0114AC4 - Holy Land Pilgrimage 11 days from Toronto

Today we depart Toronto International Airport to connect with our overnight flight to Tel Aviv. We enjoy in-flight movies and dinner and breakfast while aloft.

This morning, we arrive at Ben Gurion Airport Tel Aviv and are met by our Unitours Tour Manager and transfer to our couch bus for our short ride to our hotel near Tel Aviv for Mass before our “welcome” dinner and overnight at our hotel.

Today, we depart our hotel for Caesarea Maritima along the Mediterranean and visit the Roman and Crusader remains. We continue to Mt. Carmel, where we visit the site of Elijah's confrontation with the priests of Baal. We then drive on to Nazareth and walk through the local bazaars and stop for lunch on our own. Following personal prayer time, we celebrate Mass at the Church of the Annunciation, where the Word became Flesh! We then drive to the village of Cana, the site of Jesus' first miracle, where our married couples renew their wedding vows. Then on to our hotel on the shores of the Galilee for dinner and overnight.

This morning, we take a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee to the seaside village of Kibbutz Ginosar to view the historic archaeological discovery of “The Jesus Boat.” While on our boat ride, we will celebrate morning Mass as we get into the spirit of “Walking in Jesus’ Footsteps.” We procced to Capernaum, where we see the remains of the village synagogue and the new church built atop St. Peter's house. Here we visit Tabgha and the Franciscan Church of St. Peter's Primacy, where Jesus made His appearance after the resurrection. Next, we see the Benedictine Basilica of the Loaves and Fishes. We stop for lunch on our own along our route before we drive to Mt. Tabor, the site of the Transfiguration, where we have a time of personal prayer. We return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Today, we travel north of Galilee to the Mount of Beatitudes, where we have time for personal meditation in the beautiful gardens following Mass while there. We then continue our journey to the mountain region along the Golan Heights to the ancient location of the city of Caesarea Philippi, more commonly known by its modern name of Banis, which is the Arab pronunciation for Panis, it’s ancient Greek name. The Greeks called this city Panis, since it was dedicated to their mythological god of Fear, known as Pan (this is where the other term for fear, panic, comes from). Pan was the mythical half man and half goat creature who is often pictured with a flute (the pan flute gets its name from that story). It was here that Herod’s son Philp expanded an earlier palace Herod had built and renamed it for Caesar and himself. It was in the general area of this city that Jesus named Peter as the “Rock, I will build my church on.” We enjoy lunch on our own along the way, with a stop at Mt. Bental’s scenic overlook of the Golan Heights area before we return to Tiberias with the remainder of the day at leisure before our dinner and overnight at our hotel.

Today, we visit the Jordan, where we renew our Baptismal promises. On route to Judea, stopping at the newly excavated Roman ruins at Beth Shean. We continue south through the Jordan Valley visiting Jericho and view the Mount of Temptation. We enjoy lunch on our own before we travel to Bethany and visit Lazarus' tomb and the Church of Martha and Mary where we celebrate Mass. Finally, we make our thrilling entry into Jerusalem before arriving at our hotel for dinner and overnight.

This morning, we visit the place of the Ascension and pass by the Church of the Pater Noster “Our Father”. We view the beautiful City of Jerusalem from the Mt. of Olives, as we walk down the hill to Dominus Flevit Chapel, where Jesus wept over Jerusalem. We then enter the Garden of Gethsemane, where we have time for personal prayer and celebrate Mass at the Church of All Nations. Following lunch on our own, we continue to the New City passing by the Knesset and Hebrew University. We visit the Shrine of the Book to view the Dead Sea Scrolls. We visit the Model City of Jerusalem in Jesus' time and Ein Karem, where John the Baptist was born, and Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth to utter the words of the Magnificat. We conclude our day as we return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Today, we drive to Bethlehem, The House of Bread, to visit the Church of the Nativity, which commemorates the birth of Christ. We visit the Manger, Crusader's Cloister, and the Grotto of St. Jerome, where we celebrate the “Christmas Mass.” We then have the opportunity to visit an authentic olivewood shop, to admire the many carvings on display. Following a stop for lunch on our own, we return to the Judean wilderness, first visiting the excavations at Qumran, the home of the Essenes, who was rumored to be connected historically with John the Baptist and the Dead Sea Scrolls. Following our visit there, we then journey to Masada, site of Herod’s famed Palace. On our return to Jerusalem, we pass by the traditional site of the Inn of the Good Samaritan enroute to the hotel in time for dinner and overnight.

This morning, drive along the Kidron Valley stopping at St. Peter in Gallicantu (The Cock Crows), where Jesus was held in the house of the High Priest Caiaphas. We enter the Old City through Lion's Gate, where we visit the Church of St. Ann (Mary’s mother) and the Pool of Bethesda. We then visit Pilate’s Judgment Hall, the Chapel of Flagellation, Lithostrotos, Arch of Ecce Homo and the Convent of the sisters of Zion. We walk the path of the Stations of The Cross along the Via Dolorosa, concluding at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. We celebrate Mass in the Old City today. We stop for lunch on our own before proceeding to the Pontifical Institute - The Notre Dame of Jerusalem Center, where we visit their tranquil chapel and enjoy a pre-scheduled program before proceeding to the dining room for our dinner. We return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Today, we journey to Mt. Zion to visit the tomb of King David, the Church of Dormition and the site of the Upper Room. We enter the Old City through Zion Gate making our way to the Western (Wailing) Wall. We also see the Cardo and the remains of Hezekiah's wall. After a stop for lunch on our won, we then travel to Abu Gosh, one of the traditional sites of Emmaus, where Jesus appeared on the road on the first Easter Sunday. We celebrate our closing Holy Land Mass while there. We continue to Jaffa, the city of Jonah, where Peter had his rooftop experience, where we ride through the quaintly restored area. Afterwards we celebrate our “farewell” dinner nearby before heading back to our hotel.

This morning we travel to Tel Aviv to board our flight home. We arrive home later today with unforgettable memories to cherish always. Knowing we have walked in the footsteps of Jesus and the early Christians bring new meaning to our Scripture reading and celebration of Mass.