Coptic Orthodox 9 Days Program

Coptic Orthodox  9 Days Program

Day 1

Tel Aviv Ben Gurion - Nazareth 

Meet and assist by your tour guide and the bus driver upon arrival at Tel Aviv Ben Gurion airport. Transfer to your hotel in Nazareth.

Day 2

Nazareth - Cana - Mount Tabor 

Breakfast at the hotel. We visit Nazareth, where the Angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she was to give birth to the Son of God. Visit the Basilica of the Annunciation including the Grotto, the Chapel of St. Joseph and the Old Synagogue. Also visit the Church of St. Gabriel (Mary's Well), which is built over the only freshwater spring in Nazareth, a place where Mary and Jesus must have visited to draw their daily water supply. We will also visit the Holy Caves in Nazareth, the center of ancient Nazareth. The caves are part of an underground city built over centuries by Jews & Christians trying to escape persecution. Visit the Coptic Annunciation Church.

We proceed to Cana of Galilee to visit the wedding church where Jesus performed His first miracle of turning water into wine during a wedding party (John 2:1-11). We then proceed to Mount Tabor, which according to a very old tradition going back to apostolic days, is the place where Jesus was transfigured. Ascending by taxis micro-buses up to the summit to visit the Basilica of Transfiguration,  and to see the magnificent view across the plain of Jezreel. Back to our bus and return to our hotel in Nazareth for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 3  

Sea of Galilee - River Jordan  

In the morning we will check out of the hotel and visit Mount of Beatitudes which commemorates the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew  5:1-12). Continue to Capharnaum “The Town of Jesus” where he carried out the major part of his Ministry. Jesus told Peter and Andrew “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:12-22), He cured the Demoniac (Mark 1:21-28), He cured Peter’s mother in law (Mark 1:21). He cured the Roman Centurion’s servant (Luke 1:1-10) and here Jesus made the promise of the Eucharist (John 6:22-71). We will visit the excavations and St. Peter's Church. Then we will take a boat cruise in a traditional Jesus Boat from Ein Gev to Ginosar. We will have a pause on the water for prayer and reflection. 

Lunch at Kibbutz Ein Gev (included).  

We will then continue to the Church of the Primacy of St. Peter (John 21:1-14) followed by Tabgha, the site where the Lord fed the 5,000 with five loaves and two fish (John 6:1-13). We proceed to the Baptismal site on the  River Jordan where we will have the opportunity to renew our Baptismal vows. Dinner and overnight in Nazareth. 

Day 4 

Nazareth – Akko – Muhraka - Haifa – Caesarea - Tel Aviv  

Check out hotel – Drive to Akko the fortified Crusaders city which was called during Jesus times "Ptolemais" and was a station on St Paul's naval travel when he arrived from Tyre (Acts 21:7). Later on, we continue to visit Muhraka (the burning place) where the prophet Elijah confronted the Baal false prophets to prove to them who is the true God. Continue to the beautiful city Haifa where we will visit the Monastery Of The Carmel Order and their church called "Stella Maris" which is built over a cave believed to be the place where the prophet Elijah prayed and asked God to end the drought of three years and six months. In Haifa city, we will enjoy visiting the "Bahai Gardens" overlooking all of Haifa bay, Akko and the border between Israel and Lebanon. In Haifa, we are going to pass by the German Colony built in the  19th century. Continue to Tel Aviv passing by "Caesarea Maritime" built in the year 22 BC. Cornelius the Centurion who called St Peter to come and baptize him. In Caesarea, we'll visit only the Aqueduct (water carrier). Continue to Tel Aviv city to check in our hotel.

Day 5

Tel Aviv – Lod – Ein Karem – Jerusalem – Bethlehem

Check our hotel – Visiting St Peter's Church which commemorates the vision given to Peter and the resurrection of Tabitha (Acts 9:40). We will go down to the ancient port to see the place where Jona sailed to Tarshish disobeying God's will. Continue to the small town Lod (Lyda) to visit St George Church (St George Al-Romany) and his tomb. Continue to Ein Karem the home of Zachary and Elizabeth, the parents of John the Baptist and Where Mary visited her cousin. Visit the Church of Visitation and the church of St. John the Baptist.  

  – Continue to Jerusalem to visit the house of the High Priest Caiaphas and the dungeon where he was imprisoned before his trial. It is also here that Peter denied knowing Jesus thrice (Luke 22: 54-62). We will then continue to check in our hotel at Notre Dame in Jerusalem.

Dinner and overnight.

Day 6

Bethphage - Mount of Olives - Mount Sion -  Bethany

After Breakfast, Drive to Beth-Fage the Traditional Site where Jesus mounted on the donkey and started his Palm Sunday Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. Then to the Mount of Olives to view the Place of the Ascension (Luke 24: 50-52) and the Pater Noster where traditionally Our Lord taught His Disciples the Lord’s Prayer (Matt. 6: 7-15). You can find there 173 "Our Father" prayer in different languages. Descend by foot to the chapel of Dominus Flevit for a visit. Here Jesus wept over the City and foretold its destruction (Luke 19:41-44).  Continue walking along the Palm Sunday Path to the Garden of Gethsemane and the Church of All Nations. Here Our Lord began His agony, was betrayed and arrested (Luke 22: 22-54). We will visit the tomb of Mary just a few meters away from the Gethsemane church. Continue to the wailing wall (the western wall) the last remnant from the Temple Mount period. Then we continue to Mt.  Sion to visit the Upper Room,  also known as the Cenacle, We will then continue to visit the Dormition Abbey. Drive Bethany to visit Lazarus tomb. Return to your hotel in Jerusalem for dinner and overnight.  

Day 7

Jerusalem – Bethlehem  

In the early morning, we will enter the  Old City walking towards the Holy Sepulchre church to celebrate a Holy Mass starting at 05:30 AM with the Coptic Orthodox Church local priests and the Bishop. We will then proceed to the Church of St. Anne and the Pool of Bethesda. Continue to the Tower of Antonia where Our Lord was condemned  and the Church of the Flagellation from where we will follow the Stations of the Cross (Via Dolorosa) ending inside the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre enshrining Calvary and the Holy  Tomb. We will also visit the community on the roof of the church and see St Anthony (Patriarchate) and the Coptic Church at the 9th station of the Cross.  

In the afternoon we'll go to visit the Nativity church in Bethlehem the birthplace of Jesus Christ. We will also visit the Shepherds field and the milk grotto church.

Day 8 

Jericho - the Dead Sea - Wadi Qelt

Drive through the Judean Desert to Jericho to visit the Orthodox Church, which is built on Mount of Temptation commemorating the temptations and the fasting of Jesus 40 Nights and Days. We'll ascend by a cable car and then walk up the stairs to reach the church. In Jericho, Jesus met Zacchaeus the tax collector who was a short man and climbed up the Sycamore tree to see Jesus. We are going to visit the Coptic Church built over the tomb of Zacchaeus. We'll see the Sycamore tree. In the Jericho area, Jesus healed the blind man Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46).  After Jericho, we will be heading to the original site of the baptism where Jesus Christ himself was baptized by St John the Baptist. In this place, Elijah ascended to heaven and in this place, the Israelites led by Joshua Ben None passed the Jordan river to the other side heading to conquer Jericho the fortified city surrounded by strong walls.

We then drive to a private beach located on the Dead Sea shores to try floating on the surface of the water (33% salt and minerals). On our way back we'll have a short stop at Wadi Qelt area to have a beautiful panoramic view of the valley and St George magnificent monastery built there commemorating the prophet Elijah who was fed by ravens in that area. Continue to Bethany to visit Lazarus Tomb. We then return to our hotel in Jerusalem for dinner and overnight stay.  

Day 9 

TEL AVIV BEN GURION AIRPORT  

This morning we check out from the hotel & leave Jerusalem. 

Our coach will then take us to Tel Aviv airport where you will say farewell to your guide and driver.  

**THE LAST DAYS ITINERARY IS SUBJECT TO FLIGHT TIMES**

+++ Wishing you a memorable Pilgrim +++