Day 1: BEGINNING OUR PILGRIMAGE.
Depart North America via jet service. Dinner and breakfast will be
served on board.
Day 2: INTO THE LAND OF THE BIBLE.
Upon arrival in the afternoon, we are met by our representative who
assists us with the formalities. A luxury motor coach will transfers us
to our hotel in Tel Aviv area for overnight.
Day 3: ALL THE PAST YEARS WITH HISTORY.
After breakfast, we drive through the citrus groves and farms of the
rich land of Sharon, northward to Caesarea, the Roman city of Herod
where sights include Crusader fortifications and the Roman aqueducts and
amphitheater. We then drive through the Jezreel Valley to the
fields of Armageddon (Revelation 16:16) and Megiddo. Continue
northward along the Mediterranean Sea to Haifa for a view of the bay and
lunch. Proceed to Mt. Carmel - the biblical site of Elijah's contest
with the prophets of Baal (I Kings:18) - Bahai Temple and
Gardens. We then proceed to Nazareth where we visit the Basilica of the
Annunciation enclosing the remains of the House of Joachim and Ann and
the site where the Angel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary to announce
that she was to become the Mother of God. Mass is celebrated here
followed by a visit to the Home of the Holy Family, St. Joseph's
workshop, Mary's Well and the Synagogue where Jesus preached. Continue
to Tiberias for dinner and overnight by the Sea of Galilee.
Day 4: THE SEA OF GALILEE AND UPPER
GALILEE. In the morning, we cross the Sea of Galilee by boat from
Tiberias to Capernaum, now in ruins but once a thriving town where Peter
lived and where much of the public ministry of Christ took place. See
the Church of the Primacy of Peter, where Christ taught the Eight
Beatitudes to his Disciples. Mass will be celebrated at the Mount of
Beatitudes. Visit Tabgha - the chapel dedicated to the multiplication of
the loaves and fishes (Mark 6:34-44). After lunch we depart via
Mt. Tabor, the traditional site of the Transfiguration (Matt. 17:1-8),
to Ein Dor past Nain to Megiddo. Here we visit Solomon's Stables, the
famous tower and secret passages. Continue to Jerusalem to our hotel for
dinner and overnight.
Day 5: JERUSALEM AND BETHLEHEM.
Drive to Bethlehem. Visit the Basilica of the Nativity, built over the
site of the birthplace of Christ where Mass will be celebrated. Visit
the Cave where Christ was born and it is the occasion to sing the
traditional Christmas Hymns. A visit is made to the Chapel of St.
Jerome, who lived here for many years and translated the Bible into
Latin. The nearby Church of St. Catherine is the venue for the midnight
Mass which is broadcast all over the World from Bethlehem on Christmas
Eve. Continue to the Shepherds field, recalling the "great throng of the
heavenly hosts" who appeared to the Shepherds and told them of the birth
of the Savior. In the afternoon, visit Ein Karem, the place of the
Visitation where Our Lady came to visit her cousin Elizabeth. View the
plaques with the Magnificat in most languages of the World. Visit the
parish church of St. John the Baptist and the Grotto of his birth.
Return to our hotel for dinner & overnight.
Day 6: MOUNTAINS OF JERUSALEM.
Today, we drive to the Mount of Olives and visit the Church of the
Ascension, the spot where Christ ascended into Heaven; the Pater Noster
Church commemorating Christ's teaching of the Our Father to his
disciples; Dominus Flevit, the spot where Christ wept over Jerusalem and
onwards to Gethsemane and the Church of All Nations which houses the
Rock of the Agony of Christ on Holy Thursday. In this Church is a
beautiful mosaic donated by the United States. Visit the Cave of the
betrayal of Jesus and the Tomb of Our Lady. Then we tour the Old City of
Jerusalem, visiting the Chapel of Flagellation, the chapel of
Condemnation and the Lithostrotos, the site of the Antonia Fortress
where Julius Caesar resided at the time of Christ and where Christ was
tried and condemned to death. Beginning the way of the Cross here, join
the walk along the Via Dolorosa led by the Franciscans - ending at the
Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher, built over the site of the Crucifixion
and the Tomb. Visit Calvary and the Tomb of Our Lord followed by a short
tour of the Basilica. This afternoon visit the Church of St. Ann, built
on the site of birthplace of Our Lady where Mass will be celebrated.
Continue to the Pool of Bethesda, where Christ healed the paralytic.
Visit the Temple area, the spot where the original temple was built and
which was the scene of many episodes from the life of Christ, such as
the expulsion of the money changers. Here now stands the Dome of the
Rock, the third holiest spot in the world for the Moslem faith. Visit
the El Aksa Mosque and then the Wailing Wall which is the most sacred
spot in the world for the Jews. Proceed to the Shrine of the Book,
enclosing the Dead Sea Scrolls. Continue to Mount Zion, visiting the
room of the Last Supper, Church of the Dormition and then visit the
Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu built on the sire of the house of
Caiphas which encloses the dungeon where Christ was kept on Holy
Thursday night and where Peter denied Christ thrice.
Day 7: THE WILDERNESS OF JUDEA.
Early morning Mass at the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher. After
breakfast, drive to Bethany and visit the new Church, built on the site
of the house of Mary and Martha. Visit the Tomb of Lazarus. We proceed
through the Judean Wilderness to Jericho stopping at the site of Inn of
the Good Samaritan. Visit Elijah's Fountain and the ancient city of
Jericho from which you can view the Mount of Temptation, where Jesus
fasted for forty days and forty nights. Continue along the shores of the
Dead Sea to Ein Gedi where a precipitous cliff, filled with caves, rises
some 2,000 feet. Time is allowed for a float on the Dead Sea. Proceed to
visit Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered by a shepherd
boy in 1947, before returning to Jerusalem. Dinner and overnight at our
hotel.
Day 8: JERUSALEM / TEL AVIV /
MEDJUGORJE. Early this morning, we transfer to the airport for our
flight to Dubrovnik where we meet our guide and motor coach for our
drive to Medjugorje. Check into our hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 9: MEDJUGORJE. In the morning
attend mass at the St. James church (held in English) and join the
villagers and pilgrims from all over the world for the evening Rosary
and Croatian Mass. Our guide takes us to the Holy Shrines and religious
sites of Medjugorje. and introduces us to the visionaries for a talk. We
will climb the Apparition Hill 'Podbro' and the Cross Mountain 'Krizevac'.
We will spend time in prayer and meditation at the most peaceful place
in world where our Blessed Mother first appeared to the children. Dinner
and overnight at our hotel.
Day 10: MEDJUGORJE / DUBROVNIK / NORTH
AMERICA. This morning we return to Dubrovnik for our flight home -
the end of a most unforgettable journey.
Day 3: ALL THE PAST YEARS WITH HISTORY.
After breakfast, we drive through the citrus groves and farms of the
rich land of Sharon, northward to Caesarea, the Roman city of Herod
where sights include Crusader fortifications and the Roman aqueducts and
amphitheater. We then drive through the Jezreel Valley to the
fields of Armageddon (Revelation 16:16) and Megiddo. Continue
northward along the Mediterranean Sea to Haifa for a view of the bay and
lunch. Proceed to Mt. Carmel - the biblical site of Elijah's contest
with the prophets of Baal (I Kings:18) - Bahai Temple and
Gardens. We then proceed to Nazareth where we visit the Basilica of the
Annunciation enclosing the remains of the House of Joachim and Ann and
the site where the Angel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary to announce
that she was to become the Mother of God. Mass is celebrated here
followed by a visit to the Home of the Holy Family, St. Joseph's
workshop, Mary's Well and the Synagogue where Jesus preached. Continue
to Tiberias for dinner and overnight by the Sea of Galilee.
Day 4: THE SEA OF GALILEE AND UPPER
GALILEE. In the morning, we cross the Sea of Galilee by boat from
Tiberias to Capernaum, now in ruins but once a thriving town where Peter
lived and where much of the public ministry of Christ took place. See
the Church of the Primacy of Peter, where Christ taught the Eight
Beatitudes to his Disciples. Mass will be celebrated at the Mount of
Beatitudes. Visit Tabgha - the chapel dedicated to the multiplication of
the loaves and fishes (Mark 6:34-44). After lunch we depart via
Mt. Tabor, the traditional site of the Transfiguration (Matt. 17:1-8),
to Ein Dor past Nain to Megiddo. Here we visit Solomon's Stables, the
famous tower and secret passages. Continue to Jerusalem to our hotel for
dinner and overnight.
Day 5: JERUSALEM AND BETHLEHEM.
Drive to Bethlehem. Visit the Basilica of the Nativity, built over the
site of the birthplace of Christ where Mass will be celebrated. Visit
the Cave where Christ was born and it is the occasion to sing the
traditional Christmas Hymns. A visit is made to the Chapel of St.
Jerome, who lived here for many years and translated the Bible into
Latin. The nearby Church of St. Catherine is the venue for the midnight
Mass which is broadcast all over the World from Bethlehem on Christmas
Eve. Continue to the Shepherds field, recalling the "great throng of the
heavenly hosts" who appeared to the Shepherds and told them of the birth
of the Savior. In the afternoon, visit Ein Karem, the place of the
Visitation where Our Lady came to visit her cousin Elizabeth. View the
plaques with the Magnificat in most languages of the World. Visit the
parish church of St. John the Baptist and the Grotto of his birth.
Return to our hotel for dinner & overnight.
Day 6: MOUNTAINS OF JERUSALEM.
Today, we drive to the Mount of Olives and visit the Church of the
Ascension, the spot where Christ ascended into Heaven; the Pater Noster
Church commemorating Christ's teaching of the Our Father to his
disciples; Dominus Flevit, the spot where Christ wept over Jerusalem and
onwards to Gethsemane and the Church of All Nations which houses the
Rock of the Agony of Christ on Holy Thursday. In this Church is a
beautiful mosaic donated by the United States. Visit the Cave of the
betrayal of Jesus and the Tomb of Our Lady. Then we tour the Old City of
Jerusalem, visiting the Chapel of Flagellation, the chapel of
Condemnation and the Lithostrotos, the site of the Antonia Fortress
where Julius Caesar resided at the time of Christ and where Christ was
tried and condemned to death. Beginning the way of the Cross here, join
the walk along the Via Dolorosa led by the Franciscans - ending at the
Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher, built over the site of the Crucifixion
and the Tomb. Visit Calvary and the Tomb of Our Lord followed by a short
tour of the Basilica. This afternoon visit the Church of St. Ann, built
on the site of birthplace of Our Lady where Mass will be celebrated.
Continue to the Pool of Bethesda, where Christ healed the paralytic.
Visit the Temple area, the spot where the original temple was built and
which was the scene of many episodes from the life of Christ, such as
the expulsion of the money changers. Here now stands the Dome of the
Rock, the third holiest spot in the world for the Moslem faith. Visit
the El Aksa Mosque and then the Wailing Wall which is the most sacred
spot in the world for the Jews. Proceed to the Shrine of the Book,
enclosing the Dead Sea Scrolls. Continue to Mount Zion, visiting the
room of the Last Supper, Church of the Dormition and then visit the
Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu built on the sire of the house of
Caiphas which encloses the dungeon where Christ was kept on Holy
Thursday night and where Peter denied Christ thrice.
Day 9: MEDJUGORJE. In the morning
attend mass at the St. James church (held in English) and join the
villagers and pilgrims from all over the world for the evening Rosary
and Croatian Mass. Our guide takes us to the Holy Shrines and religious
sites of Medjugorje. and introduces us to the visionaries for a talk. We
will climb the Apparition Hill 'Podbro' and the Cross Mountain 'Krizevac'.
We will spend time in prayer and meditation at the most peaceful place
in world where our Blessed Mother first appeared to the children. Dinner
and overnight at our hotel.
