proceed to Golgotha, the Chapel of the Skull of Adam, and the empty Tomb. In the chapel alongside the tomb, we conclude our pilgrimage with a celebration of Christ’s resurrection. Lunch, on own. Enjoy the afternoon at leisure for shopping or additional sightseeing. Evening Farewell dinner and overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel. Hotel check-out
Time at leisure in Jerusalem to wander the Old City and explore with newfound friends. Visit Emmaus for a possible worship service attendance at the site of the post-resurrection revelation of Jesus to his disciples. Transfer to the airport for the late night/early morning return flight home.

Transfer to the airport for return flight home.