The Holy Land with Father Martin Fitzgerald

Depart Miami (MIA) for an overnight flight to Tel Aviv, Israel. Drinks and meals served on the flight.

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

Overnight Nazareth

Following breakfast, we travel by motorcoach to Mount Tabor to visit the beautiful basilica and the rock under the altar where the Transfiguration took place. We then move on to visit the Basilica of the Annunciation for Mass at the Grotto. We finish our day with a visit to the house of the Holy Family underneath the Church of St. Joseph. 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. Dinner.

Overnight Nazareth

Today, we enjoy a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee (included) to visit 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. We finish our day with a visit to the Jordan River. Dinner.

Overnight Nazareth

After breakfast, we visit the Old City of Acre, then proceed to Haifa to visit Stella Maris Monastery and Elijah’s Cave where our spiritual director will have the opportunity to celebrate Mass. We then continue along the coast to Caesarea to visit a Roman amphitheater and aqueduct. Dinner.

Overnight Bethlehem

Following breakfast at the hotel, we travel to Bethany to visit the Church and the Tomb of St. Lazarus where our spiritual director will have the opportunity to celebrate Mass. Next, we go to the Mount of Temptation and the sycamore tree that Zacchaeus climbed to view Jesus. We then move on to the Dead Sea area to see the caves at Qumran and have the opportunity to float in the Dead Sea. Finally, we will have some time at leisure before dinner. Dinner.

Overnight Bethlehem

Today we visit Bethlehem and the Basilica of the Nativity where our spiritual director will celebrate Mass. We also visit the Grotto of Nativity and the Church of St. Catherine as well as the Caves of St. Joseph and St. Jerome underneath the church. We then proceed to the Shepherd’s Fields, and to the village of Ein-Karem to visit the birthplace of St. John the Baptist and the Church of the Visitation. Dinner.

Overnight Bethlehem

Following breakfast, we start our day with a visit to the Mount of Olives for a panoramic view of Jerusalem. We will then proceed to the Church of Pater Noster, where Jesus taught his disciples how to pray. We continue to the Garden of Gethsemane and the Rock of Agony. Mass in the Garden of Gethsemane before visiting the Church of the Dormition Abbey, the Cenacle, the place of the Last Supper and Pentecost, and the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu, where Peter denied Christ three times. Dinner.

Overnight Bethlehem

This morning, we visit the Old City of Jerusalem, starting with St. Anne’s Church and the Pools of Bethesda. Following our lunch break, we will walk the Via Dolorosa through the markets of the Old City praying the Stations of the Cross. We end our day at the Church of Holy Sepulcher. Farewell dinner.

Overnight Bethlehem

With a renewed sense of pilgrimage and an invigorated love of our Catholic faith, we will board our plane for our return flight home.