HOLYLAND PACKAGE

D1 APR 02. CEBU – DUBAI – AMMAN.

Welcome to our PILGRIMAGE TO HOLYLAND. We depart from Cebu for our flight to Amman via Dubai.

D2 APR 03. DUBAI- AMMAN –MADABA -MT NEBO

Welcome to Jordan, the land of the Moabites, Edomites and Ammonites. Our guide will meet us upon arrival in Amman, the capital of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. We travel to the Monastery of St. George in ancient Madaba to see the oldest mosaic map of Holyland built in the 4th century and once had 2 million pieces. Then to Mt. Nebo where Moses died – a stone’s throw away from the “promised land” that Moses was forbidden to enter.

D3 APR 04. PETRA – AMMAN

Petra was a flourishing city carved out of the rose-red mountains by the ancient Nabatean civilization. It was lost for centuries until a Swiss explorer discovered it in 1812, who gained access to the area by claiming that he wanted to offer a sacrifice to the tomb of Prophet Aaron. Horseback riding is included. We enter this ancient city through the natural Siq. We will see The Treasury – with carved façade glowing in the sun.

D4 APR 05. AMMAN- CROSS BORDER TO TIBERIAS- MT. TABOR – ANUNCIATION- NAZARETH.

We leave Jordan to Israel by crossing Sheik Hussein Border where our Israeli guide will meet us. We pass by the ancient land of Beit Shean which means house of rest. In the bible, this refers to the House of Manasseh. We drive to the top of Mt Tabor to the Church of Transfiguration. We continue to Nazareth,where Jesus grew up. Visit the Basilica of the Anunciation and St. Joseph’s Workshop.

D5 APR 06. BEATITUDES- CAPERNAUM–TABGHA -ST PETER PRIMACY–SEA OF GALILEE- JESUS’ BOAT.

We go to Mt. Beatitude, where Jesus laid the Sermon on the Mount. Then to Capernaum where Jesus chose his first disciples and stayed for 3 years in Peter’s house. Here, Jesus lived his public life, often visiting the synagogue to preach, healed the sick and taught in parables. Then to the Church of the Primacy of Peter where Jesus instructed Peter to “take care of my sheep and feed my lamb” (Jn 21:15-19). We ride a boat on the Sea of Galilee where Jesus calmed the sea. Visit the Church of Tabgha built over the site of the multiplication of loaves and fish. Afterwards, we enter the Archaelogical Museum that houses the 2000-year-old boat used in Jesus’ time.

D6 APR 07. CANA – HAIFA- MT. CARMEL- CAESARIA

We go to the Church in Cana where Jesus changed water into wine. Couples will renew their marriage vows. Proceed to the ancient city of Haifa, built on the slopes of Mount Carmel where Prophet Elijah hid in a cave. We stop by the Monastery of the Carmelites. We take a coastal drive with breathtaking views of the Mediterranean Sea. Stop by the Roman city of Caesarea where St. Paul was imprisoned. Imagine the grandeur of the Roman Empire as we visit the remains of the Roman Theatre, Roman hippodrome and the aqueduct built by King Herod the Great. This was the seat of Pontius Pilate where we see the pillar inscribed with his name.

D7 APR 08. BETHLEHEM- SHEPHERDS’ FIELD- MT OF OLIVES – GETHSEMANE- CHURCH OF ALL NATIONS- DOMINUS FLEVIT- PATER NOSTER.

We begin our day by visiting the manger in the Nativity Church in Bethlehem;; visit the Shepherd’s Fields and Cave Chapel where the angel announced the good news to the shepherds. We ascend to Mount of Olives. We stop at Dominus Flevit where Jesus cried for the destruction of Jerusalem. Then to the Stone of Agony inside the Church of All Nations in the Garden of Gethsemane. Then we enter Jerusalem through the Palm Sunday road where Jesus was greeted with rejoicing by the same people who will later on condemn Him. We go to the Church of Pater Noster where Jesus taught His disciples the “Our Father” prayer.

D8 APR 09 . VIA DOLOROSA- HOLY SEPULCHRE- WAILING WALL- MT. ZION- KING DAVID’S TOMB- DORMITION ABBEY –UPPER ROOM- GALLICANTU- EIN KAREM

Today we follow the footsteps of Jesus as we walk the Stations of the Cross. We enter the Old City and visit St. Anne’s Church, dedicated to the mother of Virgin Mary. Nearby is the Pool of Bethesda, where Jesus healed the crippled man. We start the Via Dolorosa at the Condemnation Chapel and end at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Golgotha, Calvary, the site of the Crucifixion. We visit the Wailing Wall, hallowed by the Jews as their only remembrance to the 2nd Temple of Solomon. n the afternoon, we visit King David’s Tomb (the David who fought Goliath) in Mt. Zion and walk to the Dormition Abbey commemorating that the Blessed Mother was assumed into heaven in body and spirit. Then we go to the Upper Room or the Room of the Last Supper. IVisit Gallicantu Church where the house of Caiphas used to stand. It was here that Peter denied Jesus 3 times. Drive to Ein Karem, the birthplace of St. John the Baptist; we go up the Church of the Visitation, where Elizabeth and Mary met.

D9 APR 10. JERICHO- JORDAN RIVER BAPTISMAL – QUMRAN- DEAD SEA

We continue to Jericho, the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. We stop across the Mt of Temptation where Jesus was put to test. We travel to Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered 1947. Proceed to the Jordan River where St. John baptized Jesus and we too will reconfirm our baptismal vows. The Holy Spirit came down upon him in bodily form like a dove and a voice came from heaven ‘You are my own dear Son. I am pleased with you’” (Luke 3:22). We will also see the desert where David fought Goliath. We continue to the Dead Sea and take a dip in its medicinal water with 30% salt content. Enjoy the therapeutic mud.

D10 APR 11. CROSSING TABA BORDER – SINAI

Today we travel to the Taba Border passing by the salt mines believed to be the place of Sodom and Gomorah; also passing by the modern city of Eilat before crossing over to Egypt. Drive to St. Catherine township. Visit the Monastery dedicated to St. Catherine of Alexandria. Tradition states that the saint’s body was carried by angels from hundreds of miles away to Sinai where the Burning Bush thrives since Moses’ time. Overnight and dinner.

D11 APR 12. SINAI- CAIRO ( BLD) .

Today we visit the Early morning optional climb to Mt. Sinai where God handed the Ten Commandments to Moses. We drive to Cairo passing thru the Sinai Peninsula. In biblical times, the Jews escaped from Egypt and wandered in this area. En route, we visit Moses’ Wells with breathtaking views of the Red Sea and Suez Canal. Check into Cairo hotel.

D12 APR 13. CAIRO PILGRIMAGE & SIGHTSEEING

Imagine Moses and the Jews doing manual labor in the construction of the pyramids. Moses left Egypt after it was discovered that he killed an Egyptian who was maltreating a Jew laborer. See one of the Ancient Wonders of the World : the Pyramids of Giza and the mythical Sphinx, the national symbol of Egypt, with the head of a human and the body of a lion. We see how ancient paper is made from papyrus reeds and listen to how the ancient Egyptians made perfume from flowers. Tonight enjoy Nile River Cruise with dinner and show.

D13 APR 14. CAIRO TOUR – TRANSFER TO AIRPORT FOR FLIGHT TO DUBAI

Visit the Church of St. Sergius and its Holy Crypt, built on the spot where the Holy Family stayed after escaping from King Herod. Then we walk over to the Hanging Church where the Virgin Mary publicly appeared many times. We visit the Egyptian Museum and see the treasures from Pharaohnic times. Transfer to airport for our flight to Dubai.

D14 APR 15. DUBAI – CEBU.

We fly from Cairo to home. Our journey has ended but the memories, friendships and spiritual nourishment will stay in our hearts for a long, long time.

END OF TOUR

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