February 6 – 19, 2023

The Most Reverend Bishop David P. Talley of the Diocese of Memphis in Tennessee invites the faithful people of Memphis on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and Jordan. Read Scripture where Jesus taught and walked. Breathe in the sites around the Sea of Galilee. Visit the Mount of Beatitudes, Capharnaum, Cana, Nazareth, Mt. Tabor, and Caesarea Philippi. Pray at the birth place of our Lord in Bethlehem. Renew your baptismal vows at the Jordan River. Ascend to Jerusalem to visit the Upper Room, pray in the Garden of Gethsemane, descend into the pit where Jesus was held after being arrested, walk the Via Dolorosa, stand where Mary stood at the foot of the Cross and enter His Empty Tomb. Next, we will travel to Jordan to visit Mt. Nebo and Petra.

The homeland of Our Lord Jesus will renew your faith bring the Scripture to life! Mass will be celebrated daily by Bishop Talley in many of these Holy Sites.

CLICK HERE to Download the REGISTRATION FORM

Itinerary*
*Subject to change

Day 1: MON, Feb 6, 2023: DEPART USA
Departing flight from USA to Tel Aviv with complimentary meals and beverages served aloft.

Day 2: TUE, Feb 7: ARRIVE TEL AVIV / TRANSFER TO TIBERIAS
On arrival we will be met by our Catholic tour guide and proceed to our hotel in Tiberias on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. (D)

Day 3: WED, Feb 8: CANA / NAZARETH
We begin our pilgrimage as Jesus began His public ministry, at Cana in Galilee. Our Lord performed his first miracle in this town, changing water into wine at a wedding feast. In Cana, we will visit the Franciscan chapel for a renewal of wedding vows for all the married couples. We will continue on to Nazareth, the site of Mary’s home and the town where Jesus played as a child, learned a trade, and grew to manhood. Mass in the Church of the Annunciation, pending confirmation, and an opportunity to visit the church of St. Joseph. Return to Tiberias. (B, D)

Day 4: THU, Feb 9: MT. OF BEATITUDES / CAESAREA PHILIPPI / GOLAN HEIGHTS
We begin the morning by visiting the location of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount at the Mount of Beatitudes. Here we will have Holy Mass with time afterward for reflection. We precede to Caesarea Philippi where Jesus said to Peter “You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church.” After a further drive up on the Golan Heights, we will view the ancient Druze Villages. Return to Tiberias. (B, D).

Day 5: FRI, Feb 10: SEA OF GALILEE / TABGHA / CAPHARNAUM
After an early morning boat ride on the Sea of Galilee we will visit Tabgha where Jesus fed the crowd of 5000 and The Church of Peter’s Primacy, the site where, after His Resurrection, Jesus cooked breakfast
for his disciples and told Peter to “feed my lambs; feed my sheep.” Mass to be celebrated here. We will continue to Capharnaum where Jesus began his Galilean ministry and see the synagogue which dates to the time of Jesus as well as the site of Peter’s home. Return to Tiberias. (B, D)

Day 6: SAT, Feb 11: MT. TABOR / JACOB’S WELL / JERUSALEM
Today we ascend to the heights of Mount Tabor, the site of the Transfiguration. Mass will be celebrated at the Franciscan Monastery on Mount Tabor. Next, we will visit Jacob’s Well at which Jesus had the encounter with the Samaritan woman. Check in at our Jerusalem Hotel. (B, D)

Day 7: SUN, Feb 12: BETHLEHEM / SHEPHERDS’ FIELD
We begin our day with Christmas! Mass to be celebrated in the Shepherds’ Field in Bethlehem, followed by a visit to the Church of the Nativity. If time permits on our return to Jerusalem, we will visit the Ein Karem, where Mary visited Elizabeth and proclaimed the Magnificat. Return to Jerusalem. (B, D)

Day 8: MON, Feb 13: MT. OLIVES / MT. ZION
This morning, the bus will take us to the Garden of Gethsemane beside the Church of All Nations where Mass will be celebrated. An overlook on the Mount of Olives will provide us with breathtaking views of Jerusalem, as we sit in solidarity with our Lord who wept over the city. We continue across the Kidron Valley to Mount Zion and the site of Caiaphas’ Palace where Jesus experienced the Jewish portion of His trial. We also visit the Upper Room in which Jesus celebrated his Last Supper on Holy Thursday and instituted the Holy Eucharist. Our Lord asked “Could you not spend one hour with me?” This evening, pending confirmation, we will have the opportunity to spend an hour in Adoration in the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus prayed and sweat blood the night before He was crucified. (B, D)

Day 9: TUE, Feb 14: JERUSALEM: VIA DOLOROSA & HOLY SEPULCHRE
We rise early in the morning to walk the Via Dolorosa, the Stations of the Cross, in the footsteps of Our Lord, culminating in a visit to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The three story church is built upon the site where Jesus was crucified, his body prepared for burial, laid in the tomb, and resurrected! This place is the apex of thousands of years of Christian pilgrimages to the Holy Land! Mass to be celebrated in the Holy Sepulchre church, after which we will return to the hotel for breakfast. Later this morning, we will tour the Old City of Jerusalem including St. Stephen’s Gate (martyrdom location of St. Stephen), the Church of St. Anne (childhood home of Mary), the Pool of Bethesda (where Jesus healed the paralytic), and the Western, or “Wailing” Wall of the Temple. In the afternoon, we will visit Yad Vashem, Israel’s official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. (B, D)

Day 10: WED, Feb 15: JERICHO / JORDAN RIVER / QUMRAN / ALLENBY / DEAD SEA
This morning will begin with Mass at the Good Shepherd Church in Jericho, followed by a view of the Mount of Temptation and a Sycamore Tree to better visualize the story of Zacchaeus. We will visit the Jordan River where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. Here we will renew our Baptismal promises. On the way to our Dead Sea excursion, we will visit Qumran, where the Dead Sea scrolls were found. We will then cross to Jordan at Allenby Bridge. Arriving at the Dead Sea we will have the opportunity for people to go in for a float before dinner at our Dead Sea hotel. (B, D)

Day 11: THU, Feb 16: MADABA / MT. NEBO / PETRA
After breakfast we will drive to Madaba the sight of a mosaic map of Jerusalem from the Byzantine era and then on to Mt. Nebo, to stand where Moses stood to view the Promised Land. We enjoy dinner and overnight at Petra. (B, D)

Day 12: FRI, Feb 17: PETRA / WADI MUSA
After breakfast, we will visit Petra, the “rose red city half as old as time.” This ancient Edomite and Nabatean capital is an amazing example of prophecy. We will see the spectacular “City of the Dead,” with its famed gorge, ancient streets, temples, dwelling places and tombs, carved in the solid rock. Then we arrive at El-Ji Post and continue the one-mile journey on horseback, or walk, passing through the famous Siq (the natural gorge) and arrive at the Treasury. Overnight at Hotel in Petra. (B, D)

Day 13: SAT, Feb 18: PETRA TO EITHER JERUSALEM / TEL AVIV OR AMMAN
Today will depend on our return flight. If we are able to depart from Amman we will stay in/near Amman. If our flight is out of Tel Aviv we will drive to Jerusalem or Tel Aviv for our final overnight or return flight. **Return flight could be evening of February 18 or February 19, 2023. We will not have this information until summer of 2022.

Day 14: SUN, Feb 19: USA
Arrive home with a greater appreciation for our Faith.

* If Israel or Jordan puts a limit on the number of pilgrims we will take the number allowed based on the date registrations are received.

NOTES: While no changes are anticipated, there may be occasions when sequence and days of visits may change and certain alterations become necessary due to changes beyond our control. All Mass locations and times are subject to final confirmation. You must be physically fit and capable of walking on uneven terrain and being on your feet all day. Foreign entities do not have the “American Disabilities Act,” so many locations abroad are not accessible. You are responsible for handling your own luggage. In todays uncertain times all prices are subject to change prior to departure due to major currency fluctuations, changes in fuel prices and/or unforeseen economic circumstances beyond our control.

To register for this pilgrimage please read, complete and sign the registration form, and the Covid-19 release form and return with your deposit.

[Click to download Travel Itinerary or Terms and Conditions and Registration Form]

For additional information, questions, or to join us contact us at 419-290-8782 or maggie@CatholicFaithJourneys.com

LAND-ONLY COST

The LAND-ONLY discount price of $3,399.00 per person is enjoyed by those paying with Cash or Check (based on a minimum of 40 participants with double occupancy).  If the number falls below 40, the cost may be adjusted to account for the actual number sharing the pilgrimage. Pilgrims may leave from ANY AIRPORT, but please contact Maggie or 419-290-8782 to arrange flights from another domestic or international airport. DO NOT BOOK AIRFARE WITHOUT SPEAKING WITH MAGGIE!

Included

Overnights in 4 star hotels
Breakfast and Dinner daily
English speaking tour escort / guide throughout
Private motor coach throughout
Transfers from international airport
Entrance fees as noted in itinerary
Private Mass arrangements
Taxes and fuel surcharge (subject to increase 30 days prior to departure)

Not Included

International roundtrip airfare to/from International destination – to be added to the Land-Only cost when it becomes available from the airlines
Optional Travel insurance – NOTE: some countries may require travel insurance. (strongly recommended, consider purchasing from our affiliate and trusted provider)
Lunches & beverages with meals (except where noted in the itinerary)
Tips for guide, driver, porters, wait staff, etc. $185.00 to be added to your final invoice.
Transportation to/from domestic airport
Any/all Covid-19 test(s) that may be required by the airlines, departing/arriving country and transfer country
Items of personal nature
Any items not specifically mentioned
Limited Single rooms add: $ 1,075.00 Cash or Check (Single rooms not guaranteed. Please call Maggie 419-290-8782 for availability.) 

**Catholic Faith Journeys, LLC cannot change the cancellation terms or conditions based on the issuance of any warning or advisory issued by the State Department or Center of Disease Control, or the occurrence of any terror, health or other incident in one or more of the places this pilgrimage is scheduled to visit. All cancellation penalties remain in full force and effect. You are strongly encouraged to purchase Travel Insurance to protect your financial investment and any health issues you may have while traveling.

Click Here to Download the Registration Form!