Tentative Itinerary
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28, DAY 1: DEPART USA
On our way to the Holy Land
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 29, DAY 2: ARRIVE TEL AVIV / TRANSFER TO JERUSALEM
We arrive in Tel Aviv, met by our guide, Canon Iyad Qumri. We are transferred to Jerusalem. Introductions.
Dinner and overnight at Saint George’s Guest House
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 30, DAY 3: WESTERN WALL / DOME OF THE ROCK / RAMALLAH / ISRAEL MUSEUM
We depart for the Western Wall. Visit the Dome of The Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Sunday Eucharist at Saint Andrew’s Church in Ramallah, the liturgy will be celebrated in English and Arabic. Lunch. Israel Museum and the Shrine of the Book, where the Dead Sea Scrolls are housed. We will also visit a scale model of the Old City of Jerusalem, describing the city as it would have been during Jesus’ time.
Dinner and overnight at Saint George’s Guest House
Guest Speaker: Lecture on Islam
MONDAY, DECEMBER 1, DAY 4: HORIZONS OF JERUSALEM / HERODIUM
Introductions. Walk down to Damascus Gate to get the feel for the distance and our surrounding. MT. Scopus, view the Judean desert, Mt. of Olives, view the city of David. Lunch. Depart for Herodium some 12 km. south of Jerusalem, on a hill shaped like a truncated cone that rises 758 m. above sea level, stood Herodium, the palace-fortress built by King Herod. It had a breathtaking view, overlooking the Judean Desert and the mountains of Moab to the east, and the Judean Hills to the west.
Dinner and overnight at Saint George’s Guest House
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2, DAY 5: SHEPHERD’S FIELD / BETHLEHEM
We depart Jerusalem for Bethlehem and the Shepherds’ Field, visit a 1st century cave dwelling, Lunch is in Beit Sahour (Shepherds’ Field), ‘And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night’, Lunch, Church of the Nativity located in Manger Square. It is the Oldest Church in Christendom, constructed by Constantine in AD 326 and the traditional site of the Nativity.
Dinner and overnight at Saint George’s Guest House
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, DAY 6: JERICHO / NAZARETH
Wadi Qelt early morning to get the feel for the desert, Eucharist in the Desert, depart for Jericho to hike up Mt. of Temptation and view Tell Jericho, 20 minute meditation on Mt of Temptation, Lunch in Jericho, drive through the Rift Valley to Nazareth. In Nazareth we will visit Mary’s Well, the site of the only spring-fed fountain in the city, and most likely the place where Mary would have gone to draw water. We then visit the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation where we will have an opportunity to have an introduction to the Icon, we walk to the Latin Church of the Annunciation, the traditional site of the Angel Gabriel’s appearance to Mary, telling her she would conceive Jesus, the Emmanuel.
Dinner and Overnight at the Sisters of Nazareth
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, DAY 7: JORDAN RIVER / CAPERNAUM / BEATITUDES / TABGHA
Today we depart for the Sea of Galilee-Lake Kinnereth. Stop at the Jordan River for the renewal of Baptismal vows, Boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, we then visit Capernaum where we see the Ancient Synagogue and St. Peter’s House. We continue to the Mount of Beatitudes, Lunch, visit to Tabgha (Heptapegon), The Loaves and Fishes Church and the Chapel of St. Peter’s Primacy, Eucharist on the shores of the Sea of Galilee
Dinner and Overnight at the Sisters of Nazareth
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5, DAY 8: CEASAREA MARATIMA / MT. TABOR / SEPPHORIS
Today we depart for Caesarea Maratima, a seaport on the Mediterranean Sea, this was built by Herod the Great as his summer palace. Lunch., visit Mt. Tabor and the Basilica of the Transfiguration ‘And he was transfigured before them and his garments became glistering. Lunch. Sepphoris, where we explore the excavations of the Roman / Byzantine city, the capital of Galilee at the time of Jesus.
Dinner and Overnight at the Sisters of Nazareth
A treat you will not want to miss!!
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6, DAY 9: BURQIN / NABLUS / TAYBEH
Depart for Burqin. Jesus had passed through Burqin on his way to Jerusalem from Nazareth, and as he was passing by the village he heard cries for help from ten lepers who were isolated in quarantine in a cave, Nablus to visit (St. Photini the Greek Orthodox Monastery), St. Photini lived in first century Palestine, she was the Samaritan woman who Christ visited at the well asking her for water, the church built over Jacob’s well where will tour the church and drink from the Well, Lunch in Taybeh, visit Taybeh, the only 100% Christian town, in the fourth century the Emperor Constantine and his mother St. Helena built the church of St. George in the village, the ruins of the Church are still found on a hill in the town. Taybeh is also the home of the only Palestinian brewery in the Middle East.
Dinner and overnight at Saint George’s Guest House
Guest Speaker: Contemporary Issues — An Israeli Perspective
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7, DAY 10: WORSHIP AT ST. GEORGE’S CATHEDRAL / CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHER
Sunday Eucharist at Saint George’s Cathedral, the liturgy will be celebrated in English and Arabic. Lunch. Walk the Cardo to the visit the Church of the Resurrection.
Dinner and overnight at Saint George’s Guest House
Guest Speaker: Contemporary Issues – An Israeli Perspective
MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, DAY 11: BETH-PHAGE / DOMINUS FLEVIT / GETHSEMANE
Walk the Palm Sunday Procession. We will stop at Pater Noster and Dominus Flevit, where Jesus wept over the city. It is known as Dominus Flevit [ Latin for “The Lord wept”]. Afterward, we will walk to the Garden of Gethsemane and the Church of All Nations, Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu, this church was built over the palace of the High Priest Caiaphas, where Peter denied Jesus three times) Lunch at the Qumris in Jericho, Dead Sea, where you will have the option to swim – or really, float (Rocky Beach)
Dinner and overnight at Saint George’s Guest House
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, DAY 12: WAY OF THE CROSS
Stations of the Cross, Silent reflections at the Empty Tomb
Free Afternoon
Transfer to Ben Gurion Airport for our return flight home
Terms & Conditions
RESERVATION AND DEPOSITS: A non-refundable deposit of $500 per person is required at time of registration to secure your spot. Make checks payable to St. John’s Holy Land
FINAL BALANCE: Final balance is due 60 days prior to departure. Total cost is $3,500. This covers the pilgrimage in Israel only. Flights are an additional cost. All other expenses will be items that you purchase on the trip that are personal in nature.
PASSPORT: To travel anywhere outside the United States and Canada, you must be in possession of a valid passport and it must be valid for 6 months from the day of your return to the US or the airline may refuse you boarding. Citizens of some nations may require a visa. If you have stamps from countries that are considered non-friendly to Israel, you may be denied entry into the country. We suggest you acquire a new passport.
CANCELLATION: Cancellations of pilgrimage must be received in writing and signed.
- Cancellations received from the day of reservation and up to 60 days prior to the departure date have a penalty of $250 per person.
- Cancellation received from 59-45 days prior to departure have a penalty of 50% (fifty percent) from the total pilgrimage package per person.
- Cancellation received from 44-0 days prior to departure have a penalty of 100% (one hundred percent) from the total pilgrimage package per person.
BAGGAGE: To travel (depending on airline), you are allowed 1 piece of checked luggage totaling 50 lbs. per bag, plus one piece of hand luggage on board with you. To travel to Israel and the Middle East (depending on the airline) you are allowed 2 pieces of checked luggage totaling 50 lbs. per bag, plus one piece of hand luggage on board with you. It is the responsibility of the passenger/s to understand the baggage allowance, restrictions based on the terms used on the airline’s website or by contacting them directly on the telephone. Luggage is the sole responsibility of the passenger and of the airline. For lost luggage claims, the passenger is responsible for notifying the airline directly.
RESPONSIBILITY: As tour guides we act only as an agent for the various companies supplying the services of this tour and shall not be held liable in any way for injury; damage; loss; death; accident; delay or irregularity to any person, place or property, including air transportation or changes in itinerary due to circumstances beyond our control.
ORIENTATION: those attending for the first time will be required to attend a pilgrimage orientation facilitated by Ripp Hardaway. The dates for our meeting will be determined the fall of 2025. The meeting will be a required general orientation for our trip and will include some educational information so that you don’t feel like you are drinking from a fire hydrant while we are in Israel. The information shared here will make this a better trip for all involved.
We will also provide a list of items you should need, others that may be of assistance and a list of books that you may want to read prior to our trip.