12:00 noon – 1:00 PM lunch on our own @ Megiddo
Drive to Mount Tabor
4:00PM [Divine Liturgy TBA] @ Tabor Basilica of the Transfiguration drive to Tiberius
register @ the Hotel Leonardo
6:30 PM dinner @ the hotel
After breakfast
8:00 AM depart the Hotel
Begin the day with a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. Then viewing “Jesus Boat” at Kibbutz Ginosar. Continue to Capernaum, centre of Jesus’ ministry. Located here are the ruins of an ancient synagogue and the site of Peter’s house. Proceed to Tabgha, the site of the miracle of the loaves and fish and see the fish mosaic from the 5th century Byzantine Basilica. Visit the Church of the Primacy.
12:30 – 1:30 PM lunch on our own @ the Fish Restaurant
Drive to the Mount of Beatitudes, site of the “sermon on the Mount” travel through the upper Galilee to Banias springs [Caesarea Philippe], where Peter made his confession of faith. [Banias – Hotel approximately 1 hour]
2:30 PM [Divine Liturgy TBA – Amphitheatre – Mt. of Beatitudes
5:30 PM return to the hotel Leonardo
6:30 PM dinner @ the hotel
8:00 AM depart the Hotel
Drive to Yardenit on the shores of the Jordan River and renew baptismal promises.
Proceed to Nazareth where Jesus spent his early years and visit Mary’s well and the Church of the Annunciation
11:00 AM TBA Mass @ the Basilica of the Annunciation
12:30 noon – 1:30 PM lunch in Nazareth on our own
Just North of Nazareth is the village of and Cana of Galilee, heart touching vows renewal ceremony in Cana of Galilee for the couples.
Return to Tel Aviv [approximately 2 hours]
Check into the Hotel Prima Kings in Jerusalem
7:00 PM dinner @ the Hotel
After breakfast
7:30 AM depart the hotel
Drive to Jericho [45 minutes], the oldest and lowest inhabited city in the world. Visit of Mar Saba in the area of Bet Sahour or Monastery of St. George on the way to Jericho ** [vans] [situation permitting]
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.
1:00 – 2:00 PM “lunch @ the Lot Hotel
Continue through the Judean wilderness to the lowest point on earth – the Dead Sea.
Drive along the shores of the Dead Sea to the base of Masada [Jericho – Masada – 1:15 hours]
The stronghold of the Jewish zealots against the Romans. Ascend by cable car and tour the famed archaeological site including Herod’s palace, an ancient synagogue and a bathhouse. After descending drive to a nearby oasis and enjoy an opportunity to swim or “float” in the unique waters of the Dead Sea
[1 – 1 ½ hrs]
6:00 PM Return to the Hotel
7:00 PM dinner @ the hotel
After Breakfast,
8:00 AM depart the Hotel
Ascend to the Mount of Olives, for a panoramic view of the OldCity of Jerusalem revealing a city with 4000 years of history… From this vantage point see much of what makes Jerusalem such a unique city to the three major religions, – Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
We visit the Pater Noster with the Lords Prayer in many languages, and the Ascension to Heaven. Then stopping at Dominus Flevit, where Jesus wept over Jerusalem. Continue to walk along the Palm Sunday Way and descent to the Garden ofGethsemane where Jesus spent the last night before he was arrested.
Divine Liturgy [to be confirmed]@ Gethsemane Basilica of the Agony.
We visit the cave of betrayal then the Cave of Dormition of Mary toHeaven.
We enter the old city of Jerusalem through Stephen’s Gate to the Christian quarters, and visit St. Anne’s Crusader Church, Antonia Fortress
Lunch on our own in the Old City
3:00 PM and follow the Via Dolorosa [Stations of the Cross]. As we walk along the Via Dolorosa [Way of Sorrow], through the markets of the Old City praying at the Stations of The Cross, we reflect on the greatness of His sacrifice.
Finally we arrive at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre where we pray at the spot where Christ was crucified, and visit the Resurrection Tomb.
We continue to the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem to pray at theWestern Wall [NOTE: during Shabbat, you are not allowed to take pictures of the Wall] This is a Holy and joyous eve for Jewish faith.
Return to the hotel approximately 7:00 PM where a Sabbath dinner will be served [the Guide will stay with the group to explain the traditions].
After breakfast
8:30 AM Depart the Hotel
We enter at Mt. Zion. At the Cenacle we visit the Upper Room of the Last Supper [by way of walking – not a long walk]
Next we go to Dormition Abbey where we believe the Theotokos/Blessed Mary died. We end our morning at St. Peter in Gallicantu where Peter denied Jesus thrice. Divine Liturgy in Gallicantu
Continue to the Yad Vashem Museum, memorial to the holocaust which tells the story of the Holocaust and serves as a sober reminder of man’s inhumanity to man. [the visit is approximately 1 ½ hours]
12:00 noon – 1:00 PM lunch at Yad Vashem on our own
Bus tour of the City of Jerusalem [1 ½ hrs] Knesset, Dead Sea Scrolls etc.
4:00 PM return to the hotel,
6:00 PM dinner @ the Hotel
After breakfast
8:00 AM depart the Hotel
Walking today is approximately 1.5 km. of walking
We enter the Old city and visit the grounds of the Dome of the Rock through Stephen’s Gate, and to the Christian quarter, Ecce Homo [Lithostrotos] – visit the Chapel.
11:00 AM [Divine LiturgyTBA] @ Melkite Church
12:30 Noon – 1:30 PM Lunch in the old City on our own
In the afternoon, drive to Bethany. Bethany was the home of the Lazarus, Mary and Martha and the setting for a number of New Testament events. The Tomb of Lazarus in Bethany has long been venerated by Christians and Muslims alike, and a modern Franciscan Church dedicated to the resurrected Saints stands on the site of much older ones
5:00 PM return to the hotel
6:30 PM dinner @ the Hotel
