Day 1 – DEPART USA – Today, we depart our home airport to connect with our overnight flight to Tel Aviv. We enjoy in-flight movies, dinner and breakfast while aloft.

Day 2 - TEL AVIV – This morning, we arrive at Ben Gurion Airport Tel Aviv and are met by our Tour Manager as we transfer to our hotel near Tel Aviv for our first Mass before enjoying our “welcome” dinner and overnight at our hotel.

Day 3 - TIBERIAS – Today, we depart our hotel for Caesarea along the Mediterranean and visit the Roman and Crusader remains.  We continue to Mt. Carmel, where we visit the site of Elijah's confrontation with the priests of Baal. We drive on to Nazareth and walk through the local bazaars.  We stop for lunch on our own. Following personal prayer time, we celebrate Mass at the Church of the Annunciation, where the Word became Flesh!  We then drive to the village of Cana, the site of Jesus' first miracle, where our married couples may renew their wedding vows. We conclude our day at our hotel on the shores of the Galilee for dinner and overnight.

Day 4 - TIBERIAS - This morning, we take a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee to the seaside village of Kibbutz Ginosar to view the historic archaeological discovery of “The Jesus Boat.”  Then on to Capernaum, where we see the remains of the village synagogue and the new church built above St. Peter's house.  Next, we drive to the Mount of Beatitudes, where we have time for personal meditation in the beautiful gardens followed by Mass.  Here we visit Tabgha and the Church of the Multiplication and The Church of the Primacy of St. Peter, where Jesus made His appearance after the resurrection.  We then see the Benedictine Basilica of the Loaves and Fishes. We stop for lunch on our own along the way. We continue to Mt. Tabor, the site of the Transfiguration, where we have a time of personal prayer.  We return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 5 - JERUSALEM – Today, we visit the Jordan, where we renew our Baptismal promises. On route to Judea, we stop at the newly excavated Roman ruins at Beth Shean.  We continue south through the Jordan Valley visiting Jericho and view the Mount of Temptation.  We enjoy lunch on our own before we travel to Bethany and visit Lazarus' tomb and the Church of Martha and Mary, where we celebrate Mass. We conclude our day as we make our thrilling entry into Jerusalem before arriving at our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 6 - JERUSALEM - This morning, we visit the place of the Ascension and pass by the Church of the Pater Noster “Our Father”. We view the beautiful City of Jerusalem from the Mt. of Olives.  We then walk down the hill to Dominus Flevit Chapel, where Jesus wept over Jerusalem and on to the Garden of Gethsemane, where we have time for personal prayer and celebrate Mass at the Church of All Nations. Following lunch on our own, we continue to the New City, passing by the Knesset and Hebrew University.  We visit the Shrine of the Book to view the Dead Sea Scrolls.  We also visit the Model City of Jerusalem in Jesus' time and Ein Karem, where John the Baptist was born and Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth to utter the words of the Magnificat.  We return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 7 - JERUSALEM – Today, we drive to Bethlehem, The House of Bread, to visit the Church of the Nativity, which commemorates the birth of Christ.  We visit the Manger, Crusader's Cloister, and the Grotto of St. Jerome, where we celebrate the “Christmas” Mass.  We have the opportunity to visit an authentic olivewood shop to admire the many carvings on display. Following a stop for lunch on our own, we return to the Judean wilderness first visiting the excavations at Qumran, the home of the Essenes and the Dead Sea Scrolls.  Weather permitting; we have an opportunity to swim in the salty, yet clear waters of the Dead Sea, the lowest place on earth. (Swim lockers not included). On our return to Jerusalem, we pass by the traditional site of the Inn of the Good Samaritan.  We return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 8 - JERUSALEM - This morning, we drive along the Kidron Valley stopping at St. Peter in Gallicantu (The Cock Crows), where Jesus was held in the house of the high priest Caiaphas.  We  enter the Old City through Lion's Gate, where we visit the Church of St. Ann (Mary’s mother) and the Pool of Bethesda.  We visit Pilate’s Judgment Hall, the Chapel of Flagellation, Lithostrotos, Arch of Ecce Homo and the Convent of the Sisters of Zion.  We prayerfully walk the Stations of The Cross along the Via Dolorosa concluding at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. We celebrate Mass in the Old City today.  We stop for lunch on our own along thway. We enjoy the remainder of the afternoon for rest, shopping or personal adventure. We return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 9 - JERUSALEM – Today, we go to Mt. Zion to visit the tomb of King David, the Church of Dormition and the Upper Room.  We enter the Old City through Zion Gate making our way to the Western “Wailing” Wall.  We also see the Cardo and the remains of Hezekiah's wall. We then travel to Abu Gosh, one of the traditional sites of Emmaus, where Jesus appeared on the road on the first Easter Sunday.  We celebrate our closing Holy Land Mass while there.  We continue to Jaffa (Joppa), the city of Jonah, where Peter had his rooftop experience, where we ride through the quaintly restored area.  Afterwards we celebrate our “farewell” dinner nearby before heading back to our hotel.

Day 10 - TEL AVIV(AIRPORT)/USA – This morning, we travel to the Tel Aviv Airport to board our flight home. We arrive home later today with unforgettable memories to cherish always.  Knowing we have walked in the footsteps of Jesus and the early Christians bring new meaning to our Scripture reading and celebration of Mass.