DAY 1: DEPART USA

Depart for Holy Land (Tel-Aviv) with complimentary meals and beverages served onboard your international flight.

DAY 2: ARRIVE TEL AVIV - NAZARETH

On arrival in Tel Aviv, we will meet our private assistant in the airport and continue to be met by our guide and Bus driver that will accompany us during our entire pilgrimage. Proceed to our hotel in Nazareth for dinner and overnight.

DAY 3: MT. TABOR - CANA - NAZARETH

After breakfast, we will drive to the site of the Transfiguration, Mount Tabor (Matthew 17:1-50). At this site, you will have some time to reflect on Christ’s Humanity and Divinity. Our next stop is at Cana of Galilee to visit the wedding Church, where Jesus performed the first of his signs, changing water to wine (Mass with renewal of wedding promises for couples). We drive back to Nazareth for lunch. After lunch time, we will experience the town where Mary once lived and where Jesus lived as a child (Matthew 2:23). During the visit to Nazareth, we visit the Basilica of the Annunciation Church which includes the Church of St. Joseph (it’s from 1914-21 built over Byzantine ruins) which tradition identifies it with the workshop of Joseph and the house of the Holy family. We will continue with a visit of the Church of the Incarnation. Inside is the Grotto are the remains of the house of the Blessed Virgin where the Angel appeared and announced the good news. Following the pilgrims path, we visit Mary’s well where often the Virgin Mary would have walked to draw water from the spring.

Option: (Meeting with Vicar of Nazareth).

Dinner and overnight at your hotel in Nazareth

DAY 4: TIBERIAS - BEATITUDES - TABGHA - CAPERANUM- SEA OF GALILEE

This morning after breakfast at the hotel, we drive to the Sea of Galilee to visit the Mt. of Beatitudes where our Lord gave the Sermon on the Mount (Luke 6:20-49). We will celebrate a Mass upon arrival. We visit Tabgha to see the splendid mosaic of the loaves and fishes, where Jesus fed the crowd of 5,000 people from five loaves of bread and two fish (Luke 9:10-17). Also, in Tabgha is St. Peter’s Primacy where Jesus bestowed church leadership upon Peter (John 21:9). We continue to Capernaum to see the house of St. Peter and the Synagogue where our Lord preached. You will have an opportunity to try the St. Peter’s fish for lunch that day. One of today’s highlights is a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee (Luke 5:1). We will also see the “Jesus Boat” a 2000-year-old boat found at the shores of Magdala. We drive back to Nazareth.

Dinner and overnight at your hotel in Nazareth.

DAY 5: HAIFA - CAESAREA

This Morning, we drive west to Caesarea Maritime where St. Peter baptized Cornelius and St. Paul was a prisoner for a while before going to Rome. Here, we visit the Roman Aqueducts and the Roman Theater and the palace of Pontius Pilate. This is the place which officially ended the tradition of adhering to the Jewish ceremonial laws. As a result, Peter baptized a group of gentiles, the Roman Centurion, Cornelius, and his family. Then we will drive to visit the beautiful City of Haifa and go on Mt. Carmel where The Carmelites started 900 years ago. We celebrate Mass at the Church of Stella Maris, “the star of the sea”. The monastery is located above the cave where Elijah, the prophet, once lived. A colourful painting of this “Wonder-Worker” can be found on the ceiling of the Church. We will have a panoramic view of the City of Haifa and the beautiful Baha’i Gardens. Return to Nazareth for dinner and overnight at your hotel.

DAY 6: JERICHO - MOUNT OF TEMPTATION - DEAD SEA

After breakfast, you will drive along the Jordan Valley south to Kasr El-Yahud, Jesus’

baptismal site on the River Jordan (Matthew 3:13-17). After some time at the Jordan River, we

continue to the oldest inhabited city in the world, Jericho (Joshua 6:12-25). In

Jericho, you view the exact location of the Mount of Temptation where the Devil tempted Jesus during his forty-day fast (Luke 4:1). Following the visit to this mountain, we drive to the Dead Sea for a relaxing float or swim. We continue drive to Jerusalem for dinner and overnight.

Mass at Good Shepherd (a local parish church in Jericho).

DAY 7: BETHLEHEM

This morning, we drive to Bethlehem visiting the place of birth of our Lord, The Basilica of the Nativity to celebrate Mass. We will visit the Grotto of Nativity and the Church of St. Catherine where the Midnight Mass is celebrated and the Caves of St. Joseph and St. Jerome underneath the church. Visit the Shepherd’s Fields where the Angels appeared to the shepherds who were watching over their flocks during the night. This afternoon we enjoy time for shopping at a local co-op Catholic owned store to support the remaining faithful Catholics of the Bethlehem community.

Dinner and overnight at your hotel in Jerusalem.

DAY 8: MOUNT OF OLIVES

After breakfast, we drive to the top of Mt. Olives for a panoramic view of Jerusalem for a better understanding of its geography and some of the key sites surrounding the area. Visit the Church of Pater Noster where Jesus taught his disciples how to pray the “Our Father”. Then we walk on the Palm Sunday road to the Church of Dominus Flevit, where our Lord wept over the City of Jerusalem. We will continue our walk on the Palm Sunday road to the Garden of Gethsemane. At Gethsemane is the Rock of Agony where Jesus uttered His last prayer. Spend some time in reflection and meditation inside the church.(Holy Mass in the Garden of Gethsemane)

Dinner and overnight at your hotel in Jerusalem.

DAY 9: JERUSALEM - AIN KAREM - MOUNT ZION - UPPER ROOM

In the morning, we drive to Ain - Karem to visit the birthplace of St. John the Baptist and the Church of the Visitation where Mary came to visit her kinswoman Elizabeth and proclaimed the ‘Magnificat’. This afternoon, we go on Mount Zion to visit the Church of the Dormition commemorating our Blessed Mother falling asleep. Next, we go to visit the Cenacle / Upper Room the place of the Last Supper and Pentecost. We also visit the Church of Saint Peter in Gallicantu. The house of the high priest of the Jews, Caiaphas, where Jesus was imprisoned for the night and where Peter denied our Lord.

Mass at the Latin Patriarchate Co-Cathedral.

Visit of the Latin Patriarchate and meet with the Patriarch or one of the Jerusalem Bishops.

DAY 10: JERUSALEM: THE PASSION OF JESUS LAST HOURS

Early this morning, we plan to attend the Mass in the Holy Tomb at the Church of Holy Sepulcher. After Mass, we return to the hotel for breakfast. Our day continues with a visit to the Old City of Jerusalem, the Western Wall, Dome of the Rock and El-Aqsa Mosque.  Afterward, we visit St. Anne’s Church and the Pools of Bethesda. We continue to the Judgment Hall, known as the Antonia Fortress, where Jesus was led to be condemned to death by Pontius Pilate. At that place, we start walking the Via Dolorosa through the markets of the Old City praying the Stations of the Cross. We reflect on the greatness of His sacrifice, stopping at each of the fourteen stations of the cross until we reach the Church of Holy Sepulchre. Visit Calvary and the empty Tomb of our Lord and the different sections of the church. Dinner and overnight at your hotel in Jerusalem.

DAY 11: RETURN TO USA

This morning, we departure from Tel-Aviv and flight back to the USA with wonderful memories to cherish.