Duration: 12 Days
Dates: March 14, 2023 to March 25, 2023
Departure City: Nashville, Tennessee Or New York, NY (JFK)

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Detailed Itinerary

TUE (14MAR) DAY 1: Flight to Tel Aviv
Depart the U.S. to Tel Aviv, Israel. Meals on board the aircraft.

WED (15MAR), DAY 2: Tel Aviv
Our Pilgrimage in this Holy Land begins: After meeting our guide for the Holy Land, we travel to Tel Aviv on the shores of the beautiful Mediterranean Sea for dinner and overnight.

THU (16MAR), DAY 3: Caesarea Maritima, Mt. Carmel, Megiddo, Sea of Galilee 
We have come to see for ourselves (John 1:45-46): Herod’s City- Caesarea; The Majesty of Carmel; Armageddon. . . . to the Sea of Galilee. We head north toward Caesarea (entrance included), once capital of the Roman province, where we visit the Roman and Crusader remains and the harbor from which St. Paul was taken prisoner to Rome. We continue toward Mt. Carmel (Is. 35:2), a symbol of strength, beauty and fertility for OT prophets. Traditionally, Elijah’s contest with the prophets of Baal is located at Muhraqa (‘the sacrifice’) (entrance included), a peak offering a spectacular view of the Jezreel Valley. This fertile valley has been the scene of horrible carnage and almost constant strife. Legend portrays this area as the stage for the final battle of history: Armageddon (Rev. 16:16). The excavations at Har-Megiddo have uncovered a fortified city built by Solomon (1 Kgs. 9:15) (entrance included). We continue to the Sea of Galilee for dinner and overnight.

FRI (17MAR), DAY 4: Nazareth, Mount Tabor, Sepphoris, Sea of Galilee 
Today we explore the Holy sites of Nazareth and the area surrounding Nazareth. We visit the Basilica of the Annunciation, the Orthodox Church, Christ Church (the oldest Anglican Church in the Middle East) and Mary’s Well. We visit Nazareth Village (entrance included), a reproduction of Nazareth as it would have looked during the time of Jesus. We see Mt. Tabor (taxi included), the traditional spot of the Transfiguration. We visit Sepphoris (entrance included), near Nazareth, and probably where Jesus and Joseph worked. We will return our hotel on the shores of the Sea of Galilee for our dinner and overnight.

SAT (18MAR), DAY 5: Capernaum, Magdala, Mount of Beatitudes, Boat Ride and Ancient Boat Museum He is going ahead of us to Galilee” (Mt. 28): The Sea; Capernaum; Tabgha; Mount of Beatitudes.
We begin at Capernaum (entrance included) where we walk in the ancient synagogue and see St. Peter’s house. We continue to Magdala (entrance included), the hometown of Mary Magdalene before traveling to Tabgha where we see the mosaics of the Loaves and Fishes and celebrate Holy Eucharist. From Tabgha we take a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee all the way back to Tiberias. Afterwards, we journey to the Mount of Beatitudes to rehear the Sermon on the Mount and then hike down to the shore of the Sea of Galilee as Jesus and his disciples would have done. We visit the museum that holds the 1st century boat discovered in the mud around the sea (boat ride & entrance included) and return to our hotel for our dinner and overnight.

SUN (19MAR), DAY 6: Jericho, Baptismal Site, Mount Scopus Lookout, Jerusalem 
Today, we drive to Jericho, one of the oldest cities on earth to visit the ruins of ancient Jericho (entrance included), view the Mount of Temptation. We drive to the Baptismal Site on the Jordan River, believed to be the true baptismal site of Jesus. We renew our baptismal vows. We will then ascend into The Holy City for our first view of Jerusalem from Mount Scopus. Check into our hotel for dinner and overnight.

MON (20MAR), DAY 7: Bethlehem, Shepherds Fields, The Herodium, Hebron 
We visit Herodium (entrance included), built by Herod the c. 24 BC as both a palace and a fortress. The Herodium sat on the flattened top of a hill that rises c. 400 feet above the surrounding terrain. The roof and upper stories of the Herodium no longer exist; the remains of four towers are still visible. Josephus describes the Herodium as follows, "The fortress...is naturally strong and very suitable for such a structure, raised to a (greater) height by the hand of man and rounded off in the shape of a breast.” We visit Bethlehem for lunch at a wonderful Arab restaurant called Two Mustaches (not included). Then we visit the Church of the Nativity and Shepherds Fields. We visit the Tomb of Abraham and return to Jerusalem for dinner and overnight.

TUE (21MAR), DAY 8: Masada, Ein Gedi, Qumran, Dead Sea
Today we drive along the Dead Sea to Masada (entrance & cable car included), the isolated mountain-top fortress above the banks of the Sea. Masada was fortified as early as the 1st or 2nd century BC and then enlarged by Herod the Great. For those who wish, there will be the opportunity to either climb Masada to the top or to hike down the mountain. Visit Ein Gedi (entrance included). We visit Qumran (entrance included) where the famous Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. Then we are off to Ein Gedi (entrance included) for a walk to a spectacular oasis/ waterfall where David hid from Saul. We will then have some time to float in the Dead Sea before we return to Jerusalem for dinner and overnight.

WED (22MAR), DAY 9: Palm Sunday Walk
We walk along the Palm Sunday Path from the top of the Mount of Olives into the City, visiting the Church of Dominus Flevit, the Mosque of the Ascension (entrance included), passing by the Church of the Lord’s Prayer, the Garden of Gethsemane and the Tomb of Mary. We have free time this afternoon for resting or shopping. Overnight in Jerusalem.

THU (23MAR), DAY 10: The Holy City: Temple Mount, Muslim, Jewish and Armenian Quarters 
Today we enter Jerusalem through St. Stephen’s Gate to the Holy City, we enter the walled city of Jerusalem. St. Anne’s Church (entrance included), a Crusader jewel, stands on a property facing the Temple Mount. Once inside we find ourselves singing (the acoustics are glorious). We visit excavations which speak to us of Jesus’ healing at the “pool with the five porticos.” We walk to the Temple Mount Dig (entrance included), the Dome of the Rock, the Western Wailing Wall and the Jewish Quarter. We visit the ancient, excavated cisterns that were found under the Old City and explore the excavations of the Temple Mount Dig. We visit the Armenian Quarter and St. James Cathedral and St. Mark’s Syrian Orthodox Church where, according to Syrian tradition, Jesus and his disciples shared the last supper. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem. Please note that, due to security reasons, the only items the visitors can carry into Temple Mount are telephone, small camera, notebook and a bottle of water. Groups are not allowed to enter with professional cameras, iPads, backpacks, purses, any religious symbols such as Bible or crosses as well as Swiss penknives and clippers.

FRI (24MAR), DAY 11: The Holy City: The Passion
Today we start at the Garden of Gethsemani, we then walk through the Kidron Valley to the church of St. Peter in Gallicantu (entrance included), which is where Jesus was taken after He was arrested at the Garden of Gethsemani. We will then move along the Via Dolorosa which winds its way through the busy markets of the Old City. We will stop for prayer at the Stations of the Cross along the Via Dolorosa before ending our walk at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, scene of the Crucifixion and site of the Tomb. We will celebrate Holy Eucharist in the Chapel of Abraham in the Holy Sepulcher (subject to confirmation). farewell dinner before we head back to the airport to get on our flight back home with unforgettable

SAT (25MAR), DAY 12: Arrival back home