Israel: Pilgrimage to the Holy Land

Day 1: Overnight Flight

Travel to the Holy Land on an inspirational journey that visits some of the most ancient sites in the world.

Day 2: Tel Aviv, Israel – Tour Begins

Your tour begins in Tel Aviv, a bustling city brimming with culture and history, situated on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline. Tonight, join your fellow travelers for a welcome dinner.

Day 3: Tel Aviv – Jaffa – Caesarea – Acre – Nazareth – Cana – Tiberias

Journey to the ancient port city of Jaffa for a leisurely stroll through the winding alleys of the historic area. Celebrate Mass at St. Peters Church. Travel to the walled city and Roman ruins of Caesarea. It was here that St. Peter converted the first pagan, Centurion Cornelius, to become a Christian, and where St. Paul was imprisoned for two years. Next, stop in Acre, an ancient crusader city and UNESCO World Heritage site. In Nazareth, visit the Church of the Annunciation. Your day continues with a visit to Cana, the site of Our Lords first miracle, at a wedding feast where you can renew your marriage vows. Arrive in Tiberias for a 2-night stay.

Day 4: Tiberias – Sea of Galilee – Tabgha – Capernaum – Tiberias

This morning enjoy a special treat when you take a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee where many of the apostles were fishermen and where Our Lord preached. Travel to nearby Tabgha and visit the Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and the Fishes, built to commemorate the miraculous feeding of five thousand. Stop at the Mount of Beatitudes for a stunning view of the Sea of Galilee. Celebrate Mass at the Church of the Beatitudes. Continue to the Church of the Primacy of St. Peter where Our Lord appeared to the apostles after His resurrection. In Capernaum, visit the church built over the ruins of St. Peters house. Get a taste of the local flavor when you enjoy lunch at a communal settlement known as a kibbutz. Finally, visit Yardenit, the Jordan River baptismal site.

Day 5: Tiberias – Mount Tabor – Bethlehem – Jerusalem

Travel to Mount Tabor, the site of the Transfiguration. Proceed to Bethlehem and enjoy a stop at Shepherds Field, where the angels appeared on the first Christmas night. Celebrate Mass at the Church of the Nativity, built on the birth site of Our Lord. Later, arrive in one of the holiest cities in the world, Jerusalem.

Day 6: Jerusalem, the Old City

Your visit to Jerusalem begins with a visit to the Church of the Pater Noster, built on the traditional site where Jesus taught His disciples the Lord’s Prayer; its name refers to the Our Father prayer. Next, visit the Mount of Olives and the site where Our Lord wept over the city, now known as Dominus Flevit. Afterwards, visit the Church of All Nations, built over the rock on which Our Lord prayed the night before He was crucified. Continue to the Garden of Gethsemane, the site of Christs betrayal by Judas. Travel to Caiaphas Palace known today as St. Peter in Gallicantu where St. Peter once denied Our Lord in one of its courts. This afternoon, travel to Ein Karem to visit the Church of St. John the Baptist, built over the Grotto of his birthplace, and celebrate Mass.

Day 7: Jerusalem

Today you are free to explore the city on your own. Perhaps youll choose to take an optional excursion to the Dead Sea to discover where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found; visit Masada; stop at AHAVA Visitors Center; and perhaps even float on the salty waters of the Dead Sea. Later today, gather with your fellow travelers to celebrate Mass.

Day 8: Jerusalem – Western Wall

Enter the old city through St. Stephens Gate where St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr, was stoned to death. Continue to the Church of St. Anne, marking the place where the parents of the Blessed Mother lived. Visit the nearby Pools of Bethesda, where Jesus healed the paralytic, and see the Ecce Homo Arch, the site where Pontius Pilate presented Our Lord to the crowds. Celebrate Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the site of His crucifixion, burial and resurrection. Walk through the Muslim, Christian and Jewish quarters to the Western Wall of the Temple. Then, follow the Via Dolorosa, the Way of the Cross, walked by Our Lord on the way to His crucifixion. Next, visit the Church of the Dormition (commemorating Our Ladys Assumption) and the nearby Hall of the Last Supper. In Jerusalem, enjoy a farewell dinner with your fellow travelers to celebrate the end of this unforgettable and holy experience.

Day 9: Jerusalem – Tour Ends