Welcome Pilgrims!

Thursday | Feb 1 - Day 1 | DEPART USA Today we depart ATLANTA connecting to our overnight flight to Tel Aviv. We enjoy inflight movies, dinner and breakfast aloft.

Friday | Feb 2 - Day 2 | TEL AVIV We arrive in Tel Aviv where we are greeted by our full time guide. We transfer to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Saturday| Feb 3- Day 3 |TIBERIAS We depart for Caesarea along the Mediterranean and visit the Roman and Crusader historical ruins. We continue to Mt. Carmel, where we visit the site of Elijah's confrontation with the priests of Baal. We drive on to Nazareth and walk through the local bazaars. We celebrate Mass at the Church of the Annunciation, where the Word became Flesh! Our last stop today is the village of Cana, the site of Jesus’ first miracle. Dinner and overnight at our hotel on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Sunday |

February 4 - Day 4 | TIBERIAS This morning we take a wonderful boat ride across the Sea of Galilee to the seaside village of Kibbutz Ginosar to view the historic archaeological discovery “The Jesus Boat.”. On to Capernaum, where we see the remains of the village synagogue and the new church built atop St. Peter's house. Next, we drive to the Mount of Beatitudes and visit the Basilica in the beautiful gardens. We stop close by at Tabgha and the Franciscan Church of St. Peter's Primacy, where Jesus made His appearance after the resurrection. We also stop at the Benedictine Basilica of the Loaves and Fishes. We visit Magdala, the home of Mary Magdalene. We celebrate Mass here. Return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Monday | February 5 - Day 5 | JERUSALEM Conditions permitting we start our day with a visit to Mt. Tabor, the site of the Transfiguration before continuing to the Jordan River, where we enjoy a special renew of our Baptismal promises and celebrate Mass. On route to Judea, we stop at the newly excavated Roman ruins at Beth Shean. We continue south through the Jordan Valley visiting Jericho and view the Mount of Temptation. Finally, we make our thrilling entry into Jerusalem before arriving at our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Tuesday | February 6 - Day 6 | BETHLEHEM This morning, we drive to Bethlehem, House of Bread, to visit the Church of the Nativity that commemorates the birth of Christ. We visit the Manger, Crusader's Cloister, and the Grotto of St. Jerome, where we celebrate the Christmas Mass. We honor the Christians of the Holy Land by stopping at a local olive wood, jewelry and souvenir shop. We stop at Shepherd’s Field and the Milk Grotto – where the cloistered nuns pray 24 hours a day for World Peace. After, continue to Yad Vashem, the holocaust museum and pay homage to all who died. Return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Wednesday | February 7 - Day 7 | JERUSALEM We start our day at the site of the Ascension and then we enter the Church of Pater Noster, where the disciples were taught the Our Father. We view the City of Jerusalem from the Mt. of Olives, then walk down the Easter Sunday hill to Dominus Flevit Chapel, and on to the Garden of Gethsemane, where we celebrate Mass. We continue to Mt. Zion to visit the tomb of King David, the Church of Dormition and pray in the Upper Room. We enter the Old City through Zion Gate to the Western (Wailing) Wall. We see the Cardo and the remains of Hezekiah's wall. Return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Thursday | February 8 – Day 8 | JERUSALEM After breakfast, we return to the Judean wilderness first visiting Masada by cable car. This was the mountaintop fortress of King Herod where from 70-73 AD, the Jewish defenders made the last stand of the Jewish revolt against Rome; we see the remains of storehouses, cisterns and a royal palace. We also visit the excavations at Qumran, the home of the Essenes connected with John the Baptist and the Dead Sea Scrolls. Weather permitting; we have an opportunity to swim in the salty, yet clear waters of the Dead Sea, the lowest place on earth. On our return to Jerusalem, we pass by the traditional site of the Inn of the Good Samaritan. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.

Friday | February 9 – Day 9 | JERUSALEM This morning, we drive along the Kidron Valley stopping at St. Peter in Gallicantu (The Cock Crows), where Jesus was held in the house of the High Priest Caiaphas. We enter the Old City through the Lion's Gate, visiting St. Anne’s church- and venerating at the tomb of St. Anne- the mother of Mary. We also visit Pilate’s Judgment Hall, the Chapel of Flagellation, Lithostrotos , Arch of Ecce Homo and the Convent of the Sisters of Zion. We prayerfully walk the Stations of The Cross along the Via Dolorosa concluding at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher where we celebrate Mass. Later we visit Ein Karem, where Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth to utter the words of the Magnificat. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.

Saturday | February 10- Day 10 | JERUSALEM We travel to Abu Gosh, one of the traditional sites of Emmaus, where Jesus appeared on the road on the first Easter Sunday. We celebrate our last Mass together here. After our Mass at Abu Gosh, we bid farewell to those heading to Jordan who will drive to the Allenby Bridge crossing into Jordan arriving in Petra. Meanwhile, we, Holy Land only pilgrims, continue to Jaffa, the city of Jonah, where Peter had his rooftop experience. We enjoy this quaintly restored area, visiting the Church of St. Peter. Afterwards we enjoy a farewell dinner with wine before we head to Ben Gurion Airport for our overnight flight home.

Sunday | February 11- Day 11 | USA Holy Land only pilgrims arrive back in the USA today- with memories to last a lifetime!

JORDAN EXTENSION PILGRIMS

Sunday| February 11 - Day 11 | PETRA/AMMAN This morning we awaken in the wonderful Rose City of Petra, the awesome city the Nabataean Arabs carved out of the rock during the four hundred years before roman rule. It could be defended by a handful of men because access was limited to the narrow fissure known as the ‘sig.’ We will travel that same way- the path Indiana Jones entered in search of the Holy Grail in the Stephen Spielberg classic `The Last Crusade’. We can either walk or ride part way by horseback., camel, even golf cart if offered. Afterwards, we travel north tracing the steps of Lawrence of Arabia along the famous Kings Highway. We stop at Mt. Nebo where Moses viewed the Promised Land but was forbidden entry. We will see the rich collection of 3rd to 7th century mosaics. We celebrate Mass here and then continue to Amman for dinner and overnight

Monday | February 12 -Day 12| AMMAN Today we see the biblical city of Philadelphia – Amman – seeing the Roman Amphitheater and Citadel. We celebrate mass at a local parish church and also visit the beautiful ruins at Jerash, one of the Decapolis Cities, perhaps the best preserved provincial Roman city in the world. We enjoy some free time for shopping and dinner in a local restaurant. Transfer to Queen Alia Amman airport for your flight back home.

Tuesday | February 13 - Day 13| USA We arrive home today with stories to share and unforgettable memories to cherish always. Knowing we have walked in the footsteps of Jesus and the early Christians brings new meaning to our Scripture reading and celebration of Mass