Depart on your flight to Tel Aviv, Israel

Welcome to Israel! Upon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport. Our first visit will be in the Church of Saint George in Lydda and his tomb was built by the Patriarch of Jerusalem Cyril ii. Next stop to Jaffa (Joppa), the ancient port city linked with biblical stories of Solomon, Jonah and St. Peter. Tour the ancient ruins and walk along the winding alleyways to the reconstructed Artists' Quarter. From atop the hill, stop to admire panoramic views of the Mediterranean coast. Continue to trendy Neve Tzedek, Tel Aviv's "Soho", the first neighborhood constructed outside of Jaffa and to the HaTachana, a renovated Ottoman train station converted to an entertainment complex. Drive past the Mann Auditorium, home of the Israeli Philharmonic, the Opera House and Rabin Square. Then we will proceed to your hotel to rest, relax, and acclimate to your new time zone. Tonight, join your fellow travelers and Tour Manager for an orientation meeting at approximately 6 PM, followed by dinner.
Overnight: Tel Aviv
Meals: Dinner

A walking tour on Rothschild Boulevard highlights the Bauhaus architecture of this city, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Afterward, ascend Mt. Carmel to the seaport city of Haifa. View the striking Baha'i Shrine and the pristine Baha'i Gardens. Then, we will travel through the verdant Galilean hills is a province on north Israel. The Lord spent most of his time on earth traversing Galilee. “And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom…”(Matthew 4:3). to the sacred town of Nazareth in order to Visit the vast Basilica of the Annunciation. During the Byzantine years there were churches or chapels over four holy shrines: The Spring of the Annunciation (Luke 1,26-38) , Joseph’s cave – workshop, the synagogue in which Christ preached and the cliff over which the Jews wanted to kill Christ (Luke 4:29). These shrines are preserved to this day. Next stop will be in Cana (John 2,1-11)  It is the place of Christ’s first miracle, when He and His mother were guests at Nathanael’s wedding and He turned the water into wine. Tradition has it that the church in Cana is built over the former house of Simon the Canaanite, one of the twelve Apostles. Inside the church there are two of the stone vessels that were used at the first miracle and a part of Simon the Canaanite’s holy relics.
Overnight: Nazaret or Galilea Region
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Breakfast and we departure to Mount Tabor, Itabyrium in Graeco-Roman, stands in the center of Galilee, between the Jezreel Valley and Scythopolis (modern Beit She ‘an). Mount Tabor is referenced in the Psalms in the Old Testament; “ Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in Thy name”. It is also mentioned in Joshua (19:16-17) as the border between the Zebulon and Issachar tribes and as the assembly place of the sons of Israel under the command of Barak and Deborah before the battle against Sisera (Judges 4:6). There is no direct mention of the Mount in the New Testament. It is however implied as the Mount of the Transfiguration of the Lord through Apostle Peter’s words “in sacred mount”, “when the voice came to Him saying… “This is my Son whom I love; in Him I am well pleased.” We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with Him on the sacred mountain” (2 Peter 1:17-18). Despite the absence of direct mention of the mount in the New Testament, an ancient Church tradition and belief links the Transfiguration of the Lord with Mount Tabor. The Lord left the rest of His disciples at the foot of the mountain and took with Him to the top the three notable ones, Peter, James and John.  There, unexpectedly “the fashion of his countenance was altered and his raiment was white and glistering” (Luke 9:29), and Moses and Elias appeared and talked with him about his sacrificial death in Jerusalem, and Peter proposed to construct three tents and stay on the mountain, while a bright cloud overshadowed them and a voice from it was heard saying; “This is my beloved Son: hear him” (Luke 9:28-36). According to the Fathers of the Church, The Lord presented His notable disciples – and consequently the Church – with the magnificent countenance of His face, in order to prepare and strengthen them for the mysteries of the Cross and His Resurrection, as well as a reminder of the glory of the created man before the fall which can be regained through faith and communion with Him. It is through Him that the repulsive raiment of the passions of the soul are abolished, replaced by the garments of virtual splendor, decency and graciousness. (Mark 9, 2-29 ||Matthew 14,1 -11) In this Transfiguration are the Lord’s believers called and which was witnessed by the Church Fathers, who like the Apostles gazed at the Glory of the Lord according to their potential, through the experience of the Uncreated Light of His face. The splendid Church of the Transfiguration, which was constructed above the ruins of a former Byzantine church of the time of the memorable Patriarch of Jerusalem Cyril (1865), is located on top of Mount Tabor. The interior walls have been recently ordained with frescoes of fine Byzantine art. We continue driving to Capernaum, (Mark 1,21-2,1-17- Matthew 9,1-18) on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee, home to an ancient Byzantine synagogue and frequently mentioned in the Bible as Jesus' base during his Galilean ministry. Continue to Tabgha, the traditional site of the Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes. Reports of the Evangelists (Mark 9,3-37,1-17 || Matthew 18,1-5) (Mark 6,30-44 ||Matthew 14,13-23). Next stop Lake Tiberius. A multitude of occurrences have been related to the Holy Land, as its natural beauty makes it a much-travelled holy shrine. Lake Tiberias is on the south part of Galilee. It is a small interior sea with salted water, 212 meters below the surface of the Mediterranean. The river Jordan estuary crosses Palestine through the lake and concludes in the Dead Sea. Capernaum, Bethsaida and Magdala were some of the thriving towns surrounding the lake during the Lord’s epoch. The name of the lake in Hebrew and in the Old Testament is Kineret stemming from the word Kinor (violin) because its shape from a sky view looks like a violin. In the Gospels it is called Lake Gennesaret. Churches and monasteries have been built around the lake since the Byzantine era. Of interest to the pilgrims are not only the original sites of gospel related wonders, but also ruins of monuments of the Christian antiquity. Reports of the Evangelists (Τhe call tunisia students (Mark 1,16-20 || Matthew 4,18-22 || Luck 5,1-11) (Parable of the seeds (Mark 4,1-9 || Matthew 13,1-9 || Luck 8,1-8) (Cessation of tempest (Mark 4,35-41 || Matthew 8,23-27) (Walking on the waves Mark 6,45-52 – Matthew 14,22-33). Journey through the Jordan River Valley and ascend the Judean Hills to Mt. Scopus, for panoramic views of Jerusalem. Afterward, continue to Jerusalem for overnight.
Overnight: Bethlehem
Meals: Breakfast - Dinner

The Holy Monastery of Saints Joachim and Anna, the Theotokos’ parents, is located near the pool of Bethesda and the Gate of Gethsemane. The Saints’ housed used to be there. There are caves under the Church where according to the tradition Anna was praying to God for a child. God heard her prayer and Theotokos was born. The Pool of Bethesda. There, the Lord healed the paralyzed man who had been waiting at the walkways of the pool for thirty-eight years without any person’s help when the Angel would come down to “stir the waters”.Holy Monastery of Saint Nicodemus or Saint Peter’s Prison.The monastery is built over the ruins of Simon the Pharisee’s house. Christ was hosted in that house and spoke with Nicodemus who was a secret disciple of His. Nicodemus together with Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilatus to give them the body of Christ for burial after the Sacrifice on the Cross. In a basement under the Holy Church there is Saint Peter’s prison from which he was miraculously freed by an angel. The Holy Monastery is more known as the Monastery of the lentils, because it was used as a place to cook lentils for the workers who were building the Church of the Resurrection. In fact, the big cauldron, the cauldron of Saint Helen, is still kept there. Holy Monastery of Praetorion It is near the Monastery of the lentils and it served as a court at the time of Christ, the Roman Headquarters and the Roman governor Pilatus’ house.  Christ was taken there after he had been seen by Anna and Caiaphas to be judged, and began his martyrdom with the scourging, the scarlet robe, the reed, the mocking and the crown made of thorns (Matthew 27). In the Praetorion area there are Barabbas and the other thieves, and Christ’s jail rooms. The Path of the Martyrdom (Via Dolorosa)This is the Path of the Martyrdom, the path of pain, the way the Lord followed carrying his Cross, coming to his Passion willingly. Before this Path all mankind bows down. The guided tour on Via Dolorosa has the following 14 stops;

Praetorion:  Here,Jesus is condemned to be crucified.
Praetorion: Jesus takes up his Cross
Corner at Al-Wad Street. The first fall of Christ under the burden of the Cross.
Armenian chapel. Jesus meets his mother.
Simon the Cyrene’s house.
Saint Veronica’s house.
The Gate of Condemnation
Christ offers consolation to the young maidens of Jerusalem.
The third fall of Christ. According to the medieval tradition it happened near the entrance of the Church of the Resurrection.
East side of the Temple yard – Armenian-Syrian chapel.
Golgotha – Latin chapel. Jesus is placed on the Cross.
Golgotha – Greek Orthodox chapel. The site of Christ’s Crucifixion and death.
Holy Deposition (Apokathelosis). Joseph of Arimathea removed Christ’s body from the Cross.
Overnight: Bethlehem
Meals: Breakfast - Dinner

The monastery is built on Sarantarion Mountain west of Jericho. It is comprised of the main Church dedicated to the Annunciation and the Chapel-Shrine, a natural cave with a long narrow corridor with chambers on either side. The mountain is full of caves which once hosted numerous anchorites; one cave on the west part of the mountain with a different entrance shape from the rest of the caves is thought to have been the exact location of the Temptation. According to the tradition, here in the desert, Jesus Christ fasted for forty days and was tempted by the devil. The mountain is named after this incident. (Mark 1,12-13 || Matthew 14,1-11). Jericho is the most ancient city of the Holy Land. Its strategic position served as an attraction pole for all people. Christ often went through Jericho each time he travelled to Jerusalem from his home town Galilee. This is witnessed by the incidents with Zacchaeus the publican His meeting with the born-blind man and His last entrance in Jerusalem.

In Jericho there is the monastery of Prophet Elisha who turned the salty waters of the area into drinking waters. The spring with abundant and crystal-clear waters is called “Elisha’s waters” by the Greeks, while the Arabs call it “Ayn el – Sultan”. So, the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake” (4 Kings 2:19-22). The aforementioned spring is the one of which the waters were healed. The citizens of Jericho drink water from the same spring to this day. On the courtyard of the monastery there is the Zacchaeus’ sycamore tree. It is the sycamore tree on which the publican Zacchaeus climbed to see Jesus passing by. (Luck 19,1-10).

Next stop is the river Jordan is the renowned river of Palestine and the most famous of the Holy Land. Three co-joined rivers comprise this most historical river. These three rivers form the lake of Gennesaret or sea of Tiberias. Sprouting from it, the river Jordan forms many streams and smaller rivers which conclude into the Dead Sea. Christ Himself was baptized on the waters of the river making it the holiest of the Christian Shrines since then. (Matthew 3,13-17|| Mark 1,9-11 || Luck 3.21-22) The Pilgrims’ baptism at the river Jordan has been established since the beginning of the Christian time, while the water, the holy water, is transferred to all Christian places worldwide. The pilgrims who are baptized at the “walking site” are bestowed the title “Hatzides”.

Last stop for our day is one of the oldest Monasteries of Palestine is the Holy Monastery of Saint Gerasimos of the Jordan, which was built in 455 by Saint Gerasimos himself. The monastery is built on the south-east valley of Jericho. The exact place of Christ’s baptism, as well as the Dead Sea is nearby, the place where the ancient cities Sodom and Gomorra used to be. The monastery stands majestically 400 meters above the surface of the Mediterranean Sea. On its north side there is a three-aisled church dedicated to Saint Gerasimos, Saint Euthymios, Saint Zosimas and Saint Mary of Egypt. According to the tradition, the Theotokos with Christ as baby and Saint Joseph were accommodated for a short while in that place and the following incident happened. That was also the hiding place of a chief bandit. He threatened the other bandits not to harm that family or else they would deal with him. In the evening Theotokos bathed Christ. The chief bandit’s wife took the used water and bathed her ill son with it. The child was instantly healed. It is said that that boy was the bandit who was crucified on Christ’s right-hand side and was granted life in Heaven. That area is also called the area of the grouse (Deir Jajla). It received that name after the Theotokos. When people saw her passing by, they said she walked like a grouse. Someone characteristically said “this woman is so beautiful! If there is a Mother of God it must be her”. Saint Gerasimos he is always portrayed with a lion, which having been cured by the Saint became his loyal and inseparable novice, helping him with the workload of the monastery.
Overnight: Bethlehem
Meals: Breakfast - Dinner

The name Gethsemane stems from the Hebrew Gat-Semen which means olive press factory. The kidron at the far end of Gethsemane is called “Brook Kidron” and according to the Christian tradition it is the place of God’s last judgment. Another name of the kidron is “Josaphat’s valley”. The name Josaphat comes from the Hebrew words Jahve-Sophot, meaning “God judges”; this was a name given from Prophet Joel (3:2).

According to the New Testament, the path of the Christ’s martyrdom began from Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36, Mark 14:32, Luke 22:39, John 18). There, Christ prayed before His Passion, received the kiss of betrayal from Judas, was seized by Pilatus’ soldiers the crowd and the Pharisee’s servants. From the 4^th century onwards the mapped relation of the place with the above-mentioned events made it a holy Christian shrine.

The hearts of the faithful Orthodox Christians are filled with reverence and appropriate devotion towards the most pure Mother of our God and Savior Jesus Christ. Consequently, from the time of Christian antiquity the Church has been honoring Theotokos accordingly, while the mother of Churches (Jerusalem), hosts as a most precious pearl her Holy and Sacred Tomb and guards it like the pupil of an eye. The Apostles carried the sacred body of Theotokos from Zion to this Tomb for the burial after her Dormition, and from the first Christian year a cross-shaped Church was built around it with a modest and unsophisticated cubicle surrounding the Holy Tomb.

The Holy Monastery of Saint Stephen was the first Christian martyr as he was stoned to death for his belief in Christ. The Church has canonized him as the first-martyr Saint. (The actions of the Apostles 5,8-54,8,1-3)

The Mount of Olives is the highest mountain in the suburbs of Jerusalem, 730 metres over the surface of the Mediterranean, comprising of a mountain range with three peaks; The South peak of the Ascension of Christ, around which all the Christian Shrines of the Mount of Olives are gathered.

  The Place of the Ascension It is placed on the South peak of the Mount of Until now the Site of the Ascension is under a Moslem Registrar’s occupation. It is a square cubicle encompassing a stone with the right footprint of the Lord, which was imprinted there at the time of His Ascension. In the recent years, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate has built a small church opposite the Site of the Ascension in honor of this event. (Mark 16,19-20|| Luck 24,50-53)

The Small Galilee At the same peak of the Mount of Olives, which is also called “small Galilee” there are monasteries which were built during the 5^th and 6^th centuries. At present the place belongs to the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem with the following preserved buildings;

a)      A church dedicated to the Apostles, the “Men of Galilee”

b)      Christ’s dinner Table

c)       The church of Theotokos

Overnight: Bethlehem
Meals: Breakfast - Dinner

Today we will start our day with a ceremony at the Monastery of Saint Anthony. Adjacent to the northern wall of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher complex in the Old City of Jerusalem. It currently serves as the headquarters of the archdiocese/patriarchate. The patriarchate complex includes five churches:

St Anthony's Church: the main church of the monastery.

St Bishoy's Church: inside the monastery.

St Mary's Church: inside the monastery

St Helena's Church (Queen Helena's Church, also spelt Helen): at the entrance of the complex, with a belowground cistern.

St Jacob's Church: beneath the complex

Next stop will be the hill of Holy Zion hosts the tomb of King-Prophet David and the Cenacle (also known as the “Upper Room”) the place where the Lord had the Last Supper (Mark 14,12-26||Matthew 21,1-9) || Luck  22,7-23|| John’s 13,21-30)  and where at Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came down to the Apostles like tongues of fire. Here was Saint John the Evangelist’s house in which Theotokos slept in the Lord, and from this place the Apostles moved her body to Gethsemane for her burial. We will continue to see the city of David, the Mosque of Al Aqsa the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock after  that we will continue for the Western Wall

We continue for the Holy Monastery of Saint Onoufrios is located south of Siloam’s pool near the Holy City, built on the potter’s field or the “field of blood” which was bought for the foreigner’s burial with the thirty silver coins the denounced Judas returned to the Pharisees. What can be seen at the monastery; * The place where Prophet Elijah was jagged and his tomb. * The cave-hermitage of Saint Onoufrios. * According to the tradition the Saint visited the Holy Land to venerate the Holy Shrines and receive the blessing to retreat in the desert. *Saint Iouvenalios’ tomb; he was the forty forth Patriarch of Jerusalem (442-458). * Catacombs with holy relics of martyrs who died by Persian raids and Crusaders.The foundation of the monastery dates back to the Byzantine years of Palestine. The Holy Altar of the church stands on the spot where according to the Christian tradition Lot planted the tree used to structure Christ’s Cross.
Overnight: Bethlehem
Meals: Breakfast - Dinner

After breakfast, we drive to the famous for Lazarus’ resurrection town of Bethany is located east of the Mount of Olives. Lazarus’ tomb is kept there.  Four hundred meters away from the tomb there are ruins of a building that is said to have been Martha and Mary’s house and where there used to be a church. On the south-east side of the town, on the way towards the river Jordan, there is a rock in the shape of the back of a donkey. It is said that Christ sat on that rock before entering the town and Lazarus’ sister, Martha, met Him there and falling at His feet told him; “if you had been here my brother would not have died” (John 11:21). Lazarus’ mention is found in the Gospel of Saint John the Evangelist “Now, a certain man was sick…” (John 11). The tomb belongs to the Muslims at present and its entrance is at the bottom of 24 steep steps which were carved in the rock in the 17^th century. Our next station will be the Holy Monastery of Saint Theodosius the Cenobiarch is located east of Bethlehem at the beginning of the desert, on the ancient main road that leads to the desert of the river Jordan and the Dead Sea. Today’s monastery is built on the location of the ancient coenobitic Monastery founded by Saint Theodosius in the 5^th century. After the foundation of the Monastery, Saint Theodosius’ mission begins, receiving similar credit and recognition to those of Saint Savvas the Sanctified and Great Euthymios, not only from the Church of Jerusalem and the monasteries of Palestine but from all Orthodox Church. The Holy Shrine of the Cave is of great interest, as according to the tradition it is the place where the three Wise Men stayed overnight returning from Bethlehem. The cave is natural with a few engraved places and it has gradually been used as a church and a burial ground. Buried in marble sarcophaguses along the cave walls, are the founder of the monastery Sophronios Patriarch of Jerusalem, his successor and renowned Patriarch of Jerusalem Saint Kopris, Saint Sophia – the mother of Saint Savvas, Saint Theodoti – the mother of Saint Unmercenaries, the mother of Saint Panteleimon, Saints Xenophon and Maria and other exceptional figures of the Palestine monasticism.  At that time there was a tradition by word of mouth that the three Wise Men stayed overnight in one of the caves of the area when “being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way”
Next stop is one of the most important monasteries in the desert of Judea is the Lavra of Saint Savvas the Sanctified. The relic of the Saint is kept in the main 6^th century church which is a Basilica with a dome. The first cave-Church, dedicated to Saint Nikolaos was inaugurated by the founder Saint Savvas in 484.In the Lavra there are also the hermitages of Saints Savvas and John of Damascus. Saint John wrote most of his theological writings in the Great Lavra which was founded by Saint Savvas in 485 A.D
Overnight: Bethlehem
Meals: Breakfast - Dinner

After breakfast we will visit Bethlehem of Judea, the city which irreversibly engraved the history of mankind. In Hebrew the name Bethlehem means the house of bread, the Bread of life. According to the gospels of Matthew (2:1) and Luke (2:1-20), it is the birth place of Jesus. The interior of the Basilica is sustained to its original form to this day. Most of the nativity cave is engraved on the natural rock while the remaining part is built. After that we will visit the Coptic convent in Bethlehem.

Next stop is the holy Monastery of the Shepherds in Beit Sahur. The village Beit Sahur is located almost one kilometer east of Bethlehem in a small valley with the Shepherds’ olive tree fields; some of the trees are 2000 years old. That was the cave of the Shepherds who on Christmas night heard the Angels’ hymn: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14).

Last stop of the day is The Holy Monastery of Prophet Elijah is on the way to Bethlehem. The monastery has kept many traditions such as the following;

·        The three Wise Men from the East had reached the site of the Monastery having lost their way, when suddenly they saw a bright star redirecting them towards the birth place of Christ. Near the monastery there is the cistern of the Wise Men.

·        In this place Joseph brought the Theotokos in order to abandon her when he found out about her pregnancy. However, an Angel appeared to him and changed his plans by informing him that the conception was “from the Holy Ghost” (Matthew 1:20-21).

·        Prophet Elijah had slept on that place on his attempt to escape the rage of the irreverent king Ahab and his wife Jezebel. An angel of the Lord told him then: “Arise, eat because the journey is too great for you” (1 Kings 19:7).
Overnight: Jerusalem
Meals: Breakfast - Dinner

Breakfast and departure for the airport after we are done with the formal procedures. We will depart back home 

Meals: Breakfast