Exodus To The Promised Land

We begin our pilgrimage with a mass held at Saint Peter Church in Jaffa. Saint Peter church is a distinctive church complex built over Old Jaffa's medieval citadel. Named after Saint Peter, the church marks the significant vision of Peter in Jaffa. After the reflective mass, we will drive towards north along the picturesque Mediterranean Coast towards Tiberias.

Highlights to Visit: 

• Caesarea Maritima - The center of early Christians and the capital of Judea under the Romans. This is where Paul made his defense before Festus  and King Agrippa before his final journey to Rome (Acts 9:30) 
• Mount Carmel (Muchraka) - Tradition has it that this is the Biblical site where Elijah issued his challenge to the false prophets of Baal (1 King 18:16-45) 
• Baha’i Terraces (view only) - Also known as the Hanging Gardens of Haifa, are garden terraces on Mount Carmel in Haifa, with 19 terraces and more than 1,500 steps ascending the mountain
• Stella Maris Carmelite Monastery - The World Headquarter’s of the Carmelite Religious Order which was established by religious hermits who originally came to Mount Carmel to reside in the cave where the Prophet Elijah is believed to have lived and hid

We proceed with our pilgrimage through the Holy Land and continue to explore and experience cultrually-rich region of Galilee - visiting Magdala, among many others. We will truly immerse ourselves in history as we will have a spectacular Sea of Galilee journey - sailing on a wooden boat like Jesus Christ when he lived in Galilee. On board, we will have the opportunity to celebrate mass, reflect, pray, explore and relive the life of Jesus Christ where He used to preach the gospel of the Kingdom.

Highlights to Visit: 

• Magdala - hometown of Mary Magdalene who was a close follower of Jesus Christ and described by theologian Hippolytus of Rome as "Apostle of the Apostles"
• Church of Multiplication - This is the location of Jesus Christ miraculous feeding of the crowd - 5000 men plus women and children. (Matthew 14: 13-21)  
• Capernaum - Jesus Christ’s home town; In this town, Jesus called his first disciples - fishermen Peter, Andrew, James and John, and the tax collector Matthew. 
• Primacy of St. Peter - is the position of preeminence that is attributed to Peter among the Twelve Apostles; it commemorates, and allegedly marks the spot, of Jesus' reinstatement of Peter as chief among the Apostles
• Mount of Beatitudes - It is where Jesus is believed to have delivered the Sermon on the Mount
• Sea of Galilee - Jesus Christ walked on this water, calmed the storm, used the water and its shores and boats to perform miracles and spread His Good News (Luke 5:1-11, Mark 4:35-41). This freshwater “sea” is a heart-shaped body of water spanning 21 km. long, 13 km. wide with a maximum depth of 43 meters. 

 We will have a mass at Cana Church, the location where Jesus performed His famed first miracle of turning of water into wine during the wedding feast (John 2:1-11). Here, couples will have a special and unforgettable opportunity to renew their wedding vows.

Highlights to Visit: 

• Basilica of the Annunciation -  the church was built over the cave which is believed to be the home of Mary. Here, Angel Gabriel told Mary at the age of 14, that she would be the Mother of Jesus, our Lord and Savior. This is also where Mary uttered her consent: “Let it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1)
• St. Joseph Chapel - Tradition asserts that the church was built over St. Joseph’s carpentry workshop
• Synagogue Church - According to Christian tradition, the church is built on the ruins of the ancient Nazareth synagogue where Jesus studied and prayed. In addition, it is where one Sabbath day Jesus went to preach
• Mary’s Well - the site where Mary had the first apparition of the Angel Gabriel  according to the Protoevangelium of James.  

We continue our journey in the "Oh Little town of Bethlehem" and touch the very spot where Jesus Christ was born. Here in Bethlehem, Mary gave birth to Jesus Christ in a cave where the local shepherds came to worship the baby and the Three Wise Men from the East came to pay homage and presented their gifts. The day will commence with a mass at at St. Jerome Chapel on the Nativity Church. 

Highlights to Visit:

• Basilica of the Nativity - today’s basilica is the oldest complete Church in the Christian world built over the cave, known as the Grotto of the Nativity, venerated as the site where Jesus was born (Luke 2:1-20). The Grotto of the Nativity forms the crypt of the Church of the Nativity, situated underneath its main altar.
• Chapel of the Holy Innocents - this is said to be the burial place of the innocent infants killed by King Herod in his attempt to eliminate the newborn “King of the Jews”
• St. Catherine Church - the midnight Mass beamed from Bethlehem to television viewers worldwide on Christmas Eve is celebrated in the Church of St. Catherine of Alexandria. This 19th-century church adjoins the 6th-century Church of the Nativity built over the cave where Jesus was born.
• Milk Grotto - a sacred site to Christian and Muslim pilgrims alike. Tradition tells that while Mary and Joseph were fleeing King Herod’s soldiers on their way to Egypt, they stopped in this cave. While Mary nursed the baby Jesus, a drop of milk fell upon the stone and it turned white. 
• Church of Visitation - This is believed to be the site of Zechariah’s and Elizabeth’s summer house, where Mary came to visit (Luke 1:46-55)

We will have time to reflect and have a mass at the Church of Bethphage- it is located on the Mount of Olives and contains a stone traditionally identified as the one which Jesus used to mount the donkey at the start of his procession into Jerusalem. Then, we will head towards Jericho and towards the Dead Sea.

Highlights to Visit:

• Tomb of Lazarus - the visit to this tomb reminds us when Jesus Christ assures Martha that her brother will rise again and said "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live even though he dies and whoever lives and believes in me will never die" (John 11:1-44)
• Bethphage - a Christian religious site on the Mount of Olives east of historical Jerusalem. Bethphage is mentioned in the New Testament as the place in ancient Israel from which Jesus sent his disciples to find a colt upon which he would ride into Jerusalem
• Monastery of St. George in Wadi Qelt - the monastery was founded in the 5th century named after its famous monk, St. George of Kosiba who came as teenager from Cyprus to follow the ascetic life in the Holy Land after both his parents died (can view only) 
• Tree of Zacchaeus - a visit to this century-old sycamore tree recalls the incident in which the tax collector Zacchaeus, too short to see Jesus over the crowd, climbed a sycamore’s tree branches in order to see Him.( Luke 19: 1-10). 
• Jericho - the name means “ City of Palms” and is mentioned 70 times in the Old Testament. It is reputed to be the oldest continuous inhabited town on earth with stories to match. It is the first town that Israelites captured when they entered the Promised Land (Joshua 6: 1-21). Here, Jesus healed Bartimaeus, the blind beggar and dined with Zacchaeus, the rich tax collector (Mark 10:46-52, Luke 10:46-52)
• Mount of Temptation - With a gravity-defying monastery clinging to its sheer face, this mountain is traditionally regarded as the mountain on which Christ was tempted by the devil during His 40-day fasting and praying (Matthew 4: 1-11). Access to the summit is 30 minute trek up a steep path or 5 minutes car cable ride
• Elisha’s Spring - This spring is associated with the Prophet Elisha who purified its waters by throwing salt into it (2 Kings 19-22) 

We explore the famed Mount of Olives where holds a significant number of holy sites. Mount of Olives is where, immediately after the last supper, Jesus Christ prayed to his Father and was later arrested. We will hold mass at the Grotto of Gethsemane- credited as the place where Jesus was arrested after being betrayed by Judas, and the site where he left his disciples before heading off to pray alone. 

Highlights to Visit:

• Dome of the Ascension - the Shrine marking the place where Jesus is believed to have ascended to heaven (Luke 24:5051, Acts 1:4-11)
• Pater Noster Church - tradition holds that this is where Jesus Christ taught his disciples The Lord’s Prayer in the cave that forms the grotto under this Church. The words Pater Noster are Latin words meaning “ Our Father ” (Matthew 6:5-15)
• Dominus Flevit Church - a little teardrop Church, (a.k.a in Latin for “The Lord Wept”) halfway down the slope of the the Mount of Olive, recalls the Gospel incident in which Jesus wept over the destruction of Jerusalem (Luke 19:37-44)
• Garden of Gethsemane - the Hebrew word gethsemane means “Oil Press”. It is named in the New Testament as the place where Jesus went with his disciples to pray the night before He was crucified
• Church of All Nations - this is the location on which Jesus prayed in agony before He was betrayed by Judas Iscariot and later arrested (Matthew 26:39, Luke 22:44)
• Tomb of the Virgin Mary - down the crypt to the right is a small edicule that houses a stone bench on which Mary’s body is believed to have lain
• Tomb of King David - the Warrior King of Israel who is traditionally credited with composing many of the Psalms was buried on the site directly underneath the Cenacle where Christians commemorate the Last Supper
• Church of St. Anne - marks the traditional site of the birthplace of the Virgin Mary and the home of Jesus’ maternal grandparents, Anne and Joachim
• Church of Saint Peter in Gallicantu - this Church commemorates the Apostle Peter’s triple denial of his Master, his immediate repentance and his reconciliation with Christ after the Resurrection (Matthew 26:69-75)

The pinnacle of our pilgrimage- today, we experience the very sites that defined our sacred figures of our faith. We will savor a series of significant and meaningful landmarks dating back to the biblical times.  A special mass will be held at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The site of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem is identified as the place both of the crucifixion and the tomb of Jesus of Nazareth. 

Highlights to Visit:

• Stephen's Gate - the entry point to the Via Dolorosa - "The Way of the Cross"
• Via Dolorosa - 14 Stations of the Cros; it is the route Jesus followed on his way to Calvary on  First Good Friday. We will pray at each station as we recall Jesus’ passion and death.
• Church of the Holy Sepulchre - the site of the most important event in human history. The holiest place on earth where Jesus Christ died on the Cross and after three days rose from the dead. This is  the epicenter of our Christian faith - Jesus’ resurrection. (Matthew 27: 27-56 | Jesus Crucifixion)  (Matthew 27: 57-66 | Jesus Burial) (Matthew 28: 1-10 | Jesus Resurrection) 
• Wailing Wall - located in the Old City of Jerusalem, a place of prayer and pilgrimage; It is the only remains of the retaining wall surrounding the Temple Mount, the site of the First and Second Temples of Jerusalem
• Temple Mount - all three Abrahamic faiths regard it as the location of Mount Moriah where Abraham prepared to offer his son Isaac (or Ishmael in the Muslim tradition) to God 

Devotional Sites at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre:

• The Edicule -  It is a “ little house” that encloses the tomb of Jesus Christ
• Chapel of the Angel - the outer chamber of The Edicule which stands a pedestal containing what is believed to be a piece of the rolling stone used to close the tomb
• Holy Tomb of Jesus Christ - the holiest site on earth where Jesus body was laid on the First Good Friday. Here, after three days Jesus resurrected from the dead
• More devotional sites: Stone Anointing | Chapel of the Nailing to the Cross | Chapel of the Crucifixion | Chapel of the Apparition | Chapel of Mary Magdalene | Chapel of Helena | Chapel of the Finding of the Cross 

We bid farewell to the Holy Land as we depart after breakfast and cross to the Jordanian border through the Allenby Bridge. WELCOME TO JORDAN!

Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a young state that occupies an ancient land, one that bears the traces of numerous civilizations. Separated from ancient Palestine by the Jordan River, the region played a prominent role in biblical history. We will end the day in the ancient town of Wadi Musa. Wadi Musa means "Valley of Moses" in Arabic. It is said that Moses passed through the valley and struck water from the rock for his followers.

Highlights to Visit:

• Mount Nebo - the location from where God showed Moses the Promised Land which God said he would not enter and also believed to be the traditional burial site of Moses (Deuteronomy 34:6)
• Mosaic Shop - witness and learn the artistry involved in making mosaic

We will spend the day enjoying the Nabatean Treasure City of Petra, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Center. A vital crossroad between Arabia, Egypt and Syria-Phoenicia - Petra is half-built, half-carved into the rock. This famous archaeological site is surrounded by mountains riddled with ancient passages and mystery.

Petra Highlights:

• Time-permitting and within tour hours
• The Obelisk - Burial complex carved into rocks around 2,000 years ago, with 4 pyramid-shaped pillars
• The Siq "The Treasury" - knows as the Al-Khazneh, it is one of the most elaborate temples in Petra, carved out of a sandstone rock face
• The Theater - a first century AD Nabataean theatre carved into the side of the mountain

We will depart Petra by 12h00 and drive towards Wadi Rum. It is also known as the Valley of the Moon and is a valley cut into the sandstone and granite rock in southern Jordan. Here we will enjoy a classic Wadi Rum adventure that includes jeep rides, camel rides, a visit to Lawrence Spring, watch sunset, have cozy bonfire with entertainment (time permitting only). The fun-filled day will conclude with a traditional Bedouin dinner under the desert stars.

After breakfast, we begin the day by heading to Aqaba through a sightseeing drive. As the only port in Jordan, Aqaba holds a very important strategic value to the whole country. We continue the pilgrimage and cross the Red Sea by ferry boat to the Taba, Egypt. WELCOME TO EGYPT!

From Taba, we will immediately make our way to St. Catherine Monastery- this is the oldest continuously inhabited Christian monastery, with a history that can be traced back over seventeen centuries.

St. Catherine Monastery Highlights and Devotional Places:

Moses' Well | "Burning Bush" site | Church of Transfiguration | Monastery Mosque | Monastery GardeN

Early in the morning at 01h00, you are welcome to walk to the summit of Mount Sinai - following the footsteps of Moses. It is where God gave Moses the Ten Commandments (Exodus 32). For those who desire and are physically fit, it is 6,900 ft. to the summit and concluded with breakfast with the rest of the group. 

After breakfast, we continue the pilgrimage and drive to Cairo, Egypt by 09h00. Cairo is the capital city of Egypt along with being the largest city of Egypt, the Arab world, and middle east, and also the largest city in Africa. 

Highlights:

• Mount Sinai - There are two principal routes, the “camel route“ and “repentance route“. We will ascend through the “The Steps of Repentance” route - Moses’ route. At the summit, we will enjoy a time of praise and personal reflection as we read the Book of Genesis. Descending the mountain, we will take the “Camel Trail”.

Today, we set our sights to the wonders of  Egypt’s famous city of Cairo. Containing the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the World, Cairo is filled with amazing attractions. We will visit and experience these monumental ancient landmarks as we embark to the hot deserts, and end with a Nile River dinner cruise.

Highlights to Visit:

• Church of St. Sergius & St. Bacchus -  church built on the cave where the Holy Family stayed during their flight in Egypt
• Synagogue of Ben Ezra -  tradition affirms that this is the site where Moses was found by an Egyptian Princess
• Hanging Church - This basilica was built atop the south gate of the Babylon Fortress
• Pyramids of Giza - one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the only one to remain largely intact 
• Great Sphinx - The largest monolith statue in the world
• Papyrus Shop - learn how papyrus is made, the chief writing material in ancient Egypt, which was adopted by the Greeks, and was used extensively in the Roman Empire
• Egyptian Museum -  the home of the largest collection of Pharaonic antiquities