Holy Land Pilgrimage - September 23, 2019 (Private Group)

Following breakfast, we will drive to Cana of Galilee where
Jesus, at the request of Mary, performed His first miracle…
changing water into wine. It was here also that He blessed
marriage and raised it to the dignity of a sacrament. If you wish,
you may renew your wedding vows as a lasting remembrance
of this holy site. From there, we go a short distance to Nazareth,
the boyhood home of Jesus. In the Church of the Annunciation
we will celebrate Mass. Just behind the altar, at the Cave of
the Annunciation, we will see the actual room in which Mary
said “yes” to the angel Gabriel. From there we will visit St.
Joseph’s Carpentry Shop and Mary’s well. In the afternoon,
we will take an excursion to the summit of Mt. Tabor where
Jesus transfigured himself and revealed his Divine Glory to the
apostles (Matt 17:2).

This morning, we will enjoy a scenic boat ride across the Sea of
Galilee and proceed to the Church of Peter’s Primacy (John 21:16).
Here on the shore of Galilee, Jesus appeared to the Apostles
after His Resurrection and confirmed Peter in the role as Vicar
of Christ with the words, “Feed My sheep.” The rock emerging
from the center of the church is the actual table at which they ate
breakfast. We will proceed onto Capernaum which for three years
was the center of Jesus’ public ministry. Here our Lord met his
first disciples – Peter, Andrew, James, John and Matthew – and
worked many miracles. He healed Peter’s mother-in-law of a fever,
brought a child back to life, cured a leper, healed the centurion’s
servant, cast out a demon from a young boy and healed all that
were sick (Matt 8:16). We will celebrate Mass, visit the synagogue
where Jesus taught, and then drive to Tabgha – the site where
Jesus multiplied the Loaves and Fishes and fed over 5000 people
(Luke 9:13). Next, we will drive to the Mount of Beatitudes the site
of the Sermon on the Mount.

After Mass at the Mount of the Beatitudes, we will travel around
the Sea of Galilee and stop at Kursi. Here Jesus met a possessed
man and miraculously cast out a legion of demons into the herd
of swine (Luke 8:26). From there we travel to the River Jordan
to renew our baptismal vows. The Bible tells us that the Children
of Israel crossed the River Jordan opposite Jericho when they
came into the Promised Land. The prophet Elijah divided its
waters and crossed with Elisha on dry land. Naaman the Syrian
dipped in the waters seven times and was cured of his leprosy.
And Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan (Mark 1:9). Each
year, pilgrims from far and wide come to the Place of Baptism
to immerse themselves in these holy waters. From here, we will
drive through the Judean wilderness to Jerusalem.

This morning we will drive to the top of the Mt. of Olives for
a spectacular view of Jerusalem. We will visit the Church of Pater Noster where Jesus taught his disciples how to pray,
Ascension Chapel the site where Jesus ascended into Heaven,
and then walk the “Palm Sunday Road” to Dominus Flevit,
where Our Lord wept over Jerusalem. Then we will proceed
to the Garden of Gethsemane to visit the Church of All Nations
for Mass on the Rock of Agony. In the afternoon, we will drive
through the New City of Jerusalem to Ein Karem, birthplace of
St. John the Baptist, to see the Visitation Church where Mary
proclaimed her famous “Magnificat”.

We will drive to Bethlehem and have Mass at the Shepherd’s
Fields. Above the traditional Grotto of Jesus’ birth, we will visit
the Nativity Church, built by the Emperor Constantine in the
4th century. Also tour the Manger, Grotto of St. Jerome, and
the Church of St. Catherine. Then visit the Milk Grotto Chapel
followed by some free time before returning to Jerusalem.

This morning we will enter the Old City of Jerusalem through St.
Stephen’s Gate to visit the Church of St. Anne, where the Blessed
Virgin Mary was born. Next to this site is the Pool of Bethesda,
where Jesus healed the paralytic man. We will then walk the Via
Dolorosa finishing prayerfully in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher
where we will have Holy Mass. There we will climb Mt. Calvary
and pray at the site of the crucifixion. We will venerate the site
where Jesus’ body was anointed, the tomb where he was buried
and rose from the dead, and the Chapel of St. Helena where
the true cross was found. While in the Old City, we will also
see Pilate’s Judgment Hall, the Chapel of Flagellation, the Arch
of Ecce Homo, the “Wailing Wall”, and we will view the Temple
Mount. Afterwards, we exit the city to visit the Pool of Siloam,
where Jesus healed a man born blind. We then go to Mount Zion
to visit the Upper Room, the site where Jesus celebrated the
Last Supper. Last, we pray our Rosary together in the Church of
Dormition, where Mary was assumed into heaven.

We will drive to Bethany to visit the site of the House of Mary,
Martha & Lazarus and the Tomb of Lazarus. Then drive to
ancient Jericho, the oldest known city in the Western world.
In 1250 B.C., Joshua encircled the city and at the blast of
the priests’ trumpets, the walls came tumbling down (I Kings
16). Many times Jesus passed through this city on his way
to Jerusalem. The sycamore fig, the tree which Zacchaeus
climbed in order to catch a glimpse of Jesus, still grows in this
area. From the ruins of ancient Jericho, we will ascend the
Mount of Temptation where Jesus fasted and prayed forty days
to resist the devil. Return to Jerusalem. This evening we will
enjoy a farewell dinner.

Today our Holy Land pilgrimage comes to an end. We will
transfer to the airport for our return flight home.