Holy Easter Tour 2023

March 30th, Thursday – Welcome to Israel

Arrival to Israel

The guide will meet and assist the group

Transfer to hotel in Tel Aviv

Overnight and Dinner Tel Aviv at Tal hotel

 

March 31st, Friday – The Coast/Nazareth

Breakfast at hotel

Visit Caesarea National Park

Visit the Muhraka Monastery (Elijah vs. Prophets of Baal)

Have lunch on your own at a Druze Restaurant on Mt Carmel

Visit Tel Megiddo in the Valley of Armageddon

Visit Nazareth (City Square, Church of the Annunciation, Church of St. Joseph)

Time permitting, we’ll stop in Cana of Galilee and visit the Church of the Wedding.

Dinner and overnight: Tiberias at Kibbutz Hagoshrim or Ein Gev

 

April 1st, Saturday – Sea of Galilee

Breakfast at hotel

09:15: Enjoy a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee from Ginosar to Ginosar (Holy Land Sailing: 04-672-3006)

Visit the 1st-century boat at Ginosar

Walk through the Arbel Pass, Jesus’ passageway into the Galilee

Lookout over Magdala, the home of Mary Magdalene

Visit the scene of John 21 at the Church of the Primacy of Peter

Visit Capernaum, mentioned more times than any other city in the NT.

Experience Bethsaida (home to 5 of the 12 disciples)

Enjoy a time of prayer at the Mount of Beatitudes

Enjoy Friday night dinner together

Dinner and overnight: Kibbutz Hagoshrim or Ein Gev

 

April 2nd, Sunday – Golan Heights/Baptism in Qaser El Yehud

Breakfast at hotel

Visit Caesarea Phillipi (“Upon this Rock”)

Visit the Mt Bental Volcano in the Golan Heights and look out over the Road to Damascus.

Visit Tel Yizrael (ancient Jezreel & Naboth's Vineyard)

See the Harod Spring, where Gideon chose his men

Drive down the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea

Visit Qasr el Yahud Baptismal Site, the most likely spot where John the Baptist baptized early disciples.

End the day in Jerusalem at Lady Stern hotel

Overnight and dinner at Lady Stern hotel

 

April 3rd, Monday – Masada and the Dead Sea

Breakfast at hotel

Visit Qumran where the Dead Sea scrolls were found

Masada ascend and descend via cable car

Hike in Ein Gedi

Float in the Dead Sea

Overnight and Dinner Jerusalem at Lady Stern hotel

 

April 4th, Tuesday – Bethlehem/Jericho

Breakfast at hotel

Visit Bethlehem including Manger Square, Church of the Nativity, Shepherds’ Field, and Milky way

Visit Bethany

Visit Jericho the oldest city in the world including Mt Temptation

Sound and Light show and David’s Tower

Overnight and Dinner Jerusalem at Lady Stern hotel

 

April 5th, Wednesday – Jerusalem Old City

Breakfast at hotel

Look out Jerusalem from Mt of Olives

Church of All Nations

Garden of Gethsemane possible with communion

Jewish quarter including the Broad Wall

View the Temple Mt

Room of Last Supper

King David’s Tomb

Via Dolorosa

Holy Sepulcher

Exit via the colorful Arab Market

Overnight and Dinner Jerusalem Lady Stern hotel

 

April 6th, Holy Thursday

Breakfast at hotel

The washing of the feet is a tradition in imitation of Jesus washing his disciples’ feet.

Church of the Holy Sepulcher 8:00 am — Pontifical Mass (Supper of the Lord & Mass of the Chrism), Procession of the Blessed Sacrament in and around the Old City

3:10 pm — Pilgrimage from St. Savior’s Church (from the entrance from St. Francis Street) to the Cenacle, St. James and St. Mark followed by service with the Washing of the Feet

9:00 pm — Holy Hour in different languages at the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives followed by private prayer in silence

Overnight and Dinner Jerusalem Lady Stern hotel

 

April 7th, Good Friday

7:15 am — Celebration of the Passion of Christ on Calvary in the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher

12:15 pm — Procession of the Way of the Cross at the Via Dolorosa with the Franciscan Fathers

8:10 pm — “Funeral Procession” in the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher 

The Garden Tomb

For Protestants, there is a Good Friday meditative service (English) at the Garden Tomb.

Overnight and Dinner Jerusalem Lady Stern hotel

 

April 8th, Holy Saturday

The Church of the Holy Sepulcher

6:30 am — Easter Vigil

3:30 pm: Entry and solemn procession

6:00 pm — Solemn Vespers at the Holy Tomb

11:30 am (Sunday) — Pontifical celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours at the Altar of Mary Magdalene, presided by the Custos of the Holy Land

Late Saturday night is the Holy Fire ceremony. Thousands await the miraculous lighting of the Patriarch’s candle from within the tomb. Caution is advised since the crowds tend to be tight and there has been violence in recent years.

The Garden Tomb

Resurrection Service (Arabic with simultaneous translation to English)

In and around the Old City

A parade of Armenian marching bands including bagpipes and drums proceed with the Patriarch and priests to the Holy Sepulcher.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land typically holds an Easter sunrise service in English at 5:30 am in the outdoor chapel at the Augusta Victoria Hospital on the Lutheran World Federation Mount of Olives campus.  The service will be followed by breakfast, and a 15 NIS donation is suggested.

Overnight and Dinner Jerusalem Lady Stern hotel

 

April 9th, Easter Sunday

The Church of the Holy Sepulcher

10:00 am — Entry of the Latin Patriarch, H.B. Fuad Twal

10:30 am — Pontifical mass and procession

5:00 pm — Daily Procession

The Garden Tomb

Sunrise services in English

Resurrection service in English

Overnight and Dinner Jerusalem Lady Stern hotel

April 10th, Easter Monday

8:00 am — Jerusalem Holy Sepulcher: Daily Solemn Mass

10:00 am — Emmaus Qubeibeh: Pontifical Mass & Blessing of bread presided by the Custos

2:30 pm — Emmaus Qubeibeh: Vespers & Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

5:00 pm — Jerusalem Holy Sepulcher: Daily Procession

Farewell dinner in Jerusalem

Transfer to airport