Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts
Boston, MA
Led by
The Rt. Rev. Gayle E. Harris
Local Guides
Canon Iyad Qumri and Rami Qumri
Proposed Itinerary
12-Day Pilgrimage
June 2-13, 2023
June 3-6 Sisters of Nazareth
June 6-13 Saint George’s Guest House
FRIDAY, JUNE 2, DAY 1: DEPART U.S.A
On our way to the Holy Land
SATURDAY, JUNE 3, DAY 2: ARRIVE BEN GURION AIRPORT / TRANSFER TO NAZARETH
Arrival to Tel Aviv you will be met by our guide, Canon Iyad Qumri, transfer to our accommodation in Nazareth. Introductions
Dinner and Overnight at the Sisters of Nazareth
Tel: 972-4-6554304
Fax: 972-4-6460741
SUNDAY, JUNE 4, DAY 3: CHRIST CHURCH / NAZARETH / SEPPHORIS
Sunday Eucharist at Christ Episcopal Church 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. Lunch. Depart to Zippori, Sepphoris, where we explore the excavations of the Roman/Byzantine city.
Dinner and Overnight at the Sisters of Nazareth
MONDAY, JUNE 5, DAY 4: SEA OF GALILEE / JORDAN RIVER / CAPERNAUM / BEATITUDES
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 followed by a 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 Sisters of Nazareth
A treat you will not want to miss!!!!
TUESDAY, JUNE 6, DAY 5: BURQIN / NABLUS / TAYBEH
Depart for Burqin. Jesus had 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. Visit St. Luke’s Hospital. 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.
Guest Speaker: Contemporary Issues – A Palestinian Perspective
Dinner and overnight at Saint George’s Guest House
Tel: 972-2-6283302
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7, DAY 6: HORIZONS OF JERUSALEM / HERODIUM
Walk down to Damascus Gate to get the feel for the distance and our surrounding, afternoon Mt. Scopus, view the Judean desert, Mt. of Olives, City of David, Lunch, Then we will look at the many different Jerusalem, visit Herodium some 12 km. south of Jerusalem, on a hill shaped like a truncated cone that rises 758 m. above sea level, stood Herodium, the palace-fortress built by King Herod. It had a breathtaking view, overlooking the Judean Desert and the mountains of Moab to the east, and the Judean Hills to the west.
Dinner and overnight at Saint George’s Guest House
Guest Speaker: Lecture on Islam
THURSDAY, JUNE 8, DAY 7: JERICHO / DEAD SEA
Wadi Qelt early morning to watch the sunrise also get the feel for the desert, depart for Jericho to hike up Mt. of Temptation and view Tell Jericho. Dead Sea, where you will have the option to swim – or really, float (Rocky Beach). Lunch at the Qumris.
Dinner and overnight at Saint George’s Guest House
FRIDAY, JUNE 9, DAY 8: SHEPHERD’S FIELD / BETHLEHEM
We depart Jerusalem for Bethlehem and the Shepherds’ Field, visit a 1st century cave dwelling. Lunch is in Beit Sahour (Shepherds’ Field), ‘And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night’, Lunch, Church of the Nativity located in Manger Square. It is the Oldest Church in Christendom, constructed by Constantine in AD 326 and the traditional site of the Nativity.
Dinner and overnight at Saint George’s Guest House
Guest Speaker: Contemporary Issues- An Israeli Perspective
SATURDAY, JUNE 10, DAY 9: OLD CITY / CHURCH OF THE RESURRECTION
Group Photo. Briefing for the Holy Sepulcher. We then walk the Cardo to the
Constantinian Entrance of the Holy Sepulcher. Lunch, continue our visit to the Holy
Sepulcher.
Dinner and overnight at Saint George’s Guest House
SUNDAY, JUNE 11, DAY 10: BETH-PHAGE / DOMINUS FLEVIT / GETHSEMANE
Depart for Beth-phage and Mt. of Olives walk down the Palm Sunday Road ending at the Garden of Gethsemane.Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu, this church was built over the palace of the High Priest Caiaphas, where Peter denied Jesus three times). Lunch. 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, JUNE 12, DAY 11: WESTERN WALL / DOME OF THE ROCK / WORSHIP AT SAINT GEORGE’S CATHEDRAL / ISRAEL MUSEUM
We depart for the Western Wall near Elharam Esh Sharif (The Dome of The Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque). St. Anne’s Church and the pools of Bethesda. Sunday Eucharist at Saint George’s Cathedral. Lunch. Israel Museum and the Shrine of the Book, where the Dead Sea Scrolls are housed. We will also visit a scale model of the Old City of Jerusalem, describing the city as it would have been during Jesus’ time.
Dinner and overnight at Saint George’s Guest House
TUESDAY, JUNE 13, DAY 12: WAY OF THE CROSS & EMMAUS
Early this morning we walk and pray the Way of the Cross. Later we depart for Emmaus Nicopolis. We celebrate the Eucharist at the ruins of the Byzantine Church.
Afternoon at leisure.
Transfer to Tel Aviv airport for our return flight that departs at 08:00AM
