Day 1      Monday 26th April

We gather at London Heathrow Airport for our morning flight to Tel Aviv. On arrival we will be met by our guide and driven north along the Mediterranean coast to our hotel, Nof Ginosar on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Dinner and overnight stay by Galilee.

DAY 2      Tuesday 27th April

We begin with prayer at Tabgha, then drive up to Nazareth, the town where Jesus grew up.  Here we visit the Basilica of the Annunciation, built over the traditional site of the home of the Holy Family. After Mass in the Basilica we continue to the Greek Orthodox Church, built over Mary’s Well and the old Synagogue-Church, before breaking for lunch at St Margaret's. In the afternoon we drive to the town of Sephoris, which is still under excavation and a possible site where Jesus and Joseph worked. We then continue to Cana, the site of Jesus’ first sign to visit the Wedding Church, built to commemorate Jesus First Miracle and where we will have the opportunity of renewing Marriage Vows, before finally returning to the lake and our hotel by Galilee for dinner and overnight stay.

DAY 3      Wednesday, 28th April

After an early breakfast we drive to the Primacy Church (for Meditation) and after we set off on foot and walk along the shores of the lake to the ancient fishing village of Capernaum for Mass over the House of Peter.  Visit the excavations of the old synagogue, foundations date back to the time of Jesus. We leave Capernaum by boat and sail across the Sea of Galilee to Kibbutz En Gev on the eastern shores of the lake and proceed to visit Beth Saida and Kursi, the site of the Gaderine Swine. After a break for lunch we drive south along the lake to Roman and Byzantine mineral hot springs at Hamat Gader in the Yarmuk valley for relaxation. We then return to our hotel. Dinner and overnight stay by Galilee.

DAY 4      Thursday, 29th April

We begin our day at Dalmanutha for Mass by the lakeside and then we continue to Chorazin, before driving up into the Golan Heights via the Hula Valley to visit the ancient ruins of Dan, the site on the ancient Cannanite town of Laish (Lesham). The tribe of Dan took the city, rebuilt it and renamed it Dan. We then continue to Banias (Greek Panias) and Caesarea Philippi in the foothills of Mount Hermon. A spring fed by the melting snow of Mount Hermon forms a source of the River Jordan. It was near here, that Jesus walked with his disciples and Peter made his great profession of faith in Him. We return to the lake after visiting Nimrud Castle and nearby Druze villages.  Dinner and overnight by Galilee.

DAY 5      Friday, 30th April

After breakfast we drive to the Primacy Church for Mass, then we continue up to the town of Safed, once a great intellectual centre of the Jewish revival. It is still today, a centre for Jewish studies of the scriptures, mysticism and symbolism, based upon the Mishnah and Talmud. In addition it is a beautiful artists colony with lovely galleries, craft workshops and ancient synagogues. Leaving Safed we drive down to the Mediterranean coast to visit the ancient Crusader city port of Acre. After a break for lunch we proceed to Rosh Hanikra (if open), on the Lebanese border to descend by lift to visit the sea caves. Return to our lakeside hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

DAY 6      Saturday, 1st May

Leaving our hotel after an early breakfast we drive to the village of Nain, then on to Mount Tabor, where we continue by taxi to the summit for Mass in the basilica built on the site of the Transfiguration of Jesus before Peter, James and John. From the roof top one can look across the Valley of Jezreel and the plains of Armageddon. On descending Mount Tabor we drive down to the Mediterranean and south along the coastline to the Roman and Crusader city-port of Caesarea Maritima, where we break for lunch. In the afternoon we visit the ancient harbour, it’s fortifications, twin water aqueducts and reassembled theatre. Paul was imprisoned here for almost two years before his trial in Rome. For Christians it is a place of great significance, as it was here that Peter baptised the first Gentile, Cornelius the Roman Centurion. From the coast we drive up in to the Carmel Range of mountain and time permitting we will visit Mukraka, the traditional site where Elijah was challenged by the prophets of Baal. Finally we return to Galilee and our lakeside hotel. Dinner and overnight by Galilee.

DAY 7      Sunday, 2nd May

Today we leave Galilee and proceed south to Jerusalem. We begin by driving up to the summit of the Mount of Beatitudes for Mass in the open air overlooking the places where Jesus lived and worked, then south along the shores of the lake via Deganya to the new baptism site at Yardenit, where we will have the opportunity of renewing our Baptism Vows. We then visit the recently excavated Decapolis city of Beit Shean, biblical Scythopolis and the mosaics of the Beit Alpha synagogue, before proceeding along the Jordan Valley to the oasis city Jericho, the city of palms and break for lunch. In the afternoon we view the Mount of Temptation before driving up through the hills of the Judean Wilderness towards the summit of the Mount of Olives and we will have the opportunity of seeing the stark reality of the vast separation wall being built around the West Bank. If time permits we will drive to the summit of Mount Scopus for a breathtaking view of the Old City and its magnificent medieval walls, before proceeding down to our hotel by the Old City. Dinner and overnight stay at the Notre Dame Centre

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DAY 8      Monday, 3rd May

After breakfast we drive through the nine metre high “separation wall” to Bethlehem and visit the Church of the Nativity, the oldest in Christendom and built over the cave. Christmas Mass will be celebrated by St Joseph’s altar close to Jerome’s Cave below the Church of the Nativity. After visiting the Milk Groto we proceed to the Shepherds Fields. After a break for lunch leaving Bethlehem we drive to the village of Ein Karem, to visit the church of the Visitation and home of John the Baptist. Return to our hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

DAY 9      Tuesday, 4th May

Today we leave Jerusalem after an early breakfast for a full day tour of the Dead Sea basin. We begin with Mass in Bethany, the home and tomb of Lazarus, before driving down to the Dead Sea. We begin by visiting Qumran, the site where the Dead Sea scrolls were discovered in a nearby cave by a Bedouin Shepherd. We will also visit the excavations of the Essene monastery where the scrolls may have originated. We then continue south along the shoreline to Masada and ascend the summit by cable car to visit Herod’s Palace. It was here that Jewish Partisans committed mass suicide during the Jewish revolt. From Masada we will continue driving south to Ein Gedi and break for lunch and the opportunity to bathe in the unique mineral laden waters of the Dead Sea.  We then return north and back up to Jerusalem for dinner and overnight stay.

DAY 10      Wednesday, 5th May

Today we drive to the top of the Mount of Olives for a panoramic view of Jerusalem, before visiting Beth Phage. We then walk down the Palm Sunday path to the Garden of Gethsemane and on route we visit the Church of the Pater Noster which attests to the existence of a cave on the Mount of Olives associated with Jesus’ teaching and the Ascension to the Church of Dominus Flevit, commemorating the site where Jesus wept over the destruction of the city. Visit Gethsemane, where Jesus was betrayed by Judas. The Church of All Nations is located on the traditional site where Jesus prayed and built over the agony rock. We the cross the Kidron Valley and drive up Mount Zion to visit St Peter in Gallicantu, the house of Caiaphas, the pool of Siloam and the Cenacle, Franciscan Room of the Last Supper, and where we will celebrate Mass.  Evening Holy Hour at Gethsemane. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.

DAY 11      Thursday, 6th May

After breakfast we enter the Old Walled city by St Stephen’s (Lion Gate) for a mornings tour of the Old City foot. We begin by visiting the Crusader church of St Anne’s by the pools of Bethesda, before beginning the Way of Cross (Full scriptural stations visit) along the Via Dolorosa including the Ecce Homo Arch, the Lithostratus “the pavement. View from the roof of the Antonia Fortress the Temple Areas.  Proceed through the Souks and over the roof of the Holy Sepulchre and through the Ethiopian Monastery to the Holy Sepulchre. Visit the Basilica built over the tomb on Calvary. We will celebrate Mass (Resurrection) in the Franciscan Chapel. We then visit the Citadel. After a break for lunch we will be free to explore the Old City. Dinner and overnight stay in Jerusalem.

DAY 12      Friday, 7th May

This morning we set off after breakfast for Emmaus at Abu Ghosh for mass in the beautiful Crusader Church and after we visit the the Monastery (Kiriath Jearim). From Emmaus we drive to Joppa, modern Jaffa on the Mediterranean visiting Ha Elah, the battlefield of David and Goliath and Beth Shemesh on route. After time to explore Jaffa we return to Jerusalem for dinner and overnight stay.

DAY 13      Saturday, 8th May

In the morning we drive up to the Dormition Abbey, on Mount Zion, where we will bring the Pilgrimage to a close with a Pentecost Mass and visit the Shrine of Our Lady in crypt. We then continue to Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion visiting Kiriath Yearim Church on route. Afternoon flight to London, arriving back at Heathrow in the evening.