Shott Holy Land Pilgrimage 11 days

Asia
Afghanistan
Azerbaijan
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Bhutan
Brunei
Cambodia
China
East Timor
Georgia
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Israel
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Malaysia
Maldives
Mongolia
Myanmar
Nepal
North Korea
Oman
Pakistan
Palestinian Territories
Philippines
Qatar
Russia
Saudi Arabia
Singapore
South Korea
Sri Lanka
Syria
Tadzhikistan
Taiwan
Thailand
Turkey
Turkmenistan
United Aarab Emirates
Uzbekistan
Vietnam
Yemen

Created: 19.05.2016

Monday, November 6 - Day 1 - DEPART ??? Today we depart our home airport to connect with our overnight flight to Tel Aviv. We enjoy in-flight movies and dinner and breakfast aloft. Tuesday, November 7 ??? Election Day - Day 2 ??? TEL AVIV/JERUSALEM - We arrive at Ben Gurion Airport Tel Aviv and transfer to our hotel in Jerusalem for dinner and overnight. Wednesday, November 8 - Day 3 - JERUSALEM ??? We have a mid-morning start today and after visiting the place of the Ascension and the Church of the Pater Noster, we view the beautiful City of Jerusalem from Mt. of Olives.  We then walk down the hill to Dominus Flevit Chapel, where Jesus wept over Jerusalem and on to the Garden of Gethsemane, where we have time for personal prayer and celebrate Mass at the Church of All Nations.  We then continue 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.  This afternoon, 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.  Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight. Thursday, November 9 - Day 4 - JERUSALEM - This morning, we go to Mt. Zion to visit the tomb of King David, the Church of Dormition and pray in the Upper Room.  Next, we enter the Old City through Zion Gate, making our way to the Western (Wailing) Wall, where we see the Cardo and the remains of Hezekiah's wall. If possible, we go to the temple mount for an exterior view of the Dome of the Rock (schedule and conditions permitting).   We visit the Church of St. Ann (Mary???s mother) and the Pool of Bethesda.  We visit Pilate???s Judgment Hall, the Chapel of Flagellation, Lithostrotos, Arch of Ecce Homo and the Convent of the Sisters of Zion.  We prayerfully walk the Stations of The Cross along the Via Dolorosa concluding at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, where we celebrate Mass. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight. Friday, November 10 - Day 5 - JERUSALEM - Today we drive to Bethlehem, The House of Bread, to visit the Church of the Nativity that commemorates the birth of Christ.  We visit the Manger, Crusader's Cloister, and the Grotto of St. Jerome, where we celebrate the Christmas Mass.  This afternoon, we return to Jerusalem, where the remainder of the afternoon is free.  Dinner and overnight at our hotel. Saturday, November 11 - Day 6 - JERUSALEM - Today we drive to Bethany and visit Lazarus' tomb and the Church of Martha and Mary, where we celebrate Mass.  We then drive through the wilderness of Judea to tour the excavations at Qumran, the home of the Essenes connected with John the Baptist and the Dead Sea Scrolls. Weather permitting; we have an opportunity to swim in the clear yet salty waters of the Dead Sea, the lowest place on earth.  (Lockers and showers optional.)  Return to our hotel for dinner and overnight. Sunday, November 12 - Day 7 ???JERUSALEM - Today is ours for optional excursions, personal adventure, to shop or just relax.  Dinner and overnight at our hotel.  Monday, November 13 - Day 8 ??? JERUSALEM /TIBERIAS - Following Mass in the beautiful Franciscan Church of the Cenacle, we then drive through the wilderness of Judea, visit Jericho and view the Mount of Temptation.  We continue north through the Jordan Rift Valley on route to Galilee stopping at the newly excavated Roman ruins at Beth Shean. We stop at the Jordan River, where we renew our Baptismal promises before we drive to our hotel on the shores of the Galilee for dinner and overnight. Tuesday, November 14 - Day 9 - TIBERIAS - 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.???  On to Capernaum, where we see the remains of the village synagogue and the new church built atop St. Peter's house.  Next we drive to the Mount of Beatitudes, where we have time for personal meditation in the beautiful gardens followed by Mass.  Here we visit Tabgha and the Franciscan Church of St. Peter's Primacy, where Jesus made His appearance after the resurrection. We than see the Benedictine Basilica of the Loaves and Fishes.   This afternoon, we drive to the village of Cana, the site of Jesus' first miracle, where our married couples renew their wedding vows.  We drive on to Nazareth and walk through the local bazaars.  We visit the Church of the Annunciation, where the Word became Flesh before we return to our hotel for dinner and overnight. Wednesday, November 15 - Day 10 ??? TIBERIAS/TEL AVIV - This morning we drive to Mt. Tabor, where we celebrate the Mass of Transfiguration. We continue to Mt. Carmel, where we visit the site of Elijah's confrontation with the priests of Baal. We then depart for Caesarea along the Mediterranean and visit the Roman and Crusader remains. We continue to Jaffa, the city of Jonah, where Peter had his rooftop experience, where we ride through the quaintly restored area.  We celebrate our farewell dinner nearby before we head to Ben Gurion Airport for our overnight flight home. Thursday, November 16 - Day 11 - USA - We arrive home 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.