The Holy Land &
Turkey
 

Day 1: Depart U.S.A.

Our pilgrimage begins today as we depart on our flight to Israel.

Meals and drinks are served aloft.

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Day 2: Tel Aviv

After arrival at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, we'll be welcomed by our knowledgeable tour guide who will accompany us throughout our pilgrimage and make the Scriptures come alive as we follow in the footsteps of Jesus. Board our motorcoach and drive to our hotel in Tel Aviv. B/D

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Day 3: Tel Aviv / Tiberias

 This morning depart Tel Aviv and drive along the Mediterranean coast to Mt. Carmel to visit the Stella Maris Convent and the site of Elijah’s Sacrifice at a shrine called Muhraqa. Our journey takes us next to the lower Galilee to Mt. Tabor, the mountain where Jesus was transfigured before Peter, James, and John. Our day comes to an end with a drive to Tiberias, our home for the next two nights. B/D

 

 Day 4: Tiberias

We drive to Cana in Galilee to visit where Jesus performed His first miracle at the request of His mother, Mary, turning the water into wine. The Catholic Church points to this miracle as establishing the Sacrament of Marriage. You may renew your wedding vows here as a lasting remembrance of this holy site. Afterward, travel a short distance to Nazareth, the childhood home of Jesus. Explore the Church of the Annunciation that holds the Cave of the Annunciation just behind the altar. This is the room where Gabriel appeared to Mary, and "The Word was made flesh."

See St. Joseph's Carpentry Shop, where the foster father of Jesus worked, and Mary's Well, where the Virgin Mary drew water with her son for their daily living.

We will take our last excursion of the day to the summit of Mt. Tabor, the site of the Transfiguration and the culminating point of Christ's public life. Christ revealed his divinity to three apostles, and the prophets Moses and Elijah appeared. Furthermore, we will visit the ancient town of Magdala. This town is the home of St. Mary Magdalene and where a first-century synagogue was discovered. One of the latest discoveries of Magdala depicts the oldest carved image of the Second Temple's seven-branched menorah ever found. B/D

 

Day 5: Tiberias / Jerusalem

Enjoy a scenic boat ride across the Sea of Galilee. We will visit the Church of Peter's Primacy on the shores of Galilee. A rock at the center of the Church is believed to be the actual table where the Apostles ate breakfast with Christ after His Resurrection.

It is here where Peter's role as the Vicar of Christ was further established as Christ asked him to "Feed my sheep". We continue to Capernaum ‐ the center of Jesus's three‐year public ministry. We will proceed to Tabgha, where we ponder the site where Jesus multiplied the loaves and fish to feed more than 5,000 people.

We then drive up to the Mount of the Beatitudes to visit the site of the Sermon on the Mount, where Our Lord preached to the people. Next, depart Galilee and drive south through the Jordan River Valley to the traditional baptismal site of Jesus. Renew your baptismal vows in the very river where Christ was baptized by St. John the Baptist. Continue to Jericho, the oldest known city in the Western world.

We will view the Mount of Temptation from the ancient "tel," where Jesus fasted and prayed for 40 days after His baptism. B/D

 

Day 6: Jerusalem / Bethlehem

As begin this morning at one of the most joyous sites connected to the Holy Night Christ was born - the Church in the Shepherd's Fields in Bethlehem, marking the spot where the shepherds heard the choir of angels proclaim Jesus' birth.

In Bethlehem, meaning "House of Bread," we visit the Nativity Church that sits above the traditional Grotto of Jesus' Birth. We will view the Manger,

Grotto of St. Jerome, and the Church of St. Catherine, the parish church for Bethlehem's Catholics. We will visit the Milk Grotto Chapel, where many couples pray for the Virgin Mary's intercession to conceive a child. B/D

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Day 7: Jerusalem

We will take a morning drive to the top of the Mount of Olives for a panoramic view of Jerusalem and visit two churches located on the Mount: The Church of the Pater Noster, where Jesus taught his disciples how to pray the "Our Father," and the Ascension Chapel. On this site, Jesus ascended into Heaven. Descend the

Mount on the path Christ walked on the "Palm Sunday Road" to Dominus Flevit, where Christ wept over Jerusalem and her future destruction. Then enter the

Garden of Gethsemane, where Christ had his agony and was betrayed. Pray in the Church of All Nations at the Rock of Agony, where Christ prayed and sweated blood before He was to be crucified. In the afternoon, we drive to Ein Karem,

one of the most beautiful sites in the New City of Jerusalem, where St. John the Baptist was born. Pray at the Visitation Church, where Mary proclaimed her service to God in her Magnificat prayer. B/D

 

Day 8: Jerusalem

An exciting day awaits us as we explore Jerusalem further. We enter the Old City

of Jerusalem through St. Stephen's Gate to visit the Church of St. Anne,

where the Blessed Virgin Mary was born. Afterward, we will see the Pool of Bethesda, where Jesus healed the paralytic man. We will continue to see Pilate's Judgement Hall, the Chapel of Flagellation, and the Arch of Ecce Homo, where Pilate said, "Behold the man." We will walk the sorrowful Via Dolorosa to the Church of the

Holy Sepulchre and climb the steps up to Mt. Calvary to pray at the site of the Crucifixion. Venerate the place where Jesus' body was anointed and the tomb where He was buried and rose from the dead. This afternoon, we travel to Mt. Zion,

where Christ celebrated the Last Supper in the Upper Room. Nearby we see Dormition Abbey Church, which honors Mary's "falling asleep."

We end the day with a visit to St. Peter in Gallicantu, which marks Peter's denial. B/D

 

Day 9: Jerusalem

We start early at the Tomb of Our Lord in the Holy Sepulchre Church with time for private prayer and reflection. After a late breakfast, we will visit the Church of St. Stephen. Return to the Old City of Jerusalem for a walking tour, including visiting the Western Wall – one of the most sacred sites for Jews and the last remaining portion of the Second Temple. We will then drive to Bethany to visit the House of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus and the Tomb of Lazarus, where Christ raised him from the dead. See the place where He revealed to Martha that He is "the Resurrection and the Life." This afternoon we go to Qumran, the location of the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, followed by a relaxing visit to the Dead Sea, the lowest spot on earth, for an opportunity to float on its mineral-rich water. We will enjoy a traditional Middle Eastern meal for our farewell dinner in Israel. B/D

 

Day 10: Jerusalem / Tel Aviv / Istanbul

Our time contemplating the wonder and awe of the Holy Land comes to an end. We transfer to the airport in Tel Aviv to catch our flight to Istanbul. Upon arrival in Istanbul, meet your Turkish guide and transfer to your hotel in Istanbul. B/D

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Day 11: Istanbul
Today enjoy a full day of sightseeing encompassing Istanbul's Byzantine and Ottoman Heritage. The tour will start with a visit to the iconic Hagia Sophia

(the Byzantine Imperial Basilica of Holy Wisdom built by Emperor Justinian in

the 6th century 532‐537AD), the Mosque of Sultan Ahmet, which is also known as the

Blue Mosque, and the Roman Hippodrome built by the Roman Emperor Septimus Severus in 203 AD. Continue our tour with a visit to Topkapi Palace,

the residence of Ottoman Sultans between the 15th and 19th centuries.

Then visit the Basilica Cistern, built by Emperor Justinian in 542 AD. The last stop will be the world-famous Grand Covered Bazaar, built by Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror between 1455‐1461. Today, its alleys and buildings house over 4,000 shops selling carpets, furniture, leather goods, copper goods, jewelry, and touristic items.

In the evening, embark on a cruise along the Bosporus, the winding strait separating Europe and Asia. After the final dinner of this pilgrimage, return to your hotel. B/D

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Day 12: Istanbul / U.S.A.

Transfer to Istanbul International Airport for your return flight back to the USA.