Holy Land & Jordan Pilgrimage- Under the Spiritual Direction of Frs. William and Nicholas Schierer

Depart for our overnight flights to Amman. Dinner on-board, relax, and anticipate your arrival tomorrow.

Upon arrival in Amman, we are met by our representative who will remain with us for the duration of the tour. We continue to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Overnight: Amman (D*)

After breakfast, we depart through the “King’s Highway” to ancient city of Petra. Once we arrive, we begin our day in Petra by celebrating Mass. We later enjoy a walking tour of Petra 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. Return to Amman for dinner and overnight.

Overnight: Amman (B, D)

This morning we head to Mt. Nebo, with its panoramic view revealing the Promised Land, as it did with Moses: from the Dead Sea through Herodium, Bethlehem and Jerusalem (29 miles away).  Visit the Sanctuary at Nebo for Mass at this center for the pilgrimages since early Christian times and see the ruins of the vast Byzantine monastery.  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 (Cf. Deuteronomy 34:1).  Afterwards we continue to our resort on the Dead Sea for a swim (or rather a float!) in the mineral-rich waters of the Dead Sea, renowned for its healing properties.

Overnight: Dead Sea (B, D)

We begin the day with the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan where we too can renew our baptismal vows (and also ponder the crossing of the Jordan under Joshua’s leadership).  Then we cross the Jordanian Israeli border and head towards the oasis town of Jericho.  It was here in Jericho that the Lord Jesus gave Bartimaeus back his sight and converted the rich Zacchaeus, performing for both his ministry of the Good Shepherd.  We will celebrate mass at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Jericho.  We will gaze at Mt. Temptation and see some of Jericho’s biblical sites including Zacchaeus’ tree and Elijah’s Spring.  Afterwards, we will continue along the shores of the Dead Sea to Qumran to learn about the Essene community and see the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. 

Overnight: Bethlehem (B, D)

This morning we visit the gentle lush countryside of Ein Karem, the village where John the Baptist was born.  Here we will visit the Church of the Visitation and the Church of St. John.  After lunch, we visit the Shepherd’s Field and then on to the Church of the Nativity where we will celebrate Christmas Mass, situated above the traditional Grotto of Jesus birth.  After touring the shrine, we visit the Grotto of St. Jerome, the Church of St. Catherine, and the Milk Grotto before dinner and overnight at the hotel.           

Overnight: Bethlehem (B, D)

This morning we leave Bethlehem and head to Nazareth. We drive to St. Peter’s Church of Joppa, now Jaffa, (cf. Acts 10:11) and drive along the Mediterranean coast to Caesarea, home of ancient Roman Procurators and the capitol city of the Roman Province of Palestine.  Here, St. Peter preached, and St. Paul was imprisoned for two years.  We’ll continue to Muhraka where Elijah confronted the false prophets of Baal and where the Carmelite Order was started, here we celebrate Mass. Then we ascend Mt. Carmel, home of the prophets Elijah and Elisha, before continuing to Nazareth, the home of the Holy family and our home for two nights.

Overnight: Nazareth (B, D)

We start our morning with a visit to Mary’s well and the Orthodox Church of the Angel Gabriel.  We will pray the rosary as we walk (or bus ride) to the Basilica of Annunciation in Nazareth (the largest church in the Middle east) where we will celebrate Mass and visit.  Then we will go to the Byzantine Church of St Joseph (aka Joseph’s Workshop) and the Grotto of the Annunciation.  Next, we head to Mount Precipice, Mount of the Leap of the Lord.  We finish the day with a trip to Cana of Galilee, where our Lord performed the first miracle at the request of His Mother – changing water into wine at the wedding feast [John 2:1-11]. Here we will invite couples to renew their wedding vows.

Overnight: Nazareth (B, D)

Begin with a visit to Church of the Primacy of Peter in Tabgha.  Bible study under the waterfall of Ein Eyov.  Then we visit Capernaum, home of our Lord during His ministry and see the synagogue where He taught which was built by the centurion (cf. Lk 7:4-5) (we will do a Bible study on John 6) and then The Church of Peter’s House.  We have Holy Mass in that chapel built over the excavations.    Next, visit Mount Arbel, located on the Sea of Galilee’s western shore, close to Magdala – home of Mary Magdalene, overlooking the Valley of the Doves.  We will have a picnic lunch on the Mount of the Beatitudes near the site of the Sermon on the Mount. Conclude the day with a scenic boat ride on the Sea of Galilee.

Overnight: Spend the night at Tabgha Pilgarhaus (first choice.  or some other guest house near Mt. of Beatitudes or in the city of Tiberias). It will depend on availability.

This morning, we leave Galilee and travel south to the summit of Mount Tabor for Mass at the site of the Transfiguration of Jesus and enjoy a sweeping view of the beautiful 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 will pass through the city of Nain where Jesus raised the widow’s son (Cf. Luke7) and then continue to Burquin and visit one of the oldest churches in the world, the Church of the Ten Lepers, where Jesus Christ is said to have performed a miracle of healing lepers who were confined in the church’s cave.  Passing through Samaria we will imitate our Lord and stop at Jacob’s Well near Mount Gerazim, and then onto Bethany and visit the tomb of Lazarus and the Orthodox Church of the Raising of Lazarus before we continue to our hotel in Jerusalem.

Overnight: Bethlehem (B, D)

Today we begin with a dramatic view of the Old City from the Mount of Olives, revealing a city with 4000 years of history. From this vantage point, we see much of what makes Jerusalem such a unique city.  We will visit the Church of Pater Noster, the place Jesus taught His disciples the Lord’s Prayer.  We also visit the Chapel of the Ascension commemorating the Ascension of Our Lord into Heaven.  Then we walk the Palm Sunday road to the Chapel of Dominus Flevit, where we will have Mass with a spectacular view of Jerusalem.  Continue down to the Garden of Gethsemane and the Tomb of Mary. This afternoon, we visit the Church of Saint Peter in Gallicantu (on the slope of Mt. Zion) at the place where Peter denied Jesus while He as awaiting trial before Sanhedrin.  Return to the Church of All Nations and the Garden of Gethsemane for a Holy Hour at the place Jesus suffered the agony in the garden and was betrayed by Judas.

Overnight: Bethlehem (B, D)

This morning we begin our day by celebrating mass on Mount Calvary.  Continue to the area of the ancient Jewish temple.  We explore excavations of the temple environs, see the steps where Jesus preached and the evidence of the destruction of the temple as Jesus foretold. See the Wailing Wall the foundations of the great Jewish temple.  Proceed to Mount Zion where we stand in the Upper Room (also known as the Cenacle), where we remember the Lord’s Last Supper, and Pentecost.  We will visit the Church of the Dormition and contemplate Mary “falling asleep” before her Assumption.  We have dinner and overnight at our hotel.

Overnight: Bethlehem (B, D)

Today we begin our day by following Jesus on the Way of the Cross passing Lithostrotos to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher to visit Calvary, where Christ was crucified, the stone of anointing, and the empty tomb of Our Savior which witnesses to our Easter faith in resurrection.  Today we celebrate Easter Mass in the Edicule itself.  Later we will walk through the narrow cobble-store streets of the Old City, visiting the Church of Saint Anne, the birthplace of Mary and home of Sts Joachim and Anne, and viewing the Pool of Bethseda where Jesus healed the crippled. In the evening we will participate in the procession in the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem before we end our Pilgrimage with a farewell dinner. Back to our hotel.

Overnight: Bethlehem (B, D)

Today we board our flights home, carrying with us memories and keepsakes that will last a lifetime.