Holy Land Tour

April 20 - May 2

Trip led by Fr. Geoffrey Fecht of St John's University Development Office and Arlis Bovy of Magi Travel. Guide in Israel is Mr. Makhlouf. Guide in Jordan is Ms. Rubi..

Itinerary

04/20/2009    Overnight transatlantic flight

04/21/2009    Arrival at Tel Aviv, meet and transfer to hotel in Jericho

04/22/2009    Allenby, Baptismal site, Madeba, Mt. Nebo, Petra

Leave Jericho and cross into Jordan via Allenby.  Stop at Bethany Beyond the Jordan and visit the Baptismal site.  Visit the Christian village of Madeba to see the ancient mosaic map of the Holy Land.  You can see the Jordan Valley, Jericho, and the Judean hills beyond.  Also see the remains of Byzantine churches with their mosaic floors.  Continue to Petra for overnight.

04/23/2009    Petra, Amman

A full day to explore the Red Rose city of Petra.  You have the choice to walk to the site or to take a horse ride through the dramatic "ciq" or canyon.  See the Treasury, carved in the pink stone, and continue past the Roman theatre, the Corinthian Tomb and Palace Tomb to the Roman road.  For those who wish to take the 60 minute walk to the Monastery, they will be rewarded with one of the best sites in Petra.  Transfer to Amman for overnight.

04/24/2009    Amman City Tour, Jerash, Cross Sheikh Hussein Border, Tiberias

Morning short city tour of Amman, visiting the Citadel which has recently been excavated, the Roman theatre which has been restored and is used for plays and concerts and the colourful Suk or Bazaars.  Proceed to visit the uniquely preserved Roman city of Jerash.  There we see the Elliptical Forum, the street of columns, the Temple of Artemis and Roman theatres.  After crossing the border into Israel, drive to Tiberias for overnight.

04/25/2009    Sea of Galilee, Capernaum, Tabgha, Banias

Take the boat across the Sea of Galilee from Tiberias to Capernaum; there you will see an ancient synagogue and St. Peter's house which was later converted into a church.  Visit the Chapel at Mt Beatitudes which commemorates the Sermon on the Mount.  Also by the shore you will visit Tabgha where the Church of Peter's Primacy and the ancient mosaic on the Mount is remembered.  We see Caesarea Philippi, where Peter said "Thou art the Christ".  Overnight in Tiberias.

04/26/2009    Tabor, Nazareth, Cana, Tiberias

Morning visit to Mt. Tabor, site of the Transfiguration.  Drive onto Nazareth and see the oldest Church of the Annunciation and Mary's Well.  Mass in the new Basilica.  Go on to Cana, scene of the first miracle; continue to the Jordan River and finally to the hotel in Tiberias.

04/27/2009    Mukhraka, Stella Maris, Haifa, Caesarea

Leave Tiberias to Mukhraka for a spectacular view of the northern region.  Continue to Haifa and have Mass at the Stella Maris Monastery.  From Mount Carmel enjoy a wonderful view of the city, port, River Kishon and the Mediterranean.  Stop at Caesarea, once capital of the Roman province, and see Roman and Crusader remains and the harbor from which St. Paul was taken prisoner to Rome.  End your tour in Jerusalem for ovenight.

04/28/2009    Mt. Olives, Gethsemane, St Peter in Gallicantu, Bethlehem, Shepherd's Fields

Drive to the Mount of Olives for a wonderful view of Jerusalem.  At the foot of the hill see the Garden of Gethsemane with its ancient olive trees.  Stop at St. Peter in Gallicantu built over the palace of the High Priest Caiaphas.  Continue to Bethlehem and see the Church of the Nativity, also visit the Shepherd's Fields before returning to Jerusalem for overnight.

04/29/2009    Old City:  Temple Area, Mt Zion

Drive down the Kidron Valley and enter the Old City through the Dung Gate to visit the Wailing (or western) Wall and the Temple Area with the Al-Aksa Mosque and Dome of the Rock.  See the Pool of Bethesda where the angel ruffled the water, and St. Anne's Church.  On Mount Zion visit the tomb of David, the Upper Room and the Church of the Dormition.  Overnight Jerusalem.

04/30/2009    Via Dolorosa, New City, Ein Karem

Morning walk of the Stations of the Cross.  Visit the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where Jesus was crucified and buried, and then rose again.  Leave the city through the bazaars to the west by Jaffa Gate.  Go to the New City and pass by the Hebrew University and the Knesset; visit the Israel Museum and the Shrine of the Book and the 2nd Temple Model of Jerusalem.  Drive on to the village Ein Karem, birthplace of John the Baptist; go to the Church of the Visitation.  Visit the site of the village of Emmaus.  Overnight Jerusalem.

05/01/2009    Bethany, Qumran, Dead Sea, Jericho

Drive to Bethany, home of Martha, Mary and Lazarus.  See the wine-press.  Continue to visit Qumran where the Essene enclave was and see the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were hidden.  Opportunity to float in the Dead Sea.  Continue to Jericho to see the excavations of the oldest city in the world.  View the Mount of Temptations.  Overnight in Jerusalem.

05/02/2009    Transfer to Airport for departure flight

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