Itinerary

Trip Itinerary

Day 1, Sunday, June 19: Transatlantic flight to Tel Aviv

Day 2, Monday, June 20: Tel Aviv

Welcome to the Holy Land! Upon arrival in Tel Aviv, you will be greeted at the airport by your guide and will transfer to your hotel for overnight and dinner. (D)

Day 3, Tuesday, June 21: Caesarea Maritima, Nazareth, Cana

We begin our journey with a visit to Caesarea Maritima. Here we will visit the Roman Theater, Herod’s Palace, and the Crusader Citadel. This is where St. Peter baptized the Roman Centurion, Cornelius, and his family. St. Paul was also imprisoned here for two years. Afterwards, we continue to Nazareth to the Basilica of the Annunciation, the place where the Angel appeared to Our Blessed Mother and announced the birth of Jesus, where we will also celebrate Mass. You will have time for lunch on your own, before we continue to visit the Church of St. Joseph, built where the carpentry workshop of St. Joseph used to be. Our final stop of the day will be Cana of Galilee where we will have our married pilgrims reaffirm their marriage vows. Dinner and overnight will be in our Tiberias hotel on the Sea of Galilee (B, D)


 

Day 4, Wednesday, June 22: Sea of Galilee, Tabgha, Capernaum, Nazareth

The Sea of Galilee is rich in memories of the three years of Our Lord’s Ministry. The day opens with Mass on the Mount of Beatitudes, the scene of the Sermon on the Mount. In nearby Tabgha, visit the Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes, where the miracle of the Feeding of Five Thousand took place. Continue to the Church of the Primacy of St. Peter, situated on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, where Our Lord appeared to His disciples after His resurrection.  Afterwards, explore the ruins of Capernaum, including the ancient Jewish synagogue and St. Peter’s house, followed by a flavorful lunch featuring the traditional “St. Peter’s Fish.” Next, stroll through the Valley of the Doves, a route used by Jesus as He traveled back and forth to Cana and Nazareth, and enjoy a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, where Our Lord performed many miracles. Before concluding the day, we will visit Yigal Alon Museum to see a first century fishing boat. Return to Tiberius for dinner and overnight. (B, L, D)

Day 5, Thursday, June 23: Mount Tabor, Baptismal Site, Qumran, Dead Sea

Departing Tiberias, we will drive to Mount Tabor and enjoy beautiful views of the Jezreel Valley and the Plain of Esdraelon. Visit the Church of the Transfiguration, built on the site of Our Lord’s Transfiguration and celebrate Mass. We will continue with a visit to Qasr Al Yehoud, the western part of the the traditional site of the baptism of Our Lord by St. John the Baptist. After lunch we will visit the Caves of Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found, and enjoy a spectacular view of the Dead Sea. On your way to Jerusalem, you will have an opportunity to wade and bathe in the Dead Sea. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem. (B, D)

Day 6, Friday, June 24: Bethlehem, Shepherds’ Fields, Bethany

We begin our day on a sightseeing tour of Bethlehem, the royal city of David, to celebrate Mass and to pray at the Cave of the Nativity, the birthplace of Our Lord. Continue to Shepherds’ Field, also the site of Boaz’s Field, to see the cave of the shepherds where the angels appeared and announced the birth of Christ. Nearby, visit the Milk Grotto, where tradition says St. Joseph and the Blessed Virgin stopped so she could nurse the Baby Jesus and a drop of her milk fell upon the stone, turning it white. After lunch at Cheers Restaurant, we will enjoy the opportunity to do some shopping at a Christian Coop Store. Your last stop is Bethany, the town where Our Lord raised Lazarus from the dead. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem. (B, L, D)

Day 7, Saturday, June 25: Jerusalem

We begin our day on the Mount of Olives with a view of the city of Jerusalem. We will then start walking to the Church of Dominus Flevit, the place where Jesus wept over Jerusalem. We then continue walking on the Palm Sunday Walk towards Gethsemane where we will celebrate Mass. This afternoon we continue to St, Anne’s / Bethesda Pools, the location healed the crippled man (John’s Gospel, Chapter 5). We then visit the Church of St. Anne, traditional birthplace of Our Lady, which has magnificent acoustics. We will continue to the Church of the Flagellation, where Our Lord was flogged as He started walking the Via Dolorosa. Return to our hotel for dinner and overnight. (B, D)

Day 8, Sunday, June 26: Via Dolorosa, Holy Sepulcher

We begin our day walking the Via Dolorosa towards the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, where Our Lord was crucified, buried, and resurrected, to celebrate Mass. We will then proceed to the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu, the house of the high priest Caiaphas, and visit the Sacred Pit where Our Lord was held the night He was arrested. You will then have some free time to explore Jerusalem on your own. Dinner and overnight at the hotel. (B, D)

Day 9, Monday, June 27: Western Wall, Jewish Quarter, Ein Karem

We will begin our day with a bit more leisure morning to pack and finish up any last-minute shopping. On our way to the airport for our evening departure, we will tour the Western Wall, holiest site in the world for the Jewish people where you can put your prayers. We will visit Mount Zion where the Dormition Abbey, the place where we remember the eternal sleep of our Lady and the Cenacle (Upper Room / David’s Tomb) are located. Afterwards, travel to the “hill country of Judea” to the city of Ein Karem, the birthplace of St. John the Baptist. Visit the Church of St. John the Baptist and the Church of the Visitation, built over the home of St. Zacharias. Here we will celebrate Mass. Finally, enjoy a farewell dinner to celebrate the success of a beautiful journey before transferring to the airport for a night flight home. (B, D)

Day 10, Tuesday, June 28: Arrive back in the USA

Buffet Breakfast (B); Lunch (L); Dinner (D)

What’s Included

• Motor Coach from OLS to Newark Airport & return
• International Flights
• Magnificat Holy Land Companion Booklet
• Daily Holy Mass
• Listening Devices
• First-class Accommodations
• All breakfasts & dinners; 2 lunches
• Holy Land App
• Deluxe motor-coach for scheduled transfers and sightseeing
• Services of a professional English-speaking Catholic tour escort/guide
• Admission fees for all included sightseeing tours in this program
• Porterage for one suitcase per person at the hotels
• Service charges, government fees
• Gratuities for guide / driver and hotel staff

Pricing Information

Pilgrimage price per person (pp) in double occupancy, including roundtrip air from Newark (EWR): $3,450
Single supplement at hotels: $860
Non-refundable deposit of $250 pp is due by: Feb. 15, 2022
Balance due by March 21, 2022

NB: A number of Terms and Conditions apply. They can be found in the brochure describing this pilgrimage. Please request a copy from the parish office or Carolyn Norbut (732-216-8073; [email protected]).