Holy Land & Jordan Pilgrimage- Under the Spiritual Direction of Fr. Ryan Nguyen

Depart for your overnight flights to Tel Aviv with meals and beverages served aloft.

After visa formalities we meet our guide and driver and head to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Overnight: Bethlehem (D)

Mt Olives, Palm Sunday, Dominus Flevit, Gethsemane, Cave of Betrayal, Cave of Assumption, Pater Noster: We begin our day with a visit to the Mt. of Olives to walk the Palm Sunday route stopping at Dominus Flevit, where Jesus wept over Jerusalem. Then to Gethsemane, the Rock of Agony where Jesus prayed His last prayer before his arrest. Visit the cave of betrayal then the cave of Assumption of Mary to heaven. Back on the Mt of Olives we visit the Pater Noster with the Lord’s Prayer in many languages, and the Ascension from where ascended to Heaven.

Overnight: Bethlehem (B, D)

Via Dolorosa, St Anne’s Church, Ecce Homo, Church of The Holy Sepulcher, Wailing Wall, Upper Room, Dormition: Early in the morning we retrace the last steps of Jesus. As we walk along the Via Dolorosa (Way of Sorrow), through the markets of the Old City praying the Stations of the Cross, we reflect on the greatness of His sacrifice. Finally, we arrive at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for Mass. After break-fast at our hotel we return to the Old City of Jerusalem to visit St. Anne’s Church, the home of the Virgin Mary and her parents Saints Joachim and Anne. We pass the Ecce Homo where Pilate proclaimed, “Behold the man”, then the Wailing Wall, the most holy place for Jews. Nearby is the Dome of the Rock and the Haram al Sharif or Temple Mount. We exit at Mt Zion. At the Cenacle we visit the Upper Room of the Last Supper. Next, we visit the Dormition Abbey where we believe the Blessed Mary died. We end the day at St. Peter in Gallicantu where Peter denied Him thrice.

Overnight: Bethlehem (B, D)

This morning we start our day by driving to the Shepherd’s Fields where the angels announced the birth of Jesus. Then we visit the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem that stands upon the site where Jesus was born. Next to the Grotto of the Nativity, we visit St. Jerome’s cave where he worked on the Latin Vulgate. The cave also includes the Chapel of the Holy Innocents. Afterwards, we walk to the cave-chapel of Milk Grotto which is believed to be the site where Mary rested while nursing baby Jesus during the Massacre of the Innocents. As we imagine, Christmas in Bethlehem, the city where Jesus was born, is a major event, and so we will join local Christians in celebrating Christmas in Manger Square, one of the main highlights of our pilgrimage. We then head to the village of Ein Karem, the birthplace of St John the Baptist and to the Church of Visitation where the Blessed Virgin Mary visited her cousin, Elizabeth, and proclaimed the ‘Magnificat’.

Overnight: Bethlehem (B, D)

Bethany, Jericho, Mt. Temptation, Jordan River, Qumran, Dead Sea: We begin our day with a visit to Bethany where Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. Further East, just off the Roman road that Jesus ‘walked’, is Wadi Qelt Gorge, site of the Monastery of St. George. At the Oasis town of Jericho, visit the excavations of the oldest city in the world and view Mt. Temptation where Jesus fasted and was tempted by Satan. We then visit the Jordan River and the authentic baptismal site of Our Lord. Continue south to Masada. Ascend by cable car to King Herod’s Great Fortress and the Jewish zealots’ last stronghold. Tour the palaces, mosaics, frescoed bath-house, the ancient synagogue and water system. Next at Qumran you will look, literally only a stone’s throw away, into the cave where the original Dead Sea Scrolls were found. Interestingly, they were found when a Bedouin boy broke a clay jay by throwing a stone into the cave. There is time for a swim (or rather a float!) in the mineral-rich waters of the Dead Sea, renowned for its healing properties. We also stop at the Oasis of Ein Gedi where David hid from King Saul.

Overnight: Bethlehem (B, D)

This morning we visit Joppa (or Jaffa), a small, ancient city located right outside of Tel Aviv. Joppa was named after Noah’s son, Japheth, and is the place where Jonah was fleeing from the will of God. We continue to Caesarea by the Sea to visit the Roman Crusader remains before we continue to Haifa. Upon arrival in Haifa, we will visit Stella Maris, a Carmelite Monastery with the Madonna of Mt Carmel. Next, we stop at the Baha’i Gardens, which includes a staircase of nineteen terraces extending all the way up the northern slope of Mount Carmel. We visit the Basilica of the Annunciation where we will celebrate Mass. We then continue to our hotel in Nazareth.

Overnight: Galilee (B, D)

Tiberias, Boat Ride on Sea of Galilee, Capernaum, Mt. Of Beatitudes, Caesarea Philippi: Some of today’s highlights are a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum to see the synagogue and St Peter’s house, a visit to the Mount of the Beatitudes where the Sermon on the Mount was given, to Tabgha to see the splendid mosaic about the miracle of the loaves and fishes, and to the nearby Church of Peter’s Primacy where Peter was told ” Feed my lambs, feed my sheep.” There will be an unforgettable Mass near the shores of the Sea of Galilee at the Primacy or Mt Beatitudes. Continue to visit the birthplace of Mary Magdalene in Magdala. During the time of Jesus, this village was a prosperous fishing village that exported fish and garum (a fish sauce reduction; popular in Roman cooking). In the afternoon we visit Caesarea Philippi, location of the testimony of St. Peter and where Jesus answered him, “You are the Rock and upon this I will build my Church.”

Overnight: Galilee (B, D)

We start our day by visiting Kursi. This is where the Miracle of the Swine happened. The suicidal flight of the “Gerasene swine” into the lake fits the hilly topography of Kursi pretty well, which no doubt persuaded the early Christian pilgrims to come to this place to celebrate the miracle performed by Jesus. Continue to Cana where Jesus performed his first miracle, turning water into wine; here we have the chance to renew our wedding vows. We then head to Mt. Tabor, the site of the Transfiguration of Jesus. Later, we cross the Jordanian / Israeli border, and continue to Amman for dinner and overnight.

Overnight: Amman (B, D)

This morning we drive to Petra. Once we arrive, we enjoy a walking tour of Petra. It begins with a walk through the Siq to the Treasury. Continue through the main street with the magnificent structures on each side carved into the mountains, to the colonnaded street, ending at the Petra Museum. Lose yourself in the history of the Nabateans who meticulously carved massive structures out of the rose-colored sandstone. See the influence of the people that followed including the architecture of the mighty Romans and a beautiful Byzantine chapel decorated with ancient, stunning mosaics that have been carefully preserved. This evening we continue to Amman for a relaxing evening, dinner, and overnight.

Overnight: Amman (B, D)

This morning we head to Mt. Nebo where Moses was laid to rest, and where the late Pope John Paul II tread on his first pilgrimage of the millennium. Visit the Sanctuary at Nebo: the memorial of Moses, the presumed site of his death and burial place, and a center for the pilgrimages since early Christian times. You’ll be inspired by the biblical feel from start to finish as you experience this divine tour. Mount Nebo is one of the most revered holy sites of Jordan, for this is where Moses was buried. The site’s other name is Pisgah: “And Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah which is opposite Jericho.”

Overnight: Amman (B, D)

This morning we bid farewell to The Holy Land and Jordan and board our return flights home with memories and keepsakes to last a lifetime.