Day 1: Depart for Tel Aviv

Depart from the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta for Tel Aviv with complimentary meals and beverages served onboard our interna-tional flight.

Day 2: Arrival to Tel Aviv Airport

On arrival in Tel Aviv, we proceed through Passport Control, meet our private airport assistant, and claim our lug¬gage. Our group will meet and go with our guide. We will have the day to rest from our day-long flight and get ready to start the pilgrimage on the next day. Dinner and overnight at our hotel, the Legacy Nazareth Hotel.

Day 3: Mt. Tabor - Cana - Nazareth

Breakfast at our hotel. We drive to Cana of Galilee to visit the Wedding Church where Jesus performed the first of his signs, changing water to wine. We celebrate Mass and wedding renewal, then we drive to visit Mt. Tabor. We continue drive to Nazareth and visit the Basilica of the Annunciation starting with the Grotto of the Annunciation and the Church. We will then visit the house of the Holy Family underneath the Church of St. Joseph. We will have a meeting with the Vicar of Naza-reth. Dinner and overnight at our hotel in Nazareth.

Day 4: Tiberias - Beatitudes - Tabgha - Capernaum- Sea of Galilee

Breakfast at our hotel. This morning we drive to the Sea of Galilee to visit the Mount of Beatitudes where our Lord gave the Sermon on the Mount and continue to Tabgha to see the splendid mosaic of the loaves and fishes with which He fed the five thousand. We visit the Church of the Primacy of St. Peter and then go to visit Capernaum to see the house of St. Peter and the Synagogue where our Lord preached. You will have the opportunity to try the St. Peter’s fish for lunch today. One of today’s highlights is a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee and we will also see the “Jesus Boat”, a 2000-year-old boat found at the shores of Magdala. Dinner and over-night at our hotel in Nazareth.

Day 5: Haifa - Caesarea - Jerusalem

Breakfast at our hotel. This morning we drive to the city of Haifa. We will visit the beautiful city of Haifa and go on to Mt. Carmel where the Carmelites started 900 years ago. We celebrate Mass at the Church of Stella Maris, “the Star of the Sea”. We will have a panoramic view of the city Haifa and the beautiful Baha’i Gardens. We drive west to Caesarea Maritime where St. Peter baptized Corne­lius and St. Paul was a prisoner for a while before going to Rome. Here we visit the Roman Aqueducts, the Roman Theater, and the palace of Pontius Pilate. Then we continue our drive to Jerusalem. Dinner and overnight at the Notre Dame Center in Jerusalem.

Day 6: Bethlehem - Ein Karem

Breakfast at our hotel. We drive to Ein Karem to visit the St. John the Baptist Church and the Church of Visitation (Magnificat) where the Blessed Virgin Mary visited Elizabeth. Afterwards, we drive back to Bethlehem to visit the Shepherd’s Field, the site where the star appeared to the shepherds which led them to the manger where baby Jesus was born. We then visit Chapel of Milk Grotto. We also visit the Basilica and Grotto of the Nativity and the Church of Nativity, the traditional birthplace of Jesus, and the Manger Square. Dinner and overnight at our hotel in Jerusalem.

Day 7: Jerusalem - The Passion of Jesus’ Last Hours

Breakfast at our hotel. We enter the Old City Jerusalem to visit the Dome of the Rock, El-Aqsa Mosque, the Western Wall, the Jew¬ish quarter, and the Cardo. After lunch we transfer to St. Anne’s Church for the visit of the Pools of Bethes-da. We continue to the Judgment Hall known as the Antonia Fortress where Jesus was led to be condemned to death by Pontius Pilate. Then we start walk­ing the Via Dolorosa through the markets of the Old City, praying the Stations of the Cross. We reflect on the greatness of His sacrifice, stopping at each of the  fourteen Stations of the Cross until we reach the Church of Holy Sepulcher. We visit Calvary, the empty Tomb of our Lord, and the different sections of the church. Holy Mass is in the Holy Sepulcher. We will visit the Latin Patriarch-ate and meet the Patriarch (if available). Dinner and overnight at our hotel in Jerusalem.

Day 8: Jerusalem - Mount Zion - Upper Room

Breakfast at our hotel. We drive to the top of Mount of Olives for a panoramic view of Jerusalem for a better understanding of its geography and view some of the key sites surrounding the area. We visit the Church of Pater Noster where Jesus taught his disciples how to pray, and then we walk on the Palm Sunday Road to the Church of Dominus Flevit where our Lord wept over the city. We continue our walk on the Palm Sunday Road to the Garden of Geth-semane. At Gethsemane is the Rock of Agony where Jesus uttered His last prayer. We spend some time in reflection and meditation inside the church. In the afternoon, we go to Mount Zion to visit the Church of the Dormition  commemorating our Blessed Mother falling asleep. Next, we visit the Cenacle, the place of the Last Supper and Pentecost. We also visit the Church of Saint Peter in Gallicantu, the location of the house of the high priest of the Jews, Caiaphas, where Jesus was imprisoned for the night and where Peter denied our Lord. (Holy Mass in the Garden of Gethsemane) Dinner and overnight at our hotel in Jerusalem.

Day 9: Jericho – Qumran – Dead Sea

Breakfast at our hotel. We drive along the Jordan Valley. We visit the Jordan River to renew our baptismal vows. We drive down the Jordan Valley and stop at the oasis town of Jericho to visit the excavations of the oldest city in the world and view the Mount of Tempta­tion where Jesus fasted and was tempted by Satan. We visit the excavations of Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were uncovered. On the way back there is time for a swim (or rather a float!) in the mineral rich waters of the Dead Sea, renowned for its healing properties. Dinner and overnight at our hotel in Jerusalem.

Day 10: Allenby – Petra – Wadi Rum

Breakfast at our hotel. We drive over the Allenby Bridge to cross the border into Jordan. Our Jordanian guide and bus will be waiting for us as we start the second part of our pilgrimage. We drive to Wadi Rum, known also as the “Valley of the Moon, that is cut into the sandstone and granite rock in south­ern Jordan, 37 miles east of Aqaba. It is the largest Wadi in Jordan. We will have a Jeep tour ride in the desert and an optional camel ride. In the late afternoon, we enjoy the desert night. Dinner and overnight at our hotel in Wadi Rum.

Day 11: Wadi Rum - Petra

Breakfast at our hotel. In the morning, we drive to to Petra. We visit the Nabatean Capital, known as the “Rose Red City” due to the color of the stone used for its architecture. Our tour takes us through a 0.8 mile gorge called the Siq, that leads directly to the Al Khazneh which is famous for its rock-cut architecture and water conduit system. Petra has been a UNESCO world heritage site since 1985. UNESCO has described it as “one of the most precious cultural properties of man’s cultural heritage”. We will have horse ride in Petra. Dinner and overnight at our hotel in Petra.

Day 12: Petra - Mt. Nebo - Madaba - Amman

Breakfast at our hotel. We drive to Mount Nebo where Moses viewed  the Promised Land before he died. Then we pass by Madaba to visit the Mon¬astery of St. George which hosts the unique mosaic map of Egypt, Jor-dan, and Holy Land. The map is believed to be the first one for this area, as it was built in the 6th century A.D. Dinner and overnight in Amman.

Day 13: Amman - Airport

Breakfast at our hotel. We drive to the Queen Alia International Airport in Amman for our flight back home to Atlanta