Starting from the recent and moving back to the past, the Church of the Nativity was the scene of the hostage crisis in 2005, for which there was a bloodless resolution thanks to the fine mediators on the scene.
Jesus and the Saints 10-day Catholic Tour
Body:
This is a tour for Church, school, or community groups.
Day 1: Tel Aviv / Arrival / Mediterranean Coast
Arrival at Ben Gurion Airport, where we meet our local guide. Transfer to our hotel.
Dinner and overnight / Mediterranean Coast
Day 2: Galilee / Caesarea
(Mt. Carmel, Stella Maris, Cana, Nazareth, Basilica of the Annunciation)
Travel via the coast to Caesarea, where the Romans held Paul prisoner. Visit the Roman and Crusader ruins. Drive through the Carmel Mountains heading for the Galilee. In Haifa, visit Stella Maris, a Carmelite Monastery with the Madonna of Mt. Carmel. Continue to Mukhraka where Elijah confronted the false prophets of Baal and where the Carmelite Order was started. Drive to Cana, the village of Jesus' first miracle of changing water into wine; here couples may renew their wedding vows. Continue to the Basilica of Annunciation in Nazareth to celebrate Mass and visit Mary's Well and the Church of the Angel Gabriel.
Dinner and overnight / Sea of Galilee
Day 3: The Ministry of Christ in the Galilee
(Tiberias, Boat ride on Sea of Galilee, Capernaum, Mt. Beatitudes, Caesarea Philippi)
Start the day with a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum to see the synagogue and St. Peter's house.
Visit the Mount of the Beatitudes where the Sermon on the Mount was delivered. In Tabgha we see the splendid mosaic of the miracle of the loaves and fishes. We visit the nearby Church of Peter's Primacy where St. 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. In the afternoon visit Caesarea Philippi, location of the testimony of St. Peter and where Jesus answered him, “You are the Rock and upon this rock I will build my Church.”
Dinner and overnight / Sea of Galilee
Day 4: From the Jordan River to Jerusalem
(Jordan River, Mt. Tabor, Jerusalem)
We start the day at the traditional baptismal site at the Jordan River. Here we have the opportunity to get baptized. Continue to Mount Tabor, scene of the Transfiguration, where we will have Mass. We then leave the Galilee area and travel through the Jordan Valley to the Holy city of Jerusalem. Time permitting we stop for an overview at the traditional pilgrimage site on the Mount of Olives, and recite the blessings in honor of our arrival to this Holy City.
Dinner and overnight / Jerusalem
Day 5: Jerusalem and Bethlehem
(Mt Olives, Church of Visitation, Shepherd’s Field, Church of the Nativity)
On the first day in Jerusalem we present an overview for a better understanding of its geography and some of the key sites surrounding the area. This includes a dramatic view of the Old City from the Mount of Olives, 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 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". In the afternoon we drive to the Shepherd's Field 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. Mass in Bethlehem or the Shepherd's Field.
Dinner and overnight / Jerusalem
Day 6: Jerusalem, the Passion of Jesus' Last Hours
Mt. Olives, Palm Sunday, Dominus Flevit, Gethsemane, Cave of Betrayal, Cave of Assumption, Pater Noster
We begin our day with a visit to the Mount of Olives to walk the Palm Sunday route stopping at Dominus Flevit, where Jesus wept over Jerusalem. We then visit the Garden of Gethsemane, the Rock of Agony where Jesus prayed His last prayer before his arrest; the cave of betrayal; and the cave of Assumption of Mary to heaven. Back on the Mount of Olives we visit the Pater Noster housing the Lords Prayer in many languages, and the Ascension from where Jesus ascended to Heaven.
Dinner and overnight / Jerusalem
Day 7: The Way of the Cross
(Via Dolorosa, St Anne’s Church, Ecce Homo, Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Western “Wailing” Wall, Upper Room, Dormition Abbey)
Today will be a very emotional day as we actually retrace the last Footsteps of Jesus our Savior. Early in the morning 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 breakfast 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.” At the Western “Wailing” Wall, the most holy place for Jews, we have some time for private meditation and to add our prayers into the crevices of these ancient walls. Nearby is the Dome of the Rock and the Haram al Sharif or Temple Mount (entrance may not be possible). We exit at Mt. Zion. At the Cenacle we visit the Upper Room of the Last Supper. Next we go to Dormition Abbey where we believe the Blessed Mary died. We end the day at St. Peter in Gallicantu where Peter denied Him thrice.
Dinner and overnight / Jerusalem
Day 8: The Wilderness - Bethany, Jericho, Mt. Temptation, Dead Sea
We begin our day with a visit to Bethany where Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. The desert east of Jerusalem is rich in Christian tradition. 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 descend to the lowest place on earth, The Dead Sea, where we will have time for a swim (or rather a float!) in the mineral-rich waters, renowned for its healing properties. Return to Jerusalem. Before we enjoy dinner at a local restaurant, we have a closing session, where we can voice our impressions and share our feelings after this intense spiritual journey.
Dinner and overnight / Jerusalem
Day 9: Return home
Today we depart from the Holy Land and fly home. Arrival is the same day.
