| 14-Days: A Holy
Land Experience |
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DAY 01:
DEPART USA
We depart Los Angeles en route to Tel Aviv with complimentary meals and
beverages served aloft. |
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DAY 02:
ARRIVE TEL AVIV / TRANSFR TO HERZLIA
We reach Tel Aviv in the late afternoon. Our guide and driver will meet
us at the airport and drive us to a near-by hotel just north of Tel Aviv
in seaside Herzlia. Dinner awaits us at our accommodations. (D) |
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DAY 03:
HERZLIA / NAZARETH / TIBERIAS
After a sleepover and a good breakfast, we will travel to Nazareth, the
site of Mary’s home and the town where Jesus played as a child, learned
a trade, and grew to manhood. We will celebrate Mass in the Church of the
Annunciation and have an opportunity to visit sites in the city. From there
we will travel to Cana, where Jesus performed his first miracle at the
request of his mother [John 2:1-11]. In Cana we will visit the Franciscan
chapel for a renewal of wedding vows. Then on to Sepphoris, the Roman free
city and the capital of Galilee during Jesus’ youth. On to our hotel
on the shores of the Sea of Galilee in the city of Tiberias for rest, dinner,
and a relaxing evening (B, D) |
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DAY 04:
TIBERIAS: MUHRAQA, MEGGIDO, NAIN & JORDAN
RIVER
We will visit Muhraqa and a Carmelite Monastery located on the spot where
Elijah confronted the priests of Ba’al in the 18th chapter of 1st
Kings. There we will celebrate Mass. Then we’ll go to the port city
of Accho [Acre] to see remains of Western Christian Crusader efforts to
retake the Holy Land by force from the Muslims [1099-1291 AD]. Next we
will visit the ruins of Meggido, an ancient city located in the Jezreel
Valley. You may be most familiar with it as Armageddon [Har Meggido—“Hill
of Meggido”], the place of the final battle of good over evil spoken
of in the Book of Revelation [16:16]. We visit as well the village of Nain.
From there we will go to the Jordan River to renew our baptismal vows in
the River where Jesus was baptized by John [Mark 1:9]. We will return to
our hotel in Tiberias for dinner and the evening. (B, D) |
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DAY 05:
TIBERIAS: MT. OF BEATITUDES, TABGA & CAPERNAUM
In the morning, we will take a boat out into the Sea of Galilee for a morning
meditation. From there we will visit the Mount of the Beatitudes, Tabga
[where Jesus fed the 5,000]. We will take a morning walk down from Mt.
of Beatitudes to Mt. Eremos and visit the Cave which Egeria mentions in
her writing and then on to Capernaum where Peter lived and where Jesus
began his public ministry [Matt. 4:13]. We return to Tiberias for dinner
and the evening. (B, D) |
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DAY 06:
TIBERIAS TO JERUSALEM
Today we depart the scene of the early ministry of Jesus in Galilee and
head for Jerusalem where he suffered, died and rose from the dead. But
first we stop, as he did, on Mount Tabor, the site of the Transfiguration.
There we will celebrate Mass. Then we head down the Jordan Valley. En route
we will stop at Jacob’s Well in the town of Nablus [Shechem]. It
was there that Jesus encountered the Samaritan woman in the 4th chapter
of John’s Gospel. Passing through Jericho, we begin to climb the
mountain to the Holy City of Jerusalem. We will proceed to our hotel for
dinner and a leisurely evening. (B, D) |
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DAY 07:
JERUSALEM: JERICHO, MASADA & QUMRAN
Today we follow the old road down from Jerusalem to Jericho to get the
flavor of the Judean Wilderness where Jesus fasted 40 days and 40 nights
before beginning his public ministry. We celebrate Mass in the Desert overlooking
Wadi Kelt. Then we travel south to Masada, [the mountain fortress of King
Herod] and the Dead Sea [for a swim, bring your swimsuit]. On our return
we will visit Qumran, the site of the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
A final stop in Bethany will provide an opportunity to visit the traditional
tomb of Lazarus. Then back to our hotel for dinner and the evening. (B,
D) |
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DAY 08:
JERUSALEM: BETHLEHEM & HOLY LAND MODEL
We begin today with a visit to the Shepherd’s cave near Bethlehem
where we will celebrate Mass; then on to the Church of the Nativity in
Bethlehem. We’ll then return to the City of Jerusalem to visit a
large model of the Holy City at the time of Jesus in order to better understand
our walking tour of the Old City tomorrow. You may wish to include a group
visit to the Yad Vashem Memorial Museum, telling the story of the Holocaust
and serving as a sober reminder of man's inhumanity to man. The final stop
of the day will be at the Dead Sea Scrolls Museum where the ancient scrolls
are on display.
We’ll return to the hotel for dinner and the evening. (B, D) |
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DAY 09:
JERUSALEM: VISIT WITH A LOCAL PARISH
Today is the day that we plan to partake in a work project in support of
the local Christian community. Dinner is at our hotel. (B, D) |
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DAY 10:
JERUSALEM: WESTERN WALL, TEMPLE MOUNT & OLD
CITY
The first stop today is at the Western Wall of the ancient Temple destroyed
in 70 AD. This is the most sacred place for Jews and a place of prayer.
Then we visit the Temple Mount [in the time of Jesus the site of the Jewish
Temple and now a major Muslim Shrine, the Dome of the Rock]. From there
we will visit the Church of St. Anne for Mass, the Pool of Bethesda where
Jesus healed the paralytic, the Shrine at the Ecce Homo Arch and the site
of the scourging of Jesus. We will then have time to walk in the Holy City
and experience the culture of Old Jerusalem at our leisure. We return to
the hotel for dinner and the evening. (B, D) |
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DAY 11:
JERUSALEM: MT. OF OVLIVES, CAIAPHAS’ HOUSE & GETHSEMANE
Today begins with a trip to the Mount of Olives to celebrate Mass in a
beautiful little church, Dominus Flevit [“The Lord wept”].
It was here that Jesus wept over Jerusalem [Luke 19:41] prior to his death.
We then walk down the Mount of Olives to the Garden of Gethsemane, visit
the garden and the Church of All Nations located there. We then cross the
Kidron Valley where Jesus was lead and up to the Palace of Caiaphas for
his first interrogation by the High Priest. The site is known today as
St. Peter in Galicantu [“crowing rooster”]. We return to the
hotel for dinner. This evening we will go back to the Garden of Gethsemane
for prayer and meditation at the site where Jesus spent his last few moments
before he was taken to be crucified. (B, D) |
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DAY 12:
JERUSALEM: VIA DOLOROSA, HOLY SEPULCHRE & OLD
CITY
We begin the morning early as we gather at the Antonia Palace to walk the
Via Dolorosa, the Way of the Cross. Following the Via Dolorosa, we return
to the hotel for breakfast and orientation. After breakfast, we return
to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for Mass and a tour of Calvary and
the Tomb of Jesus. There is much history connected with these sites that
will be explained to us by our guide. Following the visit to the Church
of the Holy Sepulchre, pilgrims are free to walk through the Old City and
return at their leisure to our hotel in walking distance of the Old City.
(B, D) |
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DAY 13:
JERUSALEM: EMMAUS & CAESAREA
Today we drive to Emmaus for Mass of the Resurrection. It was on the road
to Emmaus that Jesus appeared to his disciples following his resurrection
and revealed himself in the breaking of the bread [Luke 24:13-35]. From
there we travel to Caesarea, where Peter came to understand that the Good
News was not for Jews only, but for the whole world. Here he baptized the
Roman Centurion, Cornelius, and his family. We enjoy a festive farewell
dinner at a local restaurant. (B, D) |
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DAY 14:
RETURN USA
Transfer to Tel Aviv airport for our return flight to the USA (B) |
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| Want to
customize? If you would like to customize this
itinerary, we will gladly do so.
VISIT LOCAL CHRISTIANS
Visit with the local Catholic community in the Holy Land: Catholic Travel
Centre recommends that you include a visit to a local Catholic parish
community. Ask us how we can easily incorporate this element into your
itinerary.
NOTE: While no
changes are anticipated, there might be occasions
when certain alterations become necessary to
this itinerary, either due to changes in airline
schedules or for other unforeseen reasons.
All Masses are subject to final church schedules.
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