To Jesus Through Mary
10 Days | 09 Nights
Holy Land Tours
- DAY 1
ARRIVAL
Upon arrival, you will be welcomed to the Holy Land by our representative. Proceed to Nazareth for Dinner and overnight at Rosary Sisters Guest house.
- DAY 2
NARZAETH
Tour Nazareth, the town of the Holy Family, where Jesus was raised. Visit the main sites that commemorate the central events in the life of Mary – the Basilica of Annunciation, where according to the Gospel of Luke the angel Gabriel appeared to her; St. Joseph’s Church, the traditional site of the carpentry workshop; the nearby Franciscan Museum; the Spring of the Virgin Mary (Mary’s Well) from which Mary drew water (and the nearby St. Gabriel Church, actual source of the spring); and the Synagogue Church where Jesus is believed to have preached. Evening prayer of the Rosary. Dinner & overnight in Nazareth at Rosary Sisters Guest House.
- DAY 3
SEPPHORIS & CANA
Drive to Sepphoris, the site of the ancient city that may have been the childhood home of Mary. Visit the Church of St. Anne and Joachim, and then tour the excavations and the ancient mosaics in the adjacent National Archaeological Park. Continue to Cana of Galilee to visit the Church of the First Miracle. Evening prayer of the Rosary. Dinner & overnight in Nazareth at Rosary Sisters Guest House.
- DAY 4
CAPERNAUM & SITES AROUND THE LAKE OF TIBERIAS
Capernaum is also important in the Marian pilgrimage. According to the Gospel, Mary accompanied her son to Capernaum: Capernaum “After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and his brothers and his disciples, but they stayed there only a few days.” Both Mathew and Mark relate an episode in which Jesus’ mother tried to approach him, unsuccessfully, because of a large crowd gathered outside the “home” of Jesus which most probably refers to the house of Simon, called Peter. Visits Include: Tabgha, Mt Beatitudes & Boat ride.
- DAY 5
TABOR, HAIFA & DEIR RAFAT:
Our first stop is Mt Tabor, believed by many Christians to be the site of the Transfiguration of Jesus. Later we proceed to Haifa to visit the Monastery of Stella Maris, dedicated to Our Lady, Star of the Sea., and the nearby Elijah’s Cave where the Holy Family is said to have rested on their way home from Egypt. Drive up to Jerusalem, stopping at Deir Rafat, the Shrine of the Virgin Mary. Evening prayer of the Rosary. Dinner & overnight in Jerusalem at Rosary Sisters Guest House.
- DAY 6
MT OLIVES & MT ZION
View Jerusalem from top of Mount of Olives. Walk down to the Garden of Gethsemane (with the Church of All Nations) and the nearby Church of the Tomb of the Virgin Mary (where, according to Eastern Church tradition, Mary was laid to rest before the Assumption). Then drive up to Mount Zion to visit The Cenacle (the “Upper Room”) which marks the place where Mary and the Disciples experienced Pentecost (and by another tradition is also the location of the Last Supper). Then proceed to the Dormition Abbey which commemorates the Dormition of Mary. Evening prayer of the Rosary. Dinner & overnight in Jerusalem at Rosary Sisters Guest House.
- DAY 7
BETHELEHM & FREE TIME
We drive to Bethlehem, The Basilica of the Nativity, one of the earliest and most important of all Christian ecclesiastical buildings, enshrines the cave believed to be the place where Jesus was born (Luke 2:7). The Milk Grotto located in the crypt of a small Franciscan chapel, celebrates the tradition that the cave was used as a place of refuge by the Holy Family before their flight into Egypt. The rest of the day is at leisure
Possible to visit: the shepherds field in Beit- sahour
Evening prayer of the Rosary. Dinner & overnight in Jerusalem at Rosary Sisters Guest House.
- DAY 8
THE OLD CITY & THE VIA DOLOROSA
Our first stop is at The 12th-century Church of St. Anne (Bethesda Pool) enshrines the site that was according to Byzantine tradition the birthplace of the Virgin Mary. Later, we walk the Via Dolorosa that begins near the arch of Ecce Homo in the Muslim Quarter and ends at the Church of Holy Sepulcher in the Christian Quarter. Of the fourteen stations, four are directly or indirectly connected to the Virgin Mary who was present and witnessed the ordeal. The Church of the Holy Sepulcher contains several shrines dedicated to the Virgin Mary, including an image of Mary, Mother of Sorrows. Evening prayer of the Rosary. Dinner & Overnight in Jerusalem at Rosary Sisters Guest House.
- DAY 9
EIN KAREM & ABU GOSH:
The Church of the Visitation the traditional site of the home of Mary’s cousin Elizabeth and her husband, Zacharias. The New Testament tells of Mary’s visit to her cousin Elizabeth while they both were pregnant. Several sites within the village are associated with that visit. Mary’s Spring, a spring and fountain at the center of the ancient village. According to one tradition, this was a place where Mary and Elizabeth met, and where Mary drank.Later on we visit,The village of Abu Ghosh sits on the site of the biblical Qiryat Ye’arim, where the Ark of the Covenant rested for twenty years before it was returned to Jerusalem The hilltop Church of Notre Dame de l’Arche de l’Alliance (Our Lady of the Ark of the Covenant, built in 1924) commemorates that event.
Possible to visit: Church of St. John the Baptist marking the traditional birthplace of St. John the Baptist.
Evening prayer of the Rosary. Dinner & overnight in Jerusalem at Rosary Sisters Guest House.
- DAY 10
DEPARTURE
Today we transfer to airport for our return flight with unforgettable memories to cherish always.
YOUR JOURNEY
CLOTHING
We strongly advise that you pack clothes according to the season in which you visit Israel. For summers, pack light weight clothing, preferably short-sleeved or sleeveless shirts with shorts, and sandals. For winter tours, pack a coat and a raincoat with shoes that fully cover your feet, an umbrella, gloves, a scarf, and other warm items. Beach shoes and a bathing suit are a plus if your trip includes a visit to Eilat or the Dead Sea. Even in summer, pack a sweater or jacket for the chilly nights in the mountains and desert
ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES
Pack your personal appliances as you would for any international trip. Note that the power grid in Israel offers single-phase 220 Volts at 50 Hertz. Most sockets in the walls there have threepinholes, butbringing an adaptor plug will solve that problem. If you or somebody in your group intends to use shavers, traveling irons, or any other small appliances, it would be wise to pack a transformer as well
PASSPORTS & VISAS
All visitors to Israel must carry a passport that does not expire for at least six months after they intend to depart from the country. Visitors to Israel must check if they need a prearranged tourist visa depending on their nationality
CURRENCY
The Israeli currency is the New Israeli Shekel. On arrival in Israel, use your bank-card to withdraw some Shekels from the ATM in the arrival-halls at Ben Gurion or change a small amount of dollars at a bank or your hotel. There are ATM machines all over Israel and credit cards are widely accepted.
INCLUDED WITH EVERY LUXURY SMALL GROUP JOURNEY
- Your preferred choice of accommodation: Deluxe, First Class, Superior Class Hotels Kibbutz and religious guest houses.
- Breakfast & dinner buffets daily at hotel
- Porterage service at hotels
- Meet and assist at border and crossing points
- Carefree travel with arrangement that include border taxes and visas
- Professional and Licensed guides that speak your language
- Entrance fees
- Transportation in a modern, comfortable WI-FI equipped coaches
- Maps & Hats
- Daily bottles of water
- Israel Ministry of tourism certificates
- Franciscan pilgrim certificate
- Daily masses reservation
- Headsets during the tour in Israel
OTHER JOURNEYS YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN
LET US KEEP IN TOUCH
CONTACT US
Give us a call or drop us a line
SEND A MESSAGE
You can contact us also by:
Overseas Travel Bureau O.T.B (ltd)
Your Partner in the Holy land
Phone: +972 (0) 2 6287090 [email protected]
44 Ragheb Al Nashashibi St. – P.O.BOX 24091 Jerusalem, Israel
CONTACT US
Give us a call or drop us a line
SEND A MESSAGE
You can contact us also by:
Overseas Travel Beureu (O.T.B)
Your partner in the Holy land
Phone: +972 (0) 2 6287090 | [email protected]
44 Raghed Nashashibi St.-P.O.Box 51013 Jerusalem, Israel