Pilgrimage to the The Holy Land & Egypt Under The Spiritual Direction Of Fr. Edwin Limpiado

Depart for your overnight flights to Tel Aviv. Dinner on-board, relax, and anticipate your arrival tomorrow morning.

Upon arrival in Tel Aviv, we will be greeted by our Holy Land Travel Center representative and tour guide who will be accompanying us during the pilgrimage. We will immediately transfer to our hotel in Bethlehem.

On our first day in the Holy Land, we present an overview for a better understanding of its geography and some of the key sites surrounding the area and what makes it such a unique area to the three major religions - Judaism, Christianity and Islam. We then head to the village of Ein Karem, the birthplace of St John the Baptist and to the Church of Visitation where the Blessed Virgin Mary visited her cousin, Elizabeth, and proclaimed the 'Magnificat'. In the afternoon we drive to the Shepherd's Fields where the angels announced the birth of Jesus. Then we visit the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem that stands upon the site where Jesus was born.

After breakfast, we head to Caesarea by the Sea to visit the Roman Crusader remains before we continue to Haifa. Upon arrival in Haifa, we will visit Stella Maris, a Carmelite Monastery with the Madonna of Mt Carmel. Next, we stop at the Baha'i Gardens, which includes a staircase of nineteen terraces extending all the way up the northern slope of Mount Carmel. We continue to Nazareth and the Basilica of Annunciation where we will celebrate Mass. We enjoy a visit to Joseph's carpentry shop before we continue Cana, where couples will have the opportunity to renew wedding vows. We continue to Tiberias where we check into our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Some of today's highlights are a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum to see the synagogue and St Peter's house, a visit to the Mount of the Beatitudes where the Sermon on the Mount was given, to Tabgha to see the splendid mosaic about the miracle of the loaves and fishes, and to the nearby Church of Peter's Primacy where Peter was told Feed my lambs, feed my sheep.' There will be an unforgettable Mass near the shores of the Sea of Galilee at the Primacy or Mt Beatitudes. Next, we head the Magdala Center, the village of Mary Magdalene, where we visit the newly built church on site and the newly excavated ruins. In the afternoon we visit Caesarea Philippi, the location of the testimony of St. Peter.

This morning we head to Mount Tabor, the site of the Transfiguration where we celebrate Mass. Continue to the river Jordan where we remember Christ's Baptism. Afterwards, we proceed to the oasis town of Jericho, visit the excavations of the oldest city in the world and view Mt. Temptation where Jesus fasted and was tempted by Satan. On the way back there is time for a swim (or rather a float!) in the mineral-rich waters of the Dead Sea. Continue to Bethlehem for dinner and overnight.

We begin our day with a visit to the Mount of Olives where Jesus prayed, continue to the Chapel of Ascension where Jesus ascended into heaven. Next, we visit the church of Pater Noster where Jesus taught the disciples the Lord's Prayer. Next, we walk the Palm Sunday Road, stopping at Dominus Flevit, where Jesus wept over Jerusalem. Then to Gethsemane, the Rock of Agony where Jesus prayed His last prayer before his arrest. Next, we head to Mount Zion, visiting the cave of Assumption (Dormition Abbey) of Mary to heaven. We visit the room of the Last Supper, King David's Tomb, and the Church of St. Peter Gallicantu, where Peter denied Jesus three times. We end our day visiting the Palace of Caiaphas, home of the corrupt Jewish high priest. We enjoy dinner and overnight at our hotel.

After breakfast we head to Jerusalem and start our visit with St Anne Church (the traditional birthplace of the Virgin Mary). Continue to view the Sisters of Zion, Ecco Homo where Pilate proclaimed "Behold the man." Next, we retrace the last steps of Jesus as we walk alongthe Via Dolorosa (Way of Sorrow), through the markets of the Old City praying the Stations of the Cross at each station shrine, we reflect on the greatness of His sacrifice. Finally, we arrive at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for Mass. We visit the Notre Dame Center in Vatican property, where we visit the Museum of the Shroud of the Man (three-dimension replica of the Shroud of Jesus). Dinner and overnight at our hotel.

After breakfast we continue our pilgrimage by heading south to cross the Israeli-Egyptian border. After visa formalities, we continue to St. Catherine for dinner and overnight.

Optional: Early this morning we have the option to climb Mount Sinai, the mountain where Moses received the tablets of the Law of God. The main route to the summit is known as the path of Moses and is lined with remains of various chapels.

After breakfast we visit St. Catherine Monastery. Set beneath the mountain where Moses is said to have received the Ten Commandments. St. Catherine Monastery has been one of the world's great centers of religious pilgrimage for over fifteen centuries. Among its treasures is a library of ancient manuscripts and icons second only to the Vatican. Continue to Sharm El-Sheikh for a full relaxing day at the shores of the Red Sea.

Free day to enjoy the waters of the Red Sea

This morning, we take our flight from Sharm to Cairo. Upon arrival, we continue our day by visiting the Citadel and Mohamed Ali mosque. We then visit Abu Sergha Church where the Holy Family rested after their journey into Egypt. We check into our hotel before we gather for a Nile Cruise Dinner with entertainment.

Today we visit the Egyptian Museum. This is a place of true discovery and without doubts one of the greatest collections of all time. We then visit the great Pyramids - Cheops, Chephren & Mykerions. Next is a close-up look at the Sphinx before we head back to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Today we leave Egypt and arrive home with unforgettable memories.