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PILGRIMAGE TO THE HOLY LAND

PROPOSED ITINERARY

SUN 13 JAN Depart from USA on Air France from Washington Dulles in the evening.

MON 14 JAN Arrive in Paris in the morning and transfer to our flight to Tel Aviv. Arrive in the afternoon and after Passport Control, be greeted by our guide and driver. Drive north along the coast and then east to Nazareth and our pilgrim hotel across the street from the Church of the Annunciation. Celebrate Mass in the Chapel before dinner and overnight.

TUE 15 JAN After breakfast, walk across the street to the Church of the Annunciation to see where The Word Became Flesh then visit the upper parish church and then the museum built over the village of Nazareth and learn about the many churches that have been built over the House of Mary. Stop at Joseph's Carpenter Shop, and then walk through the town where Jesus grew up. Continue up to the Synagogue Church to read scripture and pray before walking to Mary’s Well where the Angel Gabriel came to Mary.

Enjoy a typical mid-east meal in a local restaurant before we drive to Mount Tabor, where we'll transfer to taxis and go up to celebrate Mass and have time to mediate on The Transfiguration where Jesus revealed His Glory. Return to Nazareth for dinner and overnight. After dinner, experience praying the Rosary in the Grotto where Mary ‘heard The Word.’

WED 16 JAN After breakfast, we depart for the the Sea of Galilee. Recalling when Jesus calmed the storm and called Peter to walk on water to Him, take a boat across the lake to Caphernaum where Jesus called St. Peter and many of the other apostles. Visit the Synagogue where He healed and taught and see Peter's House. After Mass on the Mount of Beatitudes, have lunch with the Italian Sisters in their convent overlooking the Sea of Galilee. Afterwards, go to the Primacy where He confirmed St. Peter’s mandate after His resurrection, and to Tabgha where he fed the 5000.

Finish the day by stopping in Cana to renew the vows of our couples at the site of Jesus’ first miracle when he changed water in wine at the wedding feast. Return to Nazareth for dinner and overnight.

THR 17 JAN After breakfast, we pack up and head around the Sea of Galilee to the Jordan Baptismal site to renew our baptismal promises before we depart the Galilee for Massada, Qumran, the Dead Sea and Jerusalem.
Drive south along the Jordan Valley, visiting Jericho briefly before continuing south along the shores of the Dead Sea to Massada. Visit Herod’s impressive fortified palace on the summit via cable car. After lunch, we’ll drive back north to Qumran. Visit the excavations of the Essene’s community and see the caves where the Dead Sea scrolls were found in 1947. Afterwards, we’ll take a break by the sea and have the opportunity to ‘float’ in the mineral-laden waters of the Dead Sea. Continue driving up from this lowest place on earth to Jerusalem. Check into Notre Dame, the Vatican’s hotel across from the Old City, for dinner and overnight.

FRI 18 JAN After a leisurely breakfast, drive to Ein Karem to visit the birthplace of St. John the Baptist and then the Church of the Visitation where Mary went to help her cousin Elizabeth. We’ll continue to Bethlehem and have time to shop in one of the big Christian stores before lunch at the Franciscan Casa Nova. After visit the oldest Christian church in the world, built over the place where Our Lord was born. We’ll drive down to celebrate Mass in Shepherd’s Field before returning to our hotel in Jerusalem.

SAT 19 JAN After breakfast, if possible, we’ll drive to Bethany to visit the home of Jesus friends Martha and Mary and the tomb of Lazarus. Continue around to Bethpage where Jesus took the donkey to begin his Palm Sunday ride into the Holy City before going up on the Mt of Olives. We’ll walk down from the place of the Ascension to the Carmelite Convent where we remember Jesus teaching the Our Father, and continue down to Dominus Flevit where He wept over the city, and down to Gethsemane where we’ll celebrate Mass.
Stop for lunch at a Kibbutz Spa and then return to the Old City to enter and pray the Via Dolorosa, carrying a cross up through the Old City to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre where we’ll stop on Calvary, enter the Tomb and then join the Franciscans in Benediction. Return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

SUN 20 JAN After breakfast, we’ll drive through new Jerusalem to visit the Shrine of the Book where some of the Dead Sea Scrolls are now kept, and see a model of Jerusalem at the time of Christ. See the 1/50th scale model of the city and understand how the walls have changed. Stop to see the Israeli Parliament building, the Kennesset and the Great Menorah.
Return to the to Mt Zion to visit Dormition Abbey where “Mary Slept” and the Upper Room. Celebrate Mass at the Franciscan property of the Cenacle and then visit St. Peter in Gallicantu where our Lord was held by the high priest when he was arrested. Return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

MON 21 JAN Celebrate Mass with the Franciscans at the Latin High Mass, then walk down through the Old City to the Western Wall. Many Jewish boys will come to celebrate their Bar Mitzvah here today and we can pray at and leave our petitions in the Wall. After, walk up onto the Temple Mount where Jesus taught and prayed; where he was presented by his parents after birth; where he was tempted by the Devil to throw himself down; and, where he was angered by the money changers. Today on this Moslem property we find the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock. We pass the closed Golden Gate as we leave and enter the Crusader church of St. Ann’s and the Pools of Bethesda. Leave the city by St. Stephen’s Gate and return to our hotel.
ENJOY A FREE AFTERNOON
In the evening, we’ll return to Bethlehem for our SPECIAL FAREWELL DINNER.

TUE 22 JAN Time to depart for homes with many memories to Give Thanks and Remember

IMPORTANT NOTE: Sometimes, but not often, AIRLINE TAXES AND FEES may change and cause an increase in the rate. You will be notified and billed for these changes with final invoice.

This is applied to the total price of the pilgrimage and your balance is to be paid in full no later than NOVEMBER 10, 2007

A copy of the face page of your passport must be submitted with your final payment.

Cancellations MUST be made in writing and refunds are subject to the following charges: