Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Tour Catholic Israel – 7 full days

DAY 1 - Ben Gurion Airport / Tel Aviv

Arrival at Ben Gurion Airport, where you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel.
Dinner and overnight : Netanya.

Day 2 - Caesarea /Haifa / Megiddo /
Check out from hotel and depart Netanya to drive along the coastal plain to Caesarea, capital of Judea under the Romans where the roman centurion Cornelius was baptised by Peter and became the first gentile convert to Christianity (Acts 10) and where Paul was tried by Festus (Acts 9:30; 10: 24-48; 25:6-12). Visit the excavations of the ancient city, the Roman theatre, aqueduct ans port.
Continue to Haifa and view the Persian Gardens at the Bahai Temple.
On to the Mont Carmel to visit the shrine of Stella Maris (mass) and stop at the Muhraka, site of the Prophet Elijah's contest with the prophets of Ba'al (I Kings 18:25). See the amazing view of the Yizre'el Valley.
Continue to Megiddo, identified as the site of Armageddon (1 Kings 4: 28; 9; 15; 2Kings 23; 29 & Revelation 16:16). Visit the archaeological excavations, including the well-preserved water supply system and the stables, dating back to Biblical times.

Drive to Tiberias and check in at your hotel.
Dinner and overnight: Tiberias

Day 3 - Tiberias / Capernaum / Banias/
Start the day with a wooden boat cruise from Tiberias to Genossar and visit the 2000 year old "Jesus Boat", a well preserved wooden boat found at the Sea of Galilee and referring to the age when Jesus was living in that area.

Pause for reflection at the Mount of the Beatitudes, the place where He delivered the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1-12). Mass at the octagonal church.
Onward to Tabgha, the site of the Miracle of Fishes and Loaves (Luke 9:10-17), and visit the Church of Multiplication with its 4th century mosaic floor. Visit also Church of St. Peter's Primacy where Jesus instructed Peter to "feed my sheep" (John 21:15-17).
Lunch St. Peter fish, the common food in the age when Jesus was living.
Then continue to Capernaum, to visit the remains of the synagogue where Jesus preached (Matthew 4:13. Mark 3:1, 8:5 and 14) and also the House of Peter and House of the Centurion.
We finish with a visit to baptismal site at Yadernit where pilgrims may be baptized in the same waters where Jesus received the sacred sacrament.
Dinner and overnight: Tiberias.

Day 4 - Nazareth /Jericho
Check out from hotel and drive to Mt. Tabor, climb the Mount and visit the monastery the Basilica of Transfiguration (Psalms 89:12).
Then to Nazareth via Cana of Galilee, visit the Wedding church where Jesus turned water into wine (John 2:1-11). Couples wanting to renew their wedding vows may do so here.
In Nazareth, visit the Church of the Annunciation (mass), visit the Grotto, St. Joseph’s Workshop and Mary’s Well (Luke 1:26; 4: 16-29; Matthew 2:23).
Then drive along the Jordan Valley to the lowest place on earth - the Dead Sea.
On the way visit ancient Jericho, the oldest city in the world, conquered by Joshua (Joshua 6:20) and take the cable car from Jericho to Qarantal Mount of Temptation (Matthew 4:1-11) and monastery.
Arrival to Dead Sea and check in at your hotel.
Dinner and overnight: Dead Sea

Day 5 - Dead Sea/Qumran / Masada / Jerusalem
Check out from hotel and onward to Masada. Ascend by cable car and explore the ruins of Herod's luxurious palace, and hear of the end of the Jewish Revolt against the Romans that took place here in 73 A.D. which marks the end of the second temple period.


Pause at Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls where found to visit the ancient remains.
Then, time for relaxation and swim at Dead Sea. Opportunity to experience the excellent mud for skin health.
Ascend to Jerusalem and check in at your hotel.
Dinner and overnight: Jerusalem

Day 6 - Jerusalem - Old City

Start the day with a panoramic view of old Jerusalem from atop the Mount of Olives.
Then visit the Church of all Nations (Gethsemane) (Matthew 26:30), Church of Pater Nostrum and Church of Ascension.
Enter the Old City and then follow the Stations of the Cross along the Via Dolorosa (John 19:1-11; 19:12-17; 10:11; 17-18; Luke2: 28-35; 23:26; 9:23-26; 2 Corinthians 4:5-18; Lamentation 3: 16-26;) and visit Pool of Bethesda and St Anne church (John 5:1-24) where Jesus performed the Shabbath miracle.
Continue to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher (Matt 27:33; 28:10) to venerate the last five station of the cross, within the church primacies. Visit Calvary, the empty tomb (John 20:11-18) and the grotto of finding the cross. Mass.
Via the Cardo continue to Mont Zion, view the Tomb of King David and visit the Upper Room, site of the Last Supper (Mark 14:12-26).
After visit Church of St Peter in Gallicantu (Matthew 26:57), where Jesus was imprisoned for a night and Chuch of Dormition where Mary ascent to heaven (I Corinthians 15:51-55).
Dinner and overnight: Jerusalem

Day 7 - Jerusalem – New City / Bethlehem
Start the day with a moving visit to the Holocaust Memorial – Yad Vashem.
Then, explore the treasures of the Israel Museum including the Dead Sea Scrolls, housed in the dramatic Shrine of the Book and after see the Model of Jerusalem from 2nd temple period.
On to the village of Ein Kerem and the Church of Visitation (Nativity of St. John Luke 1:57-79; Luke 1 39-56).
After drive to Bethlehem and visit the Church of the Nativity at Manger Square (Matt. 2:16-18;Luke 2:1-7;John 1:18; Matt.2: 1-11). Mass.
Then visit Sheperds field, St. Joseph grotto, the St. Jerome grotto, and the Basilica of St. Catherine.
Dinner and overnight: Jerusalem

Day 8 – Jaffa / Tel Aviv
Check out from your hotel and drive to Qubeiba / Emmaus, referring to when Jesus, after the crucifixion, showed up and journeyed with two disciples on their way to Emmaus. (Luke 24: 13).
Then drive to Tel Aviv. Visit old Jaffa and St. Peter church site where the healing of Tabitha took place and visit the house of Simon the Tanner.
Continue for a panoramic tour of Tel Aviv.
Transfer to Ben Gurion Airport for departure.

BON VOYAGE AND UNTIL NEXT YEAR IN JERUSALEM!