SUNDAY, JANUARY 1, DAY 7: ST ANDREW’S CHURCH WORSHIP / BETH-PHAGE / DOMINUS FLEVIT / GETHSEMANE / DEAD SEA

Sunday Eucharist at Saint Andrew’s Church in Ramallah, the liturgy will be celebrated in English and Arabic. Lunch. Walk the Palm Sunday Procession. We will stop at Pater Noster and Dominus Flevit, where Jesus wept over the city. It is known as Dominus Flevit [ Latin for “The Lord wept”]. Afterward, we will walk to the Garden of Gethsemane and the Church of All Nations, Dead Sea, where you will have the option to swim – or really, float (Rocky Beach).

Dinner and overnight at Saint George’s Guest House

MONDAY, JANUARY 2, DAY 8: JERICHO / NAZARETH  

Wadi Qelt early morning to get the feel for the desert, depart for Jericho to hike up Mt. of Temptation and view Tell Jericho, 20-minute meditation on Mt of Temptation Lunch, in Nazareth. In Nazareth we will visit Mary’s Well, the site of the only spring-fed fountain in the city, and most likely the place where Mary would have gone to draw water. We then visit the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation where we will have an opportunity to have an introduction to the Icon, we then follow on foot the path to the Latin Church of the Annunciation, the traditional site of the Angel Gabriel’s appearance to Mary, telling her she would conceive Jesus, the Emmanuel.

Dinner and Overnight at the Sisters of Nazareth

Tel: 972-4-6554304

TUESDAY, JANUARY 3, DAY 9: JORDAN RIVER / CAPERNAUM / BEATITUDES / TABGHA

Today we depart for the Sea of Galilee-Lake Kinnereth. Stop at the Jordan River for the renewal of Baptismal vows, we then visit Capernaum where we see the Ancient Synagogue and St. Peter’s House.  We continue to the Mount of Beatitudes, Lunch, visit to Tabgha (Heptapegon), The Loaves and Fishes Church and the Chapel of St. Peter’s Primacy, Boat ride on the Sea of Galilee.

Dinner and Overnight at the Sisters of Nazareth

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, DAY 10: SEPPHORIS / CAESAREA PHILIPPI

Depart for Zippori, Sepphoris, where we explore the excavations of the Roman/ Byzantine city, Lunch. We continue to Caesarea Philippi (Banias) ‘And Jesus went on with his disciples, to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am? “ 

Dinner and Overnight at the Sisters of Nazareth

A treat you will not want to miss!!!!

THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, DAY 11: BURQIN / NABLUS / TAYBEH

Depart for Burqin. Jesus ad passed through Burqin on his way to Jerusalem from Nazareth, and as he was passing by the village he heard cries for help from ten lepers who were isolated in quarantine in a cave, Nablus to visit (St. Photini the Greek Orthodox Monastery), St. Photini lived in first century Palestine, she was the Samaritan woman who Christ visited at the well asking her for water, the church built over Jacob’s well where will tour the church and drink from the Well, Lunch in Taybeh, visit Taybeh, the only 100% Christian town, in the fourth century the Emperor Constantine and his mother St. Helen built the church of St. George in the village, the ruins of the Church are still found on a hill in the town. We will also visit the brewery.

Dinner and overnight at Saint George’s Guest House

Guest Speaker: Contemporary Issues – An Israeli Perspective

FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, DAY 12: ORTHODOX CHRISTMAS (Greek, Syrian, Coptic)

After breakfast, on to Bethlehem to celebrate Christmas (Luke 2:1-20):

9:00    The Syrian Archbishop arrives at Manger Square.

09:30   The Coptic Archbishop arrive in Manger Square.

11:00 The Greek Patriarch arrives at Manger Square.

12:00  Lunch at St. George’s Restaurant at Manger Square

Return to Jerusalem, FREE AFTERNOON

Dinner and overnight at Saint George’s Guest House

SATURDAY, JANURAY 7, DAY 13: WAY OF THE CROSS / EMMAUS

Early this morning we walk and pray the Way of the Cross, Emmaus Nicopolis. We celebrate the Eucharist at the ruins of the Byzantine Church.

Transfer to Ben Gurion Airport for our return flight