Father Robert Champagne has been a priest in the London Diocese for 36-years. Fully bilingual, serving parishes in both French and English languages. Fr. Champagne spent a year in Quebec City on a sabbatical recently extending his studies in Ignatian Spirituality. He has previously served in Tilbury and Windsor.
Worldwide Central Travel is delighted to promote this tour program on behalf of Travel Merchant Tours
An in-depth look at the beauty and mystery that is today's Holy Land, our pilgrimage explores Tel Aviv, Tiberius, Nazareth, Jerusalem, Masada and the Dead Sea.
May 13
We will depart Toronto on our overnight flights to Tel Aviv - Dinner and breakfast on board.
May 14
Arrival at Ben Gurion Airport where we will be met and transferred to Joppa for a brief visit of Simon the Tanner's and St. Peter's Church. Dinner and overnight in Tel Aviv.
May 15
Leave Tel Aviv heading north, first stop at Caesarea, once capital of the Roman province, and see Roman and Crusader remains and the harbour from which St. Paul was taken prisoner to Rome. Continue to Mt. Carmel at Haifa. Leave Haifa via the Carmel viewing the Druze villages and then to Muhraka for a spectacular view of the northern region. Proceed to Megiddo overlooking the Jezreel Valley and considered the Armageddon of the New Testament. Overnight in Tiberias.
May 16
Take the boat from Tiberias to Capernaum; there you will see an ancient synagogue and St. Peter's house later converted to a church. Also by the shore you will visit Tabgha with the Church of Peter's Primacy and the ancient mosaic of the Loaves and Fishes. Continue to the Mount of Beatitudes where the Sermon on the Mount is remembered. From there we continue to the Springs of Banias, also known as Caesarea Philippi where Peter said "Thou art Christ". We will finally reach the foot of Mt. Hermon before returning to Tiberias.
May 17
Go on to Cana, scene of the first miracle and visit the Church of the Wedding. Continue to Nazareth and visit the oldest Church of the Annunciation with Mary's Well. We then continue to Mt. Tabor site of the Transfiguration. Then to the Jordan River for the traditional baptismal site of Jesus. Return to our overnight in Tiberias.
May 18
Leave Tiberias down the Jordan Valley Rift. Visit Bet Shean, biblical Scythopolis to visit the Roman theatre, paved road and the excavations. Continue to Jericho to see the excavations of the oldest city in the world. View the Mt of Temptations. Take the old Roman road to Jerusalem, visit St. George's Monastery on the way. Proceed to Jerusalem for our overnight stays.
May 19
Drive up the Mt. of Olives for a wonderful view of Jerusalem and the Old City. See the Church of Pater Noster, the Place of Ascension and view the Palm Sunday route. Visit the Church of Gethsemane and visit the Garden and Church there. Drive by the walls of the Old City to St. Peter in Gallicantu, where the High Priest Caiphas had his house. Stop at Mr. Zion and see the Tomb of David, the Upper Room where the Last Supper took place. Then continue to Bethlehem to see the Church of the Nativity. On to the Shepherds Fields and see the caves where the Shepherds tended their flocks by night when they received the good news of Jesus' birth.
May 20
Enter the Old City by the Dung Gate and see the Wailing Wall, holiest site for the Jewish people. Go to the Temple area and see the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock. See St. Anne's Church, traditional birthplace of Jesus' mother, and the Pool of Bethesda. Continue down the Via Dolorosa. Enter the Convent of the Zion Sisters to see the Hufge cistern and the Lithostrotos in what was the Antonia Fortress. Walk the Stations of the Cross and visit the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Then walk through the bazaars and out through the Jaffa Gate.
May 21
Today we drive via the Judean Desert to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth. A beautiful new road takes us south along the shores of the Dead Sea to Masada, a truly remarkable piece of history. Ascent to Masada by a cable car to visit the magnificent ruins of the fortress where from 70-73 A.D. the Jewish defenders made the last stand of the Judean Revolt against Rome and where the remains of the storehouses, cisterns and a sixth century Byzantine church are still on view. Return along the Dead Sea to Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. Visit the remains of the Community Center of the Essenes and the Caves of the Scrolls. We continue on the Jericho Road viewing the Inn of the Good Samaritan. On the return to Jerusalem, we visit Bethany, the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus. Return to Jerusalem for final dinner and overnight.
May 22
Morning breakfast followed by our transfer and return flight from Tel Aviv to Toronto.
Please note that this is a religious tour featuring Mass, prayers and devotion daily.
Proof of medical insurance is required to participate on this trip.
Proof of medical insurance is required to participate on this trip.
