Holy Land Pilgrimage
Walk Where Jesus Walked!
Spiritual Director: Fr. Chris Podhajsky
Spiritual Director: Fr. David Ambrosy
Group Coordinator: Mary Johnston
January 25 - February 4, 2021
MJ012521
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Tel Aviv · Caesarea · Stella Maris · Nazareth · Tiberias · Cana · Sea of Galilee· Mt. Tabor · Jericho · Jordan River · Jerusalem · Temple Model · Ein Karem · Bethlehem · Bethany · Dead Sea · Mt. Of Olives · Gethsemane · Mt. Zion (Upper Room) · Western Wall · Via Dolorosa · Church of the Holy Sepulchre
Make your way through the Holy Land to experience Him, follow in His footsteps, and see Him in the works He performed - your footsteps will become His. Celebrate Mass in the very places where these miraculous gifts became pages in the Gospel. See where He was back then, and feel how He is still there today!
Any questions? Contact Us:
Liz
Account Manager
- 1-800-206-Tour (8687)
- [email protected]
- Live chat
Natasha
Sales Manager
- 1-800-206-Tour (8687)
- [email protected]
- Live chat
Your trip includes
- Round-trip airfare from Cedar Rapids or Des Moines
- Airport taxes & fuel surcharges
- Centrally located first class hotels: (or similar)
- ~ 8 nights: Olive Tree, Jerusalem
- Transfers as per itinerary
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily
- Transportation by air-conditioned motor coach
- Wi-Fi on motor coach
- Whisper Headsets where needed
- Assistance of a professional local guide(s)
- Sightseeing and admissions fees as per itinerary
- Tips to Hotel Staff and Restaurants
- Mass daily & Spiritual activities
Centrally located hotels or similar
Dan Jerusalem
JerusalemNot included
- Beverages, tips to your guide & driver.
Optional
Travel Insurance
Providing you coverage for both pre-existing conditions and those that may arise during your trip, including medical and dental emergencies, loss of luggage, trip delay, and so much more.
Itinerary
Day 1, Mon, Jan 25: Depart for the Holy Land
Make your way to your local airport where you will board your overnight flight. Your meals are served on board.
Day 2, Tue, Jan 26: Arrive in Tel Aviv - Jerusalem
Upon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, make your way to the baggage claim area and collect your luggage. Proceed to the Arrival's Hall, where you will be greeted by your tour guide and/or driver. Transfer to your hotel in Jerusalem to check-in.
Day 3, Wed, Jan 27: Jerusalem - Mount Tabor - Nazareth - Cana - Jerusalem
Theme: The Annunciation
After breakfast, we will board the bus and head to the site of the Transfiguration, Mount Tabor (Matthew 17:1-50). At this site, you will have some time to reflect on Christ's Humanity and Divinity. Your group will also have the opportunity to celebrate Mass at the Basilica of the Transfiguration. Then to Nazareth to experience the town where Mary once lived and where Jesus lived as a child (Matthew 2:23). During the visit to Nazareth, your group will visit the Byzantine Church of St. Joseph, to which tradition identifies as the workshop and home of the Holy Family. Also, your group will visit Mary's Well where the angel Gabriel announced to the Virgin Mary that she will bear the Son of God (Luke 1:30-34). Your tour continues to Cana of Galilee, where Jesus preformed his first miracle changing water to wine, visit the wedding Church where married couples will renew wedding vows. After, we will return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 4, Thu, Jan 28: Jerusalem - Ein Karem - Bethlehem - Jerusalem
Theme: The Ministry of Christ in the Galilee
This morning, you will have breakfast and then depart for a day in Jerusalem, which houses the temple to which Jesus was Presented (Luke 2:22). You will start the day with a visit to the village of Ein Karem, the birthplace of John the Baptist. It is known that there are two Churches in Ein Karem, both representing the two homes of Zechariah and Elizabeth. The first is in a valley where the birth of St. John the Baptist is commemo-rated (Luke 1:39-80) in the Church of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist. The second is on a hill where Elizabeth spent five months in seclusion (Luke 1:24) at the Church of the Visitation. Your group will visit both of these Churches and have the opportunity to pray the Mystery of the Rosary as you walk up the hill to the Church of the Visitation. We will stop for lunch, and then make your way to Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus. In Beth-lehem, you will have the opportunity to view the Shepherd's Fields (Luke 2:8). In the caves of these fields, you are still able to see the soot marks of fires that shepherds lit to keep warm. We will stop for lunch, and then continue on the tour at the Manger Square, which stands in front of the Church of the Nativity. As you enter the Church, you will proceed down to the Grotto of the Nativity, which marks the spot of Our Sav-iour's birth (Matthew u2:1-18). Beneath the Altar, there is a silver star and a Latin in-scription that states: HIC DE VIRGINE MARIA JESUS CHRISTUS NATUS (Here Jesus Christ was born to the Virgin Mary). Following Mass in this Sacred space, your group will re-turn to the hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 5, Fri, Jan 29: Jerusalem - Mount of Olives - Gethsemane - Mt. Zion - St. Peter in Gallicantu - Jerusalem
Theme: The Transfiguration
Wake up and enjoy breakfast, and then make our way to the Mount of Olives, where you will be able to take in the beautiful, panoramic view of Jerusalem. Historically, the Mount of Olives was a mandatory transit point for Jesus during many iconic moments. Then start the day with a tour to Gethsemane, a garden at the foot of the Mount of Olives. Jesus brought His disciples here to pray the night before He was crucified (Luke 22:29-53). The Garden still contains trees with roots that date back to the time of Jesus. Beside the Garden is your next stop, the Church of All Nations, built over the "Rock of Agony". This is where Jesus prayed alone on the night of His arrest. Throughout this time, you are invited to remain in prayer and to reflect on Christ's agony that he experi-enced. Your group will visit the Pater Noster Shrine, where Jesus taught His disciples the Lord's Prayer (Pater Noster) (Luke 11:1-4). You will have the opportunity to stop at Dominus Flevit, which is a Church that commemorates where Jesus wept for Jerusalem (Luke 19:41). and then visit the Upper Room on Mt. Zion. The Upper Room is where Jesus and His disciples celebrated the Last Supper (Matthew 26:17-30) and, where Jesus appeared to His disciples after His Death and Resurrection (Mark 16:14). In addition, your group will visit the nearby Benedictine Church of the Dormition. Tradition tells us that this Church is where Mary, the Mother of Jesus, "fell asleep." The tour continues as you will visit the house of the High Priest Caiaphas (Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu). This Church commemorates where Jesus was examined and eventually imprisoned before the Council in Jerusalem. It also commemorates Peter's Denial of Christ (John 18:15-18), Peters' repentance, and Jesus' forgiveness of Peter. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 6, Sat, Jan 30: Jerusalem - Sea of Galilee - Tabgha - Mount of Beatitudes - Caper-naum - Jerusalem
Theme: The Visitation and Nativity
Your group will begin this day with breakfast at the hotel, and then board your bus and make your way towards Tiberias. Upon arrival, you will enjoy a boat ride on the beauti-ful and scenic, Sea of Galilee (Luke 5:1). During this ride, your group will also view the remains of a boat that dates back to the time of Jesus. Following the Sea of Galilee, we Near the Mount, is Tabgha, one of Jesus' miracle sites. At Tabgha, Jesus fed the crowd of 5,000 people from five loaves of bread and two fish (Luke 9:10-17). Also, in Tabgha is St. Peter's Primacy where Jesus bestowed Church leadership upon Peter (John 21:9). From there we will stop for lunch, and then continue to the Mount of Beatitudes, where Jesus proclaimed His great Sermon on the Mount (Luke 6:20-49). Then we will visit the birthplace of Mary Magdalene in Magdala. During the time of Jesus, this village was a prosperous fishing village that exported fish and garum (a fish sauce reduction; popular in Roman cooking). Your day concludes at Capernaum, the launching place of Jesus' ministry. In Capernaum, see the Synagogue where Jesus taught (Mark 1:21-29) and gave His sermon on the Bread of Life. Return to the hotel where your group will enjoy dinner and overnight.
Day 7, Sun, Jan 31: Jerusalem - Jericho - Jordan River - Masada - Dead Sea - Jerusalem
Theme: Early Years in Jerusalem & the Wilderness
After breakfast we will board our bus and begin our journey south towards the Jordan Valley, to the oldest inhabited city in the world, Jericho (Joshua 6:12-25). In Jericho, you view the exact location, the Mount of Temptation, where the Devil tempted Jesus dur-ing his forty-day fast (Luke 4:1). Following the visit to this mountain, continue to Jesus' baptismal site on the River Jordan (Matthew 3:13-17). After some time at the Jordan River, you will travel down the Jordan Valley to Masada to see the remains of the for-tress where the Jewish Zealots preferred to die rather then be taken prisoners by the romans. Time and weather permitting, you will have the opportunity to take a float in the Dead Sea, the lowest and saltiest spot on Earth. Continue as you travel through the Judean wilderness, the site where Jesus spent His 40 days of fasting. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 8, Mon, Feb 1: Jerusalem: Via Dolorosa - Church of the Holy Sepulchre - Old City Tour of Christian Quarters - St. Anne's - Pool of Bethesda - Western Wall
Theme: Palm Sunday and the Agony in the Garden
You will have a very early morning wake-up, which will begin the Via Dolorosa (The Way of the Cross) at the Antonia Fortress. This is the spot where Jesus was condemned to death by Pontius Pilate (John 18:28-19:16). Following His condemnation, He was taken (on the Road to Calvary) to His place of Crucifixion. Your group will reflect upon the Stations of the Cross as you travel through the markets of the Old City to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher (Luke 23:26-33). This Sacred destination is the site of Calvary (Jesus' crucifixion place) and, His Tomb (Luke 23: 50-55). Your group will celebrate Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Following Mass, you will return to the hotel to enjoy a late breakfast. The tour continues through the Christian Quarters, and then a visit to the Church of St. Anne's, the home of Jesus' maternal grandparents (Anne and Joachim); and the Pool of Bethesda, where Jesus healed the crippled man (John 5:1-9). End the day with a visit to the Western Wall, which is the last remnant of the Jewish Temple after it was destroyed in 70 C.E. From there, we will tour the Jewish Quarters. Return to the hotel where we will have some free time before dinner and overnight.
Day 9, Tue, Feb 2: Stella Maris (Haifa) - Emmaus
Theme: The Way of the Cross, The Crucifixion, The Resurrection
This morning head to Haifa where you will find Stella Maris, a Carmelite Monastery. The monastery is located above the cave where Elijah, the prophet, once lived. A colorful painting of this "wonder-worker" can be found on the ceiling of the Church. Celebrate Mass, your group will depart Stella Maris. From there, we will visit the site of Emmaus, the town mentioned in the Gospel of Luke from the New Testament, where Luke re-ports that Jesus appeared after his death and resurrection. return to our hotel for din-ner and overnight.
Day 10: Wed. Feb 3: Bethany - Samaria - hotel - Ben Gurion Airport
Start the day with Mass in Bethany, the town where Jesus raised Lazarus from the Dead. Head north through Samaria, a land rich in Old Testament history. Passing Shiloh, where the Ark of Covenant was kept and through the beautiful Levonah valley, referred to in Judges as the Valley of the Dancers. See the twin peaks of Mt Gerizim and Mt Ebal, known in the Old Testament as Mt. Blessing and Mt Cursing. Stop at Jacob's Well, hewn out of solid rock and over 100 feet deep, it is the place where Jesus met the Samaritan woman and many visitors drink the water from this very well from which Jesus drank. Then to Sebastia where you can enjoy a local lunch before exploring this fascinating site that is rarely visited. Under Herod it was a major city as evidenced by the impressive remains. It is here that Salome danced for Herod and asked for the head of John the Baptist as a reward. The Byzantines built a large Basilica and monastery in his memory. In the evening transfer to airport for the return flight home. Arrival in the US next day.
Day 11, Thu, Feb 4: Arrival into U.S.
Why buy "With Airfare" from 206 Tours
- 1000’s of flights are being cancelled. 206 Tours will assist getting you to your destination.
- Your transfer will be waiting for you upon arrival, even if your flights are rescheduled.
- In the event your tour is not operating we will refund you all your money back or provide a full credit
- Your seats will be assigned according to your request (most online fares do not include seat assignment appox. $300)
- If you need to travel few days prior or stay few days later, make a stop-over, we will arrange it for you.
If you do not buy Airfare from 206 Tours
- With many flight cancellations and overbookings, we feel that you should know:
If your flight is cancelled - 206 Tours will not be able to assist you. - In order to guarantee your arrival and departure transfer, we need your detailed flight arrival / departure by 45 days prior, Any changes within 45 -3 days prior, additional transfer cost may apply.
- For changes in arrival / departure within 3 days of departure, we will not be able to rebook your transfer and you will need to make your own way to / from hotel or airport at your own cost
- Often times low online fares, do not include seat assignments ($300 approx.). It will be a challenge to get a good seat assigned at the airport.
- If you book your own airfare, travel insurance provided by 206 Tours will not reimburse expenses caused by your flight changes.
Book your trip now
$400 Deposit is due at the time of Registration
Dates
Select airport
Booking
Options & Upgrades
*All pricing is per person
Single Supplement / Solo Traveler Upon Request
Business Class Trans-Atlantic (One-Way) Upon Request
Business Class Trans-Atlantic (Round-Trip) Upon Request
Options and upgrades
*All pricing is per person
Single Supplement / Solo Traveler Upon Request
Business Class Trans-Atlantic (One-Way) Upon Request
Business Class Trans-Atlantic (Round-Trip) Upon Request
About Your Trip
- Tel Aviv
- Caesarea
- Nazareth
- Cana
- Tiberias
- Sea of Galilee
- Jordan River
- Mt. Tabor
- Jerusalem
- Gethsemane
- Ein Karem
- Bethlehem
- Qumran
- Dead Sea
- Mt. Zion
- Holy Sepulchre
The Holy Land - In the Footsteps of Jesus:
If you desire to draw closer to Jesus of Nazareth, come, as we follow in His footsteps. Each day of your pilgrimage you will have time to renew and affirm your faith; to pray and reflect. The Scriptures will come alive as you visit Our Lord's homeland. You will be inspired by the natural beauty of the landscape, in addition to its rich historical heritage It is an encounter that has changed the lives of many pilgrims, an act of faith and prayer. Pilgrims have been traveling to the Holy Land for hundreds of years, and as part of your pilgrimage, we include many of the rich traditions that have evolved over time. The maxim at the entrance to the Church of the Nativity says: "We are hoping that: If you enter here as a tourist, you would exit as a pilgrim. If you enter here as a pilgrim, you would exit as a holier one." We pray that same will occur when you join 206 Tours pilgrimage.
We promise to do all within our power to assist you with any questions or concerns you may have. Please feel free to contact us, please note should any problems arise during your trip you should first contact your local emergency contact in your destination country or the 206 Tours.
Read MoreContact Us
Any questions? Contact Us:
Liz
Account Manager
- 1-800-206-Tour (8687)
- [email protected]
- Live chat
Natasha
Sales Manager
- 1-800-206-Tour (8687)
- [email protected]
- Live chat