Make your way to your local airport, where you will board your overnight flight to Israel. Your meals will be served on board.

Upon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, make your way to the baggage claim area and collect your luggage. Proceed to the Arrival’s Hall, where you will be greeted by your tour guide& transfer to your hotel in Jerusalem. If time permits walk to the Holy Sepulcherbefore it closes at 6 pm. Mass at Notre Dame before dinnerand overnight at Hotel.

This morningwe will take a short drive to the village of Ein Karem, the birthplace of John the Baptist. It is known that there are two churches in Ein Karem, representing the two homes of Zechariah and Elizabeth. The first is in a valley where the birth of St. John the Baptist is commemorated (Luke 1:39-80) in the Church of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist. The second is on a hill where Elizabeth spent five months in seclusion (Luke 1:24) at the Church of the Visitation. You will have a chance to visit both of these churches and have the opportunity to pray the Mystery of the Rosary as you walk up the hill to the Church of the Visitation. In the afternoon, transfer to Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus. In Bethlehem, you will have the opportunity to view the Shepherd’s Fields (Luke 2:8). In the caves of these fields, you are still able to see the soot marks of fires that shepherds lit to keep warm. Near Nativity square we visit the Milk Grotto then tothe Church of the Nativity. As you enter the Church, you will proceed down to the Grotto of the Nativity which marks the spot of Our Saviour’s birth (Matthew 2:1-18). Beneath the altar, there is a silver star and a Latin inscription that states:HIC DE VIRGINE MARIA JESUS CHRISTUS NATUS (Here Jesus Christ was born to the Virgin Mary). Following Mass in this Sacred space, return to the hotel for dinner and an overnight.

We start the day with Mass atGethsemane, a garden at the foot of the Mount of Olives. Jesus brought His disciples here to pray the night before He was crucified (Luke 22:29-53). The Garden still contains trees with roots that date back to the time of Jesus. Your next stop, the Church of All Nations, is built over the “Rock of Agony”. This is where Jesus prayed alone on the night of Hisarrest. Throughout this time, you are invited to remain in prayer and to reflect on Christ’s agony that He experienced.We visit the Tomb of Mary then we walk to enter the Old city at St Stephen’s Gate, named after the first Christian martyr. We walk along the Via Dolorosa with stops at the Pool of Bethesda. After lunch inside the Old City,we walk to visit the Cenacle on Mt Zion. The Upper Room is where Jesus and His disciples celebrated the Last Supper (Matthew 26:17-30) and where Jesus appeared to His disciples after His Death and Resurrection (Mark 16:14).Continue with a visit to the house of the High Priest Caiaphas (Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu). This Church commemorates where Jesus was examined and eventually imprisoned before the Council in Jerusalem. It also commemorates Peter’s Denial of Christ (John 18:15-18), Peters’ repentance, and Jesus’ forgiveness of Peter. End the touring with a to visit the Western Wall, which is the last remnant of the Jewish Temple after it was destroyed in 70 A.D.Evening Holy Hour. Overnight Jerusalem

Early morning walk to the Holy Sepulcher for Mass inside the Tomb. (Mass only possible if group is under 35 pilgrims and subject to confirmation.Alternatively Solemn Mass outside the Tombwill be confirmed for up to 90 pilgrims but onlyMondays–Thursdays and on Saturdays). After breakfast we make our way to the Mount of Olivesfor abeautiful, panoramic view of Jerusalem. Visit the Pater Noster Shrine where Jesus taught His disciples the Lord’s Prayer (Pater Noster) (Luke 11:1-4). You will have the opportunity to stop at Dominus Flevit which is a Church that commemorates where Jesus wept for Jerusalem (Luke 19:41).The afternoon will be at leisure.

Following breakfast, we will travel down the Jordan Valley through the Judean wilderness, where Jesus spent 40 days of fasting. We arrive at the Jordan River where He was baptized (Matthew 3:13-17). After renewing our Baptismal Promises, we continue to the oldest inhabited city in the world, Jericho (Joshua 6:12-25). Here, we will celebrate Mass and view the Mount of Temptation, where the Devil tempted Jesus during his forty-day fast (Luke 4:1). South of Jericho is the ancient site of Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were written and discovered (Ezekiel 47:8-10). These writings have helped further the understanding of the Jewish background to Christianity. Time and weather permitting, you will have the opportunity to take a float in the Dead Sea, the lowest and saltiest place on Earth. Return to the hotel for dinner and an overnight.

Today is a freeday for prayer and reflection.

This morning we will depart Jerusalem and drive to Nazareth to visit the museum and archaeological Garden, which contain remains of Nazareth at the time of Christ, as well as St. Joseph’s workshop –which is now known as St. Joseph’s Church. Within the Church of the Annunciation, you will make your way down to the Grotto to see the remains of the house of the Blessed Mother and where the Angel of the Lord announced the good news to Mary. From here, we drive to Cana, where Jesus performed His first miracle, changing water into wine at His mother’s request. We celebrate Mass here at the Wedding Church, and married couples will havethe chance to renew their wedding vows. From there, we continue to our hotel by the Sea of Galilee for dinner and overnight.

This morning we take a boat ride on the beautiful Sea of Galilee (Luke 5:1). Continue to the Mount of Beatitudes, where Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount (Luke 6:20-49). Then to Tabgha, where Jesus fed the crowd of 5,000 people with five loaves of bread and two fish (Luke 9:10-17). Nearby is St. Peter’s Primacy, where Peter confirmed his Love of Jesus (John 21), and it was in this place that Jesus anointed Peter to lead His Church and became the first Pope. (John 21:9). Continue visiting Mary Magdalene’sbirthplace 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. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Following breakfast group will have Mass at St. Peter’s Primacy/1st Altar andScripture Reading followed by free time for personal prayer and reflection.Then continue to visit Capernaum, the fishing town where Jesus lived and launched His ministry to change our lives and the world. In Capernaum, we see the Synagogue where Jesus taught (Mark 1:21-29) and gave the Sermon on the Bread of Life.Following Lunchspend time in scripture reading, prayer and reflection, or visit Eremos Hill, Cave of Jesus. Sharing of Graces at Hotel Chapelfollowed by dinner and overnight.

After breakfast, drive to the site of the Transfiguration, Mount Tabor (Matthew 17:1-50). You will have time to reflect on Christ’s Divinity at this site. Celebrate Mass at the Basilica of the Transfiguration.From the top of Mt Tabor,enjoy a dramatic view the Valley of Armageddon, before driving to Haifa, located on Mt. Carmel, where we will visit the Carmelite Shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel and pray at the cave where Elijah the prophet took refuge. Continue to Caesarea Maritima located on the shores of the Mediterranean. Built by Herod the Great, Caesarea was where St. Peter baptized the first gentile convert, Cornelius (Acts 10). We will see theRoman theatre Herod’s Palace, view the Hippodrome, and the harbor from which St. Paul sailed on his journeys to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the ancient world.Continue the drive up to the Judean Hills where you enjoy your first view of holy, complicated, Jerusalem from Mt Scopus.

After an early breakfast and heartfelt farewells, transfer to the Tel Aviv airport for return flights home.

*206 Tours Disclaimer:
Occasionally local religious and national holidays, weather, traffic conditions and other events may necessitate changes in the sequence of events or the missing of certain events/places. Though every effort will be made to follow the itinerary, it should be considered as an indication, rather than a contract of events and places to be visited.