Catholic Pilgrimage 9 Days / 8 Nights

Catholic Pilgrimage

Itineraries

Arrival at Ben Gurion Airport, meet with your professional guide, who will be with you during your visit to the Holy Land.

Transfer to Galilee for dinner overnight stay.

Mass at the Basilica of the Annunciation

Start your day by visiting Nazareth; the Basilica of the Annunciation, the Byzantine church of St. Joseph and Mary’s Well. Celebrate Mass at the Basilica of the Annunciation. Continue on to visit Megiddo, which is a giant fortress, The Book of John in the New Testament referred to it as the place of final Battle.

Continue on north to the sparkling city of Haifa; ascend to the top of Mt. Carmel for a panoramic view of the city and the port. Visit Stella Maris and the Cave of Elijah. Continue on to Cana where Jesus performed the first miracle, turning water into wine at the wedding feast.

Dinner and overnight in Galilee.

Mass on the Mount of Beatitudes

Start the day by enjoying a scenic boat ride across the Sea of Galilee, where you will find a 2000 year old boat recently uncovered on the shores of Galilee. Continue on to Capernaum; the home of our Lord during his ministry, visit the synagogue. Drive to the site of multiplication of loaves and fishes “Tabgha”, continue on to visit the Church of St. Peter’s Primacy. Ascend to the top of Mount of Beatitudes to celebrate Mass in the scene of Jesus’ great Sermon on the Mount. Drive up to Caesarea Philippi, where Jesus told St. Peter “You are the rock, and upon this rock I will build my church”.

Dinner and overnight in Galilee

Mass at the top of Mount Tabor After breakfast, start the day remembering the Baptism at the Jordan River. Then drive to Mount Tabor to visit the site of Transfiguration of Jesus and enjoy the amazing scenery of Jezrael Valley. Celebrate Mass at the top of the mount, which will be a good preparation for the journey to Jerusalem where Jesus was to suffer the crucifixion and resurrection. Continue on to visit Caesarea Martima, which was once the ancient capital of the Roman province. Visit the Byzantine thurches, the Roman theater, Crusader’s moat and the aqueducts. Proceed to Emmaus where the resurrected Jesus met the two disciples and shared a meal with them. Arrive in Bethlehem/Jerusalem for dinner and overnight.

Mass at the Nativity Church

After breakfast, start the day by celebrating Mass at the Nativity Church, the birthplace of Jesus Christ. Continue on to visit the Manger square, the Church of St. Catherine and the Grotto of St. Jerome and Milk Grotto. Continue to Beit Sahour to visit the Shepherd’s Field. In the afternoon, head to Ein Karem, the birthplace of St. John the Baptist to visit the church that commemorates his memory. Then walk up the hill to reach the Visitation Church where Mary proclaimed her famous Magnificent. On the way back visit the Western Wall, and then return back to the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

Mass at the Garden of Gethsemane After breakfast, start the day at the top of the Mount of Olives; visit the Chapel of the Ascension, visit Pater Noster where Jesus taught his disciples the lord’s prayer, from the top of Mount of Olives enjoy the panoramic view of the old city of Jerusalem. Walk through Palm Sunday route to reach Dominus Flevit Church where Jesus wept over the fate of Jerusalem. Visit the Garden of Gethsemane and the Church of All Nations for Mass on the Rock of Agony. Proceed to Mount Zion, visit the upper room where Jesus had his Last Supper with the Disciples, then walk to the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu, the house of Caiaphas where Jesus was held for a night after he was arrested. Continue on to visit the Church of the Dormition. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

Early start to walk through the Via Dolorosa “the Stations of the Cross” to reach the most sacred place for Christians, The Church of the Holy Sepulchre to visit the Golgotha and the tomb of our Lord. Then continue on to visit St. Anne’s Church where the parents of Virgin Mary lived, nearby view the Pool of the Bethesda. Head to Bethany where Jesus raised Lazarus from the death, visit the tomb of Lazarus, celebrate Mass here. In the Afternoon, visit the Pool of Siloam which is a rock-cut pool on the southern slope of the City of David. Continue to visit Hezekiah’s Tunnel which is a tunnel that was dug underneath the City of David in Jerusalem in the ancient times. After that, visit the Israeli Museum; see the Shrine of the Book and the Model of Jerusalem. Back to your hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

Mass in Jericho

After breakfast, drive to Jerusalem. Visit the third holiest place for Muslims, the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque. Continue on to Jericho to celebrate the Mass at the church of the good shepherd. After that, head to ancient Jericho, the oldest inhabited city in the world. From the top of the ancient “tel”, you will enjoy a beautiful view of Elisha’s fountain, the Mount of Temptation and Sycamore Tree. Drive through the Judean Wilderness where Jesus spent 40 days fasting. And then drive to Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. Enjoy the evening at the Dead Sea.

After breakfast, drive to Ben Gurion Airport to catch your flight back home