Day 1 :
Travel from Home to Israel
- Travel from Home to Israel:
Upon arriving in Tel Aviv, drive north along the Mediterranean Seacoast to Stella Maris Monastery on Mount Carmel. You'll celebrate Mass before dinner.
Day 2 :
Cana - Nazareth
- Cana:
Celebrate mass at the Wedding Chapel in Cana before departing for Nazareth.
- Travel to Nazareth:
En route to Nazareth, stop at Mary's Well in the Greek Orthodox Church. Then, we'll walk the streets, stopping at local markets, and on to the Synagogue Church. You'll continue to St. Joseph's and the Museum of the Annunciation. Enter the Parish Church of Nazareth and stand in front of the Grotto where Mary heard the Angel Gabriel announce that she was Month of Jesus.
- Overnight stay at the Sisters of Nazareth Convent:
Dinner, overnight stay, and special tour of the Convent's excavations of the ancient tombs under their property.
Day 3 :
Sea of Galilee
- Travel to the Sea of Galilee:
Depart the Convent for the Sea Galilee to visit Tabgha where Our Lord fed 5,000 men with 2 loaves and 5 fishes. Continue to The Primacy and then to the Mount of Beatitudes where we will celebrate Mass. Then enjoy a Saint Peter's Fish Lunch.
- Travel to Mount Tabor:
Travel to Mount Tabor and then visit Antonio Barlucci's magnificent church and have time to mediate on the Transfiguration where Jesus revealed His Glory.
- Travel to Jordan River:
Travel to Yardenit on the Jordan River to renew your baptismal promise before heading to Nazareth.
- Overnight stay at the Little Sisters Convent:
Day 4 :
Dead Sea
- Mass at the Grotto of the Annunciation:
- Travel along the Jordan Rift:
Enter Palestine and Jericho. See the Mount of Temptations and the excavations of the oldest city in the world.
- Travel to Qumran:
Travel south to Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls are found and learn about the Essene Community. You'll stop at the Dead Sea and have the opportunity to "float" in the mineral laden waters before heading to Jerusalem.
Day 5 :
Jerusalem
- Explore Jerusalem:
You'll go to Ein Karem to visit the birthplace of St. John the Baptist and then climb to the Church of the Visitation where Mary went to help her cousin Elizabeth.
- Travel to Bethlehem:
Drive through Jerusalem to Bethlehem and have lunch at the Franciscan Casa Nova. You'll visit the oldest Christian church in the world, built over the place where Our Lord was born. Visit Shepherd's Field where we'll celebrate Mass. Enjoy some shopping in one of the biggest Christian stores in the world.
Day 6 :
Mt Olives
- Mt Olives:
Ascend to the top of Mt Olives and walk to the place of the Ascension to the Carmelite Convent. Continue to Dominus Flevit and then down to Gethsemane where we will celebrate Mass.
- The Old City:
Enter the Old City at the Eye of the Needle and begin the Via Dolorosa through the streets of the Old City. Continue up to the Holy Sepulchure. Have time for personal reflection before joining the Franciscans in Benediction.
Day 7 :
Mt Zion
- You'll drive around the Old City to Mt Zion to visit Dormition Abbey where Mary slept and the Upper Room. Celebrate Mass at the Franciscan property of the Cenacle. :
- Shrine of the Book:
Depart for the Israel Museum and visit the Shrine of the Book where some of the Dead Sea Scrolls are now kept and see a model of Jerusalem at the time of Christ. See the 1/50th scale model of the city and understand how the walls have changed.
Day 8 :
Western Wall - Temple Mount
- Tour the Old City:
Walk down through the Old City to visit the Western Wall. Walk up to the Temple Mount where Jesus taught and prayed. See the Al Aqss Mosque and the Dome of the Rock. Pass the closed Golden Gate and enter the Crusader church of St. Ann's and the Pools of Bethesda. After lunch, you'll continue to St. Peter in Gallicantu, where our Lord was held by the high priest when he was arrested.
Day 9 :
Jordan
- Travel to Jordan:
Cross the Jordan River at the Allenby Bridge and head to Mt Nebo where Moses looked into the Promised Land. Celebrate Mass at the Franciscan Chapel before going to Madaba to see the world's oldest map of the Middle East.
Day 10 :
Petra
- Explore Petra:
Enjoy a full day to explore Petra, rose-red city of the Bedouins. Your guided tour in through the Siq will bring you to the beauty of the Treasury, carved into the mountains. Continue to see all the tombs carved into the hills.
Day 11 :
Jerusalem
- Travel back to Jerusalem:
Return north to the Allenby Bridge and re-enter Israel. Have free time in Jerusalem before celebrating mass in the Franciscan Chapel in the Holy Sepulchre.
Day 12 :
Depart for Home
- Travel from Israel to Home:
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