Pilgrimage Itinerary

Day 1

Morning check-in at Dublin airport for Turkish Airlines flight to Tel Aviv via Istanbul. Depart Dublin at 11:05, arrive into Istanbul 18:30. Connect with onward flight to Tel Aviv departing at 20:25, arriving into Tel Aviv at 21:35. Coach transfer to Galilee. Check into the Restal Hotel in Tiberias for 4 nights, dinner, bed & breakfast.

Day 2

Drive along by the Sea of Galilee to the Mount of Beatitudes for Mass and full reading of the Beatitudes. Visit Capernaum to see the old Synagogue and the excavations of St Peters house. Afternoon visit the church of the Primacy by the seashore, and the site of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fish at Tabgha. Boat trip on the Sea of Galilee to Tiberias with relevant Bible readings. Return to hotel for dinner.

Day 3

Drive to Cana and visit the church of the Wedding Feast – site of Jesus’ first miracle. Renewal of Marriage Vows for married couples on the trip. Continue to Nazareth and visit the Basilica of the Annunciation and celebrate Mass. See the Cave – home of the Holy Family, St Josephs workshop and Marys Well. Visit the ruins of Old Sepphoris and see the Roman Theatre, Crusader Fort, and the Synagogue. Return to hotel for dinner.

Day 4

Morning drive to Mount Tabor and ascend by taxi for Mass at the church of the Transfiguration. Enjoy the view of the Armageddon Valley. Visit Yardinet Baptism site on the River Jordan and renew our Baptismal Vows. Afternoon free in Tiberias.

Day 5

Drive along the Jordan Valley into Jericho. Here we can see the Mount of Temptation and the Sycamore tree of Zacchaeus. Continue to the Dead Sea – the lowest place on Earth, and enjoy a “dip” near Qumran – where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. Drive by the Inn of the Good Samaritan, to Bethany for our Mass, and visit Tomb of Lazarus. Drive to the Manger Square Hotel in Bethlehem, for 5 nights, dinner, bed & breakfast.

Day 6

Full day in Bethlehem. Visit to the Church of the Nativity for Mass. See the birthplace of Jesus, and the Holy Manger. See also the churches of St Jerome, St Helen, and the Holy Innocents. Afternoon visits to the Milk Grotto, and the Shepherds Fields. Dinner at hotel.

Day 7

Drive to Jerusalem. On the Mount of Olives, group photo, and view the Old City. Visit the Ascension Dome, Pater Noster church, Dominus Flevit, Assumption church and Grotto and the Garden of Gethsemane. Afternoon visit church of St Peter in Gallicantu – church of the CockCrow, for Mass. See the dungeon where Jesus was held on Holy Thursday night. Walk around Mount Zion and visit the church of the Dormition, Tomb of David, and Room of the Last Supper. Dinner at hotel.

Day 8

Morning in the Old City of Jerusalem. Visit church of St Anne and nearby, see the Pool of Bethesda. Walk the Via Dolorosa to the church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Rock of Calvary. Mass in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Visit the Western Wall. Afternoon visit the Model of Old Jerusalem and Shrine of the Book. Dinner at hotel.

Day 9

Drive to Ein Karem and visit the church of the Visitation. Celebrate Mass in the church of St John the Baptist. Afternoon free in Jerusalem. Final dinner at hotel.

Day 10

Early breakfast. Drive to Tel Aviv airport for return flights to Dublin via Istanbul, Depart Tel Aviv 08:50, arrive into Istanbul at 12:20. Depart Istanbul 14:05 and arrive into Dublin at 15:45.