The Holy Land Pilgrimage with Dan & Stephanie Burke

Our pilgrimage begins as we depart the U.S. for our overnight flight to Israel. (flights not included)

Upon arrival in Tel Aviv, our professional escort will greet us and take us by deluxe motorcoach to our hotel in Galilee. We will have an afternoon of leisure followed by dinner at our hotel. Overnight in Nazareth.

After breakfast we visit the ancient town of Jaffa where Peter had his vision on the roof top of the house of Simon the Tanner telling him that all God’s creation is clean and worthy to receive salvation through Jesus. We then drive along the coast to Caesarea to visit a Roman amphitheater and aqueduct. Proceed to Haifa to visit Stella Maris Monastery and Elijah’s Cave where our spiritual director will have the opportunity to celebrate Mass. Transfer to Nazareth for dinner and overnight.

In the morning we drive to the Sea of Galilee shore to enjoy a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee, visiting the Mount of Beatitudes, where our Lord gave the Sermon on the Mount. We then proceed to Capernaum to visit the house of St. Peter, the synagogue where our Lord preached, and the Church of St. Peter’s Primacy where our spiritual director will have the opportunity to celebrate Holy Mass. Dinner and overnight Nazareth.

We begin our day at Mount Tabor to visit the beautiful basilica and the rock under the altar where the Transfiguration took place. We proceed to Cana to visit the Wedding Church where Jesus performed the first of His miracles: changing water to wine. Spouses may have the opportunity to renew their wedding vows here. Following a lunch break, we travel to Nazareth to visit to the house of the Holy Family underneath the Church of St. Joseph. We then move on to visit the Basilica of the Annunciation for Mass at the Grotto. Dinner and onvernight in Nazareth.

Right after breakfast we drive to Jericho, from where we can spot the Mount of Temptation and the sycamore tree that Zacchaeus climbed to view Jesus. We will then continue to Bet Arabah where John the Baptist was baptizing on the Jordan River. In the afternoon we visit Bethlehem and the Basilica of the Nativity where Mass is celebrated. We also visit the Grotto of Nativity and Church of St. Catherine as well as the Caves of St. Joseph and St. Jerome underneath the church. We proceed to the Shepherd’s Fields. Drive to Jerusalem. Check-in to our hotel. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.

This morning our journey takes us through the Judean wilderness and along the Dead Sea to the Mountain fortress of Masada, the last stronghold of the Zealots against the Romans. Take the cable car up the mountain for a visit of the fortress seeing villas, bathhouses, and palaces built by King Herod the great, and view the famous Roman Ramp shedding light over the drama that accompanied the siege and fall of the fortress. We then continue to Ein Gedi, the oasis in the desert where the meeting between David and King Saul took place and where many of the psalms were written by David. In the afternoon we will travel to Bethany to the Church and the Tomb of St. Lazarus. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.

We’ll start the day at the Church of the Pater Noster where Jesus taught his disciples the Lord’s Prayer, the Garden of Gethsemane and the Rock of Agony, to pray where Jesus did the night before he was crucified. We’ll continue with a visit to the Church of Saint Peter in Gallicantu, where Peter denied Christ three times. After lunch, we’ll make our way to the Church of the Dormition Abbey, built on the site where it is believed the Mother of Jesus, Mary, assumed into heaven. We’ll end our day inside the Cenacle, the room of the Last Supper and Pentecost. Overnight Jerusalem.

This morning we will walk the Via Dolorosa through the markets of the Old City praying the Stations of the Cross. We continue our day at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, on the site of our Lord’s crucifixion and burial, where there will be time for Mass and prayer. Back to hotel for breakfast. Continuing, we’ll visit the Church of St Anne, the best-preserved Crusader church and site of Mary’s birthplace, and the miracle site at the Pools of Bethesda, where Jesus proclaimed to a paralyzed man “Stand up, take your mat and walk” and the man was made well. We’ll spend time in prayer and at leisure this afternoon at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Dinner and overnight Jerusalem.

In the morning we will drive to the tiny village of Ein-Karem to visit the birthplace of St. John the Baptist and the Church of the Visitation. We end our pilgrimage with Eucharistic Adoration at the holy site of Emmaus, where Jesus appeared to the disciples and revealed himself through the act of breaking bread. This evening, we will finish our pilgrimage with a farewell dinner before heading to the airport for our return overnight flight home. (flights not included)

Arrival back into the U.S.