Pilgrimage to the Holy Land with Dr. Marcellino & Susan D’Ambrosio, and Fr. Allen-Michael Muench

Depart DFW or NYC area airport on an overnight flight to Tel Aviv. Dinner and breakfast will be served on the flight. Enjoy your flight as you look forward to your incredible pilgrimage journey. Quotes for add-on flights and optional Premium Economy and Business Class upgrades are available upon request and will be provided starting 120 days before departure. Group air restrictions (for ten passengers traveling together) do not permit specific seating requests on flights. We recommend purchasing your own airline tickets and land-only packages with us if seat confirmation is important to your trip. Should you require any additional information, please do not hesitate to contact your trip Account Manager, who will be happy to assist you.

Shalom! We arrive at Tel Aviv Airport, and once we pass through passport control and customs, we are greeted by our English-peaking Christian guide, who will assist us with boarding our luxury motorcoach. We travel to our hotel in Jerusalem for dinner and a well-deserved night of rest. Overnight in Jerusalem.

This morning, we visit the Church of St. Anne, built on the site of Our Lady’s birthplace. Continue to the Pools of Bethesda, where Christ healed the paralytic. Visit the temple area, the site of the original temple, which witnessed many episodes from Christ’s life, including the expulsion of the money changers. We visit the Western Wall (aka the “Wailing Wall”) of the Temple, the most sacred spot in the world for the Jews, and then the teaching steps. In the afternoon, proceed to the National Museum, the Shrine of the Book. Continue to Mount Zion, visiting the room of the Last Supper and the Church of the Dormition. We celebrate Mass at the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu, built on the site of the house of Caiaphas, which encloses the dungeon where Christ was kept on Holy Thursday night and where Peter denied Christ thrice. Overnight in Jerusalem.

Today, we begin at Bethphage, where the procession of Palm Sunday started. Continue to the Mount of Olives and visit the Church of the Ascension, the spot where Christ ascended into Heaven; the Pater Noster Church commemorating Christ’s teaching of Our Father to his disciples; Dominus Flevit, the place where Christ wept over Jerusalem, and onwards to Gethsemane to view the ancient Olive trees in the Garden of Gethsemane and visit the Church of All Nations which houses the Rock of the Agony of Christ on Holy Thursday; in this Church is a beautiful mosaic donated by the United States. Visit the Cave of the Betrayal of Jesus and the Tomb of Our Lady. In the afternoon, we visit Ein Karem, the place of the Visitation, where Our Lady visited her cousin, Elizabeth. We visit the Parish Church of St. John the Baptist and the Grotto of his birth. We celebrate Mass at the Church of the Visitation and view the plaques with the Magnificat in most languages of the world before returning to our hotel. Following dinner, we attend the Holy Hour in the Garden of Gethsemane. Overnight in Jerusalem

This morning, we depart for Bethlehem. We visit the children at the orphanage at the French Hospital, then continue to the Basilica of the Nativity, built over the site of Christ’s birth. We see the cave where Christ was born and enjoy singing traditional Christmas hymns. The nearby Church of St. Catherine is the venue for the midnight Mass broadcast worldwide from Bethlehem on Christmas Eve. We visit St. Jerome’s Grotto, the cave where he lived for many years while translating the Bible into Latin. Following our included lunch, we continue to Shepherds’ Field, recalling the “great throng of the heavenly hosts” who appeared to the shepherds and told them of the birth of the Savior. Here, we celebrate Mass. Tonight, we enjoy the “Sharing the Bread” dinner as we are welcomed into the homes of Christian families in Bethlehem. Return to Jerusalem for overnight. (B.L.Special dinner)

We start the day early by celebrating Mass in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. We return to the hotel for breakfast before we start praying the Stations of the Cross along the Via Dolorosa. We visit Calvary and the Tomb of Our Lord before continuing with a tour of the Old City of Jerusalem, visiting the Chapel of Flagellation, the Chapel of Condemnation, and the Lithostrotos, the site of the Antonia Fortress, where Julius Caesar resided at the time of Christ, and where Christ was tried and condemned to death. In the afternoon, we drive through the Judean Wilderness to Jericho. Visit Elisha’s Fountain and the ancient city of Jericho. See the Mount of Temptation in the distance, where Jesus fasted for forty days and forty nights. Visit the Baptism site on the River Jordan and Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in 1947. Our final stop of the day is the Dead Sea, where we have time to relax and float (Don’t forget to pack a bathing suit) before heading back to Jerusalem. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.

This morning, we drive north from Jerusalem to visit Mt. Tabor. We leave the bus and transfer to taxis for the ascent to the top. We visit the site of the Transfiguration and celebrate Mass. Continue to Magdala, the village of Mary Magdalene, before we check-in to our hotel. Dinner and overnight in Tiberias.

This morning, we visit Nazareth. We start with a visit to the Basilica of the Annunciation, which encloses the remains of the house where the Archangel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary to announce that she would become the mother of God. Continue to Nazareth Village to learn more about daily life in the time of Jesus. Following lunch on our own, we drive to the Wedding Church at Cana, where Christ performed his first miracle. Here, we celebrate Mass, and married couples can renew their marriage vows. Return to our hotel in Tiberias for dinner and overnight.

This morning, we take a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee. Our next stop is Capernaum, now in ruins but once a thriving town where Peter lived and where much of Christ’s public ministry took place. See the Church of the Primacy of Peter, where Christ confirmed Peter as Head of the Church. We continue to the Mount of Beatitudes, where Christ taught the Eight Beatitudes to His Disciples to celebrate Mass. Following lunch of St. Peter’s Fish, we proceed with a visit to Tabgha, the place of the Multiplication of Loaves and Fish, followed by a stop on Mt. Arbel. Return to our hotel for dinner and overnight in Tiberias.

We depart from Tiberias and travel towards Haifa, making a stop in Megiddo, and then continue with a visit to Mount Carmel. We celebrate Mass at the Church of Our Lady and Star of the Sea (Stella Maris). Visit the cave of the Prophet Elijah. Following our included lunch, we proceed along the shores of the Mediterranean to Caesarea Maritime, on the Plains of Sharon, to visit the ruins of the Crusaders’ City, surrounded by a moat and a city wall enclosing the ruins of the Roman city. Visit the Roman Theater and Aqueduct. We enjoy a farewell dinner at a restaurant. Overnight in Netanya. (B.L.Special dinner)

Early this morning, we were transferred to the airport for our flight home.

This morning, following Mass, we depart for the border with Jordan and Egypt. We overnight in St. Catherine’s Monastery Guest House, which has simple but comfortable accommodations. Overnight in St. Catherine.

This morning we visit St. Catherine’s Monastery, one of the world’s most famous monasteries. The monastery was dedicated to one of Alexander’s rulers, St. Catherine, who was tortured to death for the sake of her new faith. For those who wish to climb Mt. Sinai, we depart for an afternoon climb of Moses Mountain, where a Bedouin guide accompanies us for a climb up the sacred mountain where Moses received the Ten Commandments. From the mountain’s summit, we can see the sunset. Then descend and return to the guesthouse for dinner. Overnight in St. Catherine. Mass will be celebrated. (B.L.D) *If you wish to climb via camel, the price is $40 USD cash, each way paid directly to the Bedouin guide.

This morning, we depart for Cairo, driving across the Sinai desert. Upon arrival, settle into our hotel for dinner and a well-deserved night of rest. Mass will be celebrated. Overnight in Cairo.

Cairo defies imagination with its ancient sites and grand mosques, pyramids, and chaotic streets. But today we delve into the Christian heart of the city, where one of the oldest Christian communities lived and prayed. We explore Old Cairo to visit the Hanging Church – the most famous Coptic church in Cairo – named so because it was built over the Roman Gate of Babylon on the Nile River. During a walking tour of the old city, our guide will point out the route taken by Abraham, Joseph, Moses, and the family of Jesus – an inspiring thought. We visit St. Sergius and Bacchus, where, according to the Gospel of St. Matthew, the Holy Family stayed during their time in Egypt. We stop at the Coptic Museum to gain a better understanding of Christianity in Egypt and the Coptic Cathedral, where we see the relics of St. Mark. We celebrate Mass and have time to shop in the local bazaar, which dates back to the 14th century. In the evening, enjoy a dinner cruise on the Nile River. Overnight in Cairo. (B.L.Special dinner)

Following breakfast, another fascinating day awaits us as we visit the Egyptian Museum and the Great Pyramids of Giza, which consist of 3 million tons of granite and stand 150 meters high. Nearby is the Sphinx, carved almost entirely from one block of limestone. It remains a charismatic figure, standing 22 meters high and 50 meters long, representing a man with the body of a lion. Mass will be celebrated. Tonight, we return to the Pyramids to see the fascinating Light and Sound Show. (TBC) Dinner and overnight in Cairo.

Today, our fascinating tour comes to an end. Transfer to Cairo airport for our return flight home.