2027-03-20 HL1206 Holy Week and Easter pilgrimage to the Holy Land

Depart London on our direct flight with El Al to Tel Aviv. Upon arrival in the Holy Land, you will be warmly welcomed by our pilgrimage guide and transferred by coach to our hotel in Bethlehem. After check-in, you may have time to relax and settle in following your long journey. Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, will be our home for the next three nights before we continue north through Galilee as our pilgrimage unfolds. This evening, we gather together for our first dinner in the Holy Land, marking the beginning of our very special 10-day pilgrimage together in the Holy Land.

Following breakfast, we walk to Manger Square and enter the magnificent Basilica of the Nativity. Before the crowds arrive, we descend into the sacred Grotto of the Nativity, where a silver star marks the traditional birthplace of Our Lord Jesus. Many people cry quietly here filled with overwhelming emotion, peace and joy of fulfilment to get closer in contact with sacred history. Afterwards, we tour the basilica visiting the Franciscan Church of the Nativity; the beautiful church of St Catherine; St Jerome’s’ Cave and tomb and St Joseph’s Grotto where we celebrate Holy Mass. We give you a moment to pray at the church. We then visit the Milk Grotto, one of Bethlehem’s most cherished shrines. Following lunch, we travel to Jerusalem and ascend the Mount of Olives to join thousands of pilgrims taking part in the joyful Palm Sunday Procession, led by the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem. The procession concludes at St Anne’s Basilica, where we visit the traditional birthplace of Our Lady and the nearby Pools of Bethesda, where Jesus healed the paralysed man. Drive back to our hotel in Bethlehem. Evening dinner and overnight stay.

We begin the day travelling to Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives. Descending on foot, we first visit the Assumption Dome followed by Pater Noster where Jesus taught His disciples the prayer ‘Our Father’. Continuing our descent, we visit Dominus Flevit where Jesus wept when he foresaw the destruction of Jerusalem. Here we may appreciate the panoramic view of Jerusalem’s iconic Lion’s Gate. We celebrate Holy Mass here. Continue to the Garden of Gethsemane and the Basilica of the Agony where Jesus spent the last night with His disciples before he was arrested. We may join the holy hour here before returning to our hotel in Bethlehem. Evening dinner at the hotel and overnight stay.

Today we check-out from our hotel and drive up north along the Jordan Valley to Jericho. Here we visit the Mt of Temptation and the ancient Zacchaeus’ Sycamore Tree, before proceeding to Mt Tabor; to visit the beautiful Church of the Transfiguration on the summit, we travel to the summit by taxi (mini vans). Continue to Nazareth and visit the magnificent Basilica of Annunciation and the Grotto below where the Annunciation took place. We spend time to pray in front of the Grotto, and we celebrate Holy Mass here. Continue to visit the beautiful church of St Joseph’s and his Grotto and workshop located directly beneath the church. Walk across the road to view the ancient Synagogue of Jesus where he studied and prayed. Continue to Cana and The Church of the Wedding where Jesus performed his first miracle of turning water to wine. Married couples can participate in a ceremony to renew their married vows. Check-in to our hotel in Tiberias. Evening dinner at the hotel and overnight stay here.

We drive to the River Jordan ‘Yardenit’ site for the renewal of Baptismal Vows. Continue to Mount of Beatitudes where the Sermon on the Mount took place and we celebrate Holy Mass here, then visit St Peter’s Primacy where Jesus appeared to the Apostles after His Resurrection and finally visit the Church of the Loaves and Fishes where Jesus fed the five thousand. One of the highlights of our pilgrimage is a peaceful boat crossing on the Sea of Galilee, inviting us to reflect on the many Gospel events that unfolded upon these very waters as Jesus taught His disciples and calmed the storm. Continue to Capernaum - the Town of Jesus - where we visit the Church of Saint Peter and the remains of the ancient synagogue. Driving back south towards Bethlehem we stop in Nablus and we visit Jacob’s Well, where Jesus revealed Himself as the source of Living Water during His encounter with the Samaritan woman. The well lies in the crypt of a modern Greek Orthodox church. Check-in to our hotel in Bethlehem and we stay here for the rest of our pilgrimage. Evening dinner at the hotel.

Very early coach to Jerusalem to the Old City and walk to the Holy Sepulchre Basilica the holiest place for all Catholics. Here we visit the Mt Calvary, the Holy Tomb of the Jesus, the Anointing Stone where pilgrims touch and kiss the marble as a sign of veneration and respect and many place personal items and anoint them with oils taking a piece of the holy blessing home. After lunch we move on to visit the Chapel of the Upper Room, King David’s Tomb and Dormition Abbey the location is identified in Christian tradition as the place where the Virgin Mary fell asleep. We walk down to St Peter’s in Gallicantu, a truly incredible Shrine and visit the dungeon where Jesus was imprisoned after His mock trial on Maundy Thursday night. We celebrate Holy Mass here. Evening dinner at the hotel.

Very early departure to Jerusalem to avoid the huge crowds if possible. We go straight to the Basilica of Ecce Homo and Pilate’s Court where Jesus was tried. This is followed by the Way of the Cross along the Via Dolorosa and finishing inside the Holy Sepulchre. We may take turns carrying the cross, changing at each station. Evening dinner at the hotel.

After breakfast, we begin our day with a visit to the Western Wall, the holiest site in Judaism and the last remaining structure associated with the Second Temple, destroyed in AD 70. Here we reflect on the deep Jewish roots of our Christian faith and the sacred history of God’s covenant with His people. We then travel by coach to Ein Karem, the traditional home of St Elizabeth and St Zechariah. We visit the Church of the Visitation, commemorating the joyful meeting of the Blessed Virgin Mary and her cousin Elizabeth, where Mary proclaimed her beautiful hymn of praise, the Magnificat. We continue on foot to the Basilica of St John the Baptist, where we visit the grotto traditionally honoured as the birthplace of the Forerunner of Christ, whose mission was to prepare the way for the Lord. Returning to our coach, we journey through the Negev Desert to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on Earth. Surrounded by this unique landscape, we have the opportunity to experience the remarkable mineral-rich waters and healing mud for which the Dead Sea is renowned, while reflecting on the biblical wilderness through which God’s people journeyed. We return to our hotel in Jerusalem, where we gather for dinner and enjoy the fellowship of our pilgrimage community as we reflect on the graces of the day. Evening dinner at the hotel.

Very early departure to Jerusalem and proceed to the basilica of the Holy Sepulchre to attend holy Mass. We may spend our time here for the rest of the day. Return to our hotel for dinner and our final night in the Holy Land. Evening dinner at the hotel. Note: Good Friday and Easter Sunday are the busiest time at Easter in the Holy Land there is no guarantee that we can enter the church inside due to the overwhelming crowds and limited spaces. We will do our best by arriving here very early.

Today we check out and travel to Tel Aviv and stop in Jaffa - the ancient port from which so many journeys of faith began. Here we visit St. Peter’s Church where Peter raises a devoted disciple named Tabitha from the dead. Finally, we proceed to the airport for our return journey home, carrying with us the blessings of the Holy Land and confident that the Lord who walked these sacred paths continues to walk with us always. Note: This itinerary is subject to change. We are unable to guarantee the exact day to day order of visits, and it may be possible (but this is unlikely) that one or more visits may need to be amended or omitted due to circumstances beyond our control. The guide may change the order to ensure the smooth running of the pilgrimage. Masses will be arranged each day, and venues will be confirmed according to availability. Errors and Omissions Excepted (E&OE).