RMC Travel and St. Therese Present …
THE HOLY LAND
May 7 - 16, 2009
Hosted by Bishop Peter Libasci and
Father Charles Ehrhart
Since the Exodus there has never been anything so spiritually rejuvenating as a trip to the land of the Bible!
Tour the ancient city of Caesarea. Take a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee in a replica of an ancient fishing vessel used in the time of Jesus. Visit Jericho, one of the oldest cities in the world. Enjoy a panoramic view of the Holy City of Jerusalem from the Mt. of Olives. Visit the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and the Garden Tomb. Tour the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. Walk the Stations of the Cross in Jerusalem and visit the Room of the Last Supper (Cenacle) and the Tomb of King David at Mount Zion.
Embark on a faith-deepening journey of a lifetime in the Holy Land.
Our Hotels (or similar)
In Tel Aviv: The Grand Beach Hotel Sea of Galilee
In Tiberias: Kibbutz Hotel Nof Ginossar
In Jerusalem: The Grand Court Hotel
Tour Includes:
•Round-trip transportation from the East End to JFK
•Round-trip jet flights to Israel
•Round-trip transfers between airport and hotels
•Accommodations in First Class Hotels
•Airline & hotel taxes
•Service charges at the hotel
•Portage at airport and hotels
•Daily breakfast
•Additional meals as indicated
•Sightseeing tour as per itinerary
•Sightseeing entrance fees
Some of our Special Features
•Welcome to Israel Dinner
•St. Peter’s Fish lunch in the Galilee
•Boat ride on the Sea of Galilee
•Sunday Morning Mass in Tiberias
• Walk along the Stations of the Cross
•Visit to the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem
•Visit to Massada and a chance to take a dip in the Dead Sea
•A Special Farewell Dinner in Jerusalem
•Plus a Contribution to the St. Therese Scholarship Fund
Our Itinerary
(B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)
Day 1, Thursday, May 7: Depart JFK for Israel
Depart this evening for the Holy Land.
Day 2, Friday, May 8: Arrive Tel Aviv (D)
Morning arrival in the Holy Land. After clearing customs, we transfer to our hotel, where we have time to rest and get accustomed to the time change before having our “Welcome to Israel” dinner. Overnight in Tel Aviv.
Day 3, Saturday, May 9: To Tiberias - Caesarea, Acre and to The Galilee (B/D)
After breakfast we drive north to Caesarea Maritima, where we visit the Roman Theater, Herod's Palace, the Palace of the Roman Procurator (Apostles 23 and Apostles 26 – Peter and Cornelius), the Amphitheater, the Crusaders' City and Harbor. Continue to Mount Carmel to visit the Monastery of the Muhraka, where Elijah fought with the Baal priests. From the roofs of this Monastery, we have a beautiful view of the Jezreel Plain. Continue through the Druze villages, Daliyat el Carmel Usifiya, and Haifa with a panoramic view of the city and harbor. Then on to the Church of Stella Maris (a Carmelite Monastery) with the cave of the Prophet Elijah and Acre to visit the old city with the city walls, the Knights' Halls and the Harbor. Finally. We’re on to the Galilee to Tiberias for our overnight.
Day 4, Sunday, May 10: The Galilee, Nazareth and Cana (B/L)
After breakfast we will celebrate morning Mass at a local church. Then we proceed for a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus walked on the water (Matthew 14: 22-23). The ride will end at Ginnosar, where we shall visit the Ancient Boat from the time of Jesus that was found nearby. For lunch, it’s the famous “St. Peter’s Fish” meal. Proceed to Nazareth, visiting the Church of the Annunciation (Luke 26: 28) and Mary's Well (in the Greek Orthodox Church). Drive on to Cana in the Galilee, site of the First Miracle (John 2: 1-11 and John 4: 46-54). Return to Tiberias for our overnight.
Day 5, Monday, May 11: To Banyas, the Golan Heights, Capernaum and Tabgha (B/D)
After breakfast drive to the Mount of Beatitudes (Matthew 5: 7) where we shall visit the heptagonal church that was built by the Italian architect Berluzzi. Proceed to Banyas, the ancient Caesarea Philippi (Matthew 16: 13-20) one of the main sources of the Jordan River. Continue via the Golan Heights and onto Capernaum, the town of Jesus, where he lived in the house of Peter performing from there his miracles and healings (Matthew 4: 13, Matthew 8: 14-15). Proceed to Tabgha, where we shall visit the Church of the Loaves and the Fishes (Matthew 14: 14-34) and the Church of Mensa Christi, where Jesus elected Peter as His Representative on Earth (John 21). Return to our hotel in Tiberias for our overnight.
Day 6, Tuesday, May 12: To Mount Tabor, Megiddo, Jaffa and to Jerusalem (B)
After breakfast drive to Mount Tabor, the site of Transfiguration, visiting the Catholic Church (Matthew 17: 1-8). From the rooftop of the church we can enjoy a beautiful view of the Lower Galilee and the Plain of Jezreel. Through the town of Afula to Megiddo, (the Armageddon) - the place where the last battle of mankind is due to take place (the Apocalypse of St. John). Here we visit the Museum and this 5,000 year old city with the Gates from the times of King Solomon, the old Canaanite temples and the water tunnel from the time of King Ahab. We then proceed through Wadi Ara, the ancient road (Via Maris) that connected the old Egypt to Mesopotamia. Again we drive through Tel Aviv, where we visit ancient Yope (Jaffa): here was the house of Simon the Tanner (Apostles 10: 9-16) and the place of the Miracle of the resurrection of Tabita (Apostles 9: 36-43). After the visits, proceed through the Hills of Judea to Jerusalem and overnight.
Day 7, Wednesday, May 13: Jerusalem - the Old City (B/D)
After breakfast ascend the Mount of Olives to visit the Chapel of the Ascension (Luke 24: 50-53), the Church of the Pater Noster (Luke 11: 1-4) and enjoy a wonderful panoramic view of the Old City of Jerusalem, with the Temple Mount. Walking down the Mount of Olives, we shall reach the Garden of Gethsemane, the place where Jesus was arrested (Matthew 26: 36-58), to see the old olive trees and the Basilica of the Agony. We walk through the Lion's Gate into the Old City to visit the Church of St. Anne and the Pool of Bethesda (John 5: 1-15). Proceed to the Via Dolorosa, and walk along the Stations of the Cross from the remains of the Antonia to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. End the day with a short service at the Garden Tomb. Return to our hotel via the colorful bazaar. Overnight and dinner in Jerusalem.
Day 8, Thursday, May 14: In Jerusalem - the New City and Bethlehem (B/D)
After breakfast drive to Mount Zion to visit the Room of the Last Supper (Cenacle) and the Tomb of King David. Walking through the Jewish Quarter, reach the Wailing Wall - the holiest place for the Jews - and the Dung Gate. Drive through the New City of Jerusalem to Ein Kerem to visit the Church of St. John (Luke 1: 1-25). Drive to Yad Vashem, the Memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. Proceed to Bethlehem to visit the Church of the Nativity (Luke 2: 1-7) and Shepherd's Field (Luke 2: 8-20). Return to our hotel in Jerusalem for our overnight.
Day 9, Friday, May 15: To Masada and the Dead Sea (B/D)
After breakfast, drive by the Good Samaritan Inn (Luke 8: 25-37) to the mountain fortress of Masada, stronghold of the Jews in the war against the Romans. Ascend to the fortress by cable car to visit the palaces of Herod the Great with its Roman baths and pools. Then, if there’s time, a "dip" and "float" in the salty water of the Dead Sea, the worlds lowest place. On the way back to Jerusalem, stop in Qumran - the city of the Essenes - where the Dead Sea scrolls were found in a cave by a shepherd. Return to Jerusalem for our farewell dinner.
Day 10, Saturday, May 16: To USA
Transfer to Ben Gurion Airport for departure home.
Note: Itinerary correct at time of printing and subject to change for circumstances beyond our control.
