


The Holy Land- Father Simon Halifax
11 Days
Tel Aviv · Nazareth · Cana · Tiberias · Sea of Galilee · Jordan River · Mt. Tabor · Jerusalem · Ein Karem · Bethlehem · Qumran · Jericho · Dead Sea · Mt. of Olives · Mt. Zion · Holy Sepulchre
Your trip includes
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Round-trip airfare from your desired Airport
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All airport taxes & fuel surcharges
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1 night Renaissance Tel Aviv/ 3 nights Caesar Hotel Tiberias/2 nights Daniel Dead Sea/ Daniel Jerusalem 4 nights.
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Breakfast & Dinner daily
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6 Lunches According to Itinerary
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Transportation by air-conditioned motor coach
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Free Wi-Fi on motor coach
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Wireless headsets where needed.
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Assistance of Christian guide throughout
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Transfers as per itinerary
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Sightseeing and admissions fees as per itinerary
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Masses.
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Pilgrimage Certificates.
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Travel Insurance (Optional)
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Any Personal Item.
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Any Item that is not mentioned in the included part.
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Drinks with meals.
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Tips to Hotel Staff, Porters, Restaurants, Guide & Driver
Oct 8: Arrival in Tel Aviv at 12:00:00 pm, meeting with the local guide and transfer to the hotel, off load baggage. After supper, we will have the rest of the evening free to relax and catch up on our lost sleep.
Oct 9:After breakfast, we will travel to Nazareth and spend the rest of the morning there. We will celebrate the Eucharist in Nazareth and have an opportunity to visit the Basilica of the Annunciation, a new church built over the ruins and foundations of successive churches on the site believed to have been the house of the Holy Family. We will also visit the older Melkite Orthodox church built beside the site of the synagogue attended by Jesus, followed by lunch in Nazareth. In the afternoon, we will visit Tsipori, 2 miles northwest of Nazareth. In the time of Jesus this fortified town was named Sepphoris and the young carpenter would likely have made
many visits to this town, as it was the capital of Galilee during the time of Herod the Great. This town is reputed to be the birthplace of Our Lady and contains the ruins of a Roman theatre and splendid 3rd century mosaics. We will then continue on to Cana where Jesus performed his first miracle at a wedding feast. Married couples will have an opportunity to renew their wedding vows, in a private chapel. We will also have a chance to sample some old-fashioned Cana Wine (a newer vintage). We will then travel to Tiberias for supper back at the hotel and a free evening to follow. Tiberias, a town on the Western shore of the Sea of Galilee, was founded by Herod Antipas around AD 20. After the destruction of the temple in AD 70, Tiberias became a great centre of learning that contributed greatly to the preservation of Judaism. B/L/D
Oct 10: After breakfast, we will then travel around the Northern coast of the Sea of Galilee to Bethsaida, the home town of the apostles Peter, Andrew and Philip.
we will drive through Magdala, the home of Mary Magdalene, and Gennesaret to arrive in Capernaum, the town that served as the home base for Jesus and his disciples after the people of Nazareth rejected him. We will visit the home of St. Peter and the synagogue where Jesus healed a demoniac.
1000hs we will celebrate Mass at St. Peter Capharnaum Memorial. We will also
celebrate the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick by the sea shore after Mass.
After this visit we will continue south to the Ein Gev for lunch where the courageous can try the famous St. Peter’s fish. After lunch, we will enjoy a private boat ride across the Sea of Galilee to the Western shore, and drive south to Yardenit on the river Jordan believed to be the site where John the Baptist baptized Jesus. At this spot, we will renew our baptismal vows and have a chance to enter the waters of the Jordan. We will have supper back at the hotel and a free evening.B/L/D
Oct 11: After an early breakfast, we will drive to Mt. Tabor which ancient tradition has regarded as the place of the Transfiguration of Jesus. We will have Mass together at Tabor basilica of Transfiguration, (main alter 11 am)) and an opportunity to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation, prior to mass. After lunch and we will visit the area of Tabgha and the sites of the multiplication of the loaves and fish, the Mount of the Beatitudes as well as the church of the Primacy of Peter built on the beach where Our Lord asked Peter three times “Do you love me?” We will return to the hotel in the late afternoon for our last night in Tiberias. B/L/D
Oct 12: At Dawn, we will celebrate Mass on the water front deck of the hotel. Followed by breakfast, (note I usually arrange mass on site) After breakfast, at the hotel we drive south to the Dead Sea stopping at Qumran Caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. Lunch NOT included we will drive on to Masada (ascend by cable car), the last outpost of the Jewish Zealots, who committed mass suicide rather than surrender to the Romans in the 1st century. Masada today is one of the Jewish people's greatest symbols. Israeli soldiers take an oath there: "Masada shall not fall again." We will now proceed to the Dead Sea for check-in and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure Dinner at our hotel. B/D
Oct 13: This is a day of leisure to enjoy this international wellness center. Go for a walk, float in the Dead Sea, or pamper yourself by the pool.
At 3pm we will gather on the steps of the hotel in our beach robes and go for a float in the Dead Sea Lunch is NOT included on this day
Return to the hotel to enjoy the rest of the day or go floating at the Dead Sea or the facilities of the hotel. 600pm we celebrate mass at the hotel.
Note: Following mass we proceed to the mezzanine outside deck for a private reception prior to dinner.B/D
Oct 14: After an early breakfast, we will drive to Jericho
We will celebrate mass at the Church of the Good Sheppard in Jericho, note (10 am) Time is spent after mass to share coffee and meet the local parishioners, followed by a view of the Mt. of Temptations from a distance and see the traditional Zaccheus site. We will spend some time in Jericho with a visit to a local merchant with Dead Sea skin products and handmade glass products. Lunch at local restaurant
Then transfer to Jerusalem. Upon arrival, we will ascend the Mount of Olives to marvel at the spectacular view of the Holy City of Jerusalem.
Drive to the Church of Dominus Flevit where we will visit and then to the Church of All Nations in the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus endured his agony. Descend across the Kidron Valley. Transfer to the hotel for check-in and dinner. B/L/D
Oct 15:After breakfast, we will celebrate mass at the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu, where the Apostle denied Jesus three times and were Jesus spent the night in a prison cell on Holy Thursday. Followed by a visit to the room of the last supper. Lunch included at local restaurant near the Via Dolorosa Continue to Ecce Homo Arch ('Behold the Man'), the Lithostratos where Jesus was crowned with thorns and onto the Via Dolorosa (the way of the cross). We will pass the Stations of the Cross on the way to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, incorporating both Calvary and the Resurrection Tomb. B/L/D
Oct 16: Breakfast at the hotel.
Proceed to Bethlehem. We will enter again into the territory of the Palestinian Authority by entering Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus and the hometown of King David. Mass will be celebrated in St Joseph Church, inside the Bethlehem Basilica, followed by a light lunch. 145pm we will visit, Bethlehem University, http://www.bethlehem.edu/index.php that is a university, run university by the De La Salle Christian Brothers that serves the Palestinians people, (time and availability to be confirmed) Christian and Muslim. We will have a tour and an opportunity to hear from some of the students. We will then continue to the Church of the Nativity, built above the Grotto of the Nativity in which Jesus was born. 400pm shopping we will proceed to a highly recommended local gift shop owned and operated by our guide’s, Uncle and serves to provide employment and support to many Palestinian families. Bethlehem Souvenir Shop. Return to our hotel for dinner. B/L/D
Oct 17: After breakfast, we will drive north of Jerusalem stopping at Ein Kerem, the place believed to be the birthplace of St. John the Baptist where we will celebrate Mass at 1100 , and then to the Church of the Visitation
Lunch will be served at a local restaurant. After lunch we will drive to the Notre Dame Center to see the Shroud of Turin,
http://www.notredamecenter.org/index.phtml Since July 2006, the Notre Dame Center has displayed a permanent exhibition about the Holy Shroud to help pilgrims gain a deeper understanding of Christ’s sufferings and Resurrection as they visit the holy places. Following this emotional experience, we will gather for reflection and comment on the Shroud and the pilgrimage in general.
Then a short break and we then partake in our farewell supper and reflect with our fellow Pilgrims about our new friendships and all that we have witnessed.
Transfer to the hotel and prepare for our departure tomorrow.B
Oct 18: Breakfast. Transfer to the airport for your home flight. B