The HOLY LANDS (Egypt & Israel)

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

On our trip to the Holy Lands, we visit among other sites:

1. The Pyramids of Giza in Egypt – one of the seven wonders of the Ancient World
2. The old / Coptic Cairo – Where the Holy Family lived when they were in exile in Egypt
3. An Oasis believed to be at The place where Moses hit a rock and out of it came water
4. Mt. Sinai – We climb this mountain where Moses went up to receive the Ten commandments
5. St. Catherines Monestry – believed to be at the point where the Israelites camped as they waited for Moses to go up Mt. Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments / the place where the Israelites made a golden calf and worshipped it, angering Moses. It is at the same point where  the burning bush is believed to have been
6. Ein Gedi – An oasis where King David came to hide from the wrath of King Saul
7. Massada – where Kind Herod built a magnificent palace in the middle of the desert
8. Lot’s wife pillar of salt
9. The Dead Sea (believed to have been formed out of Angel Gabriel’s wing flip of Sodom & Gomora – buried under out of God’s anger!) – the lowest point on earth @ approx. 411 m below sea level!
10. Jericho – The oldest city in the world! We also visit the ruins of the tumbled walls (ref. Joshua)
11. The Sycamore tree which Zacheus climbed to see Jesus (in Jericho)

Jerusalem & Bethlehem

1. The church of Nativity – built over the site of the Manger where Jesus was laid on birth
2. The Grotto of Nativity – The cave in which Christ was born (in it is the altar of nativity, which marks the birth place; The chapel of the crib – where the newly born Christ was laid, and The altar of Maggi – in memory of the three wise men)
3. The Milk Grotto – A small cave near the church of nativity believed to have been the place where the Holy family rested when they were fleeing to Egypt)
4. House of St. Joseph – Believed to be the place where the Holy Family lived before they were told to flee
5. The Shepherds field – caves for animals and the shepherds
6. Mt. Zion which houses:

* The room of the Last supper (the descent of the Holy Spirit)
* The Tomb of King David
* The area that Mary mother of Jesus lived after the death of her son, till her death

1. Ein Karem – believed to be the area where Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and informed her of Her cousin’s pregnancy (Elizabeth) with John (the Baptist). The area houses the Church of Visitation  - believed to be constructed at where John the Baptist was hid when King Herod authorized the killings of all baby boys at the birth of Jesus Christ
2. The home of John the Baptist
3. The wailing wall – Jew’s holiest place of prayer
4. The Garden of Gethsemane – On Mount of Olives (the place where Jesus walked with His disciples after the last supper to begin the last step of our salvation). Here, we visit the church of Agony, constructed at the spot where Christ was praying when his sweat became like blood
5. The Olive garden where the disciples were left as Christ prayed
6. Kidron Valley – Believed to be the resurrection place - faces the Golden Gate of Jerusalem. Jesus was led through this valley after his arrest!
7. The way of the cross (via Dolorosa) – this is the path at that Jesus took on the way to Calvary to be crucified

The Holy Sepulchre

1. Golgotha – where they crucified Him!
2. The temple of Divestiture – where they stripped our Lord of His clothes and divided them among themselves
3. The spot where Jesus’ cross stood
4. The bedrock of Calvary (has a split of a rock believed to have been caused by the earthquake that shook the earth when Christ died) 
5. The anointing stone where Christ was laid from the cross to prepare his body for burial
6. The Tomb where Jesus was laid (Joseph’s Tomb)

Nazareth

1. From Jerusalem, pass through Emmaus – the village where two disciples walked with Jesus after resurrection (it is here that Christ revealed himself to the disciples, where there is the house of Cleopas)
2. Nazareth is the home city of the Holy Family
3. Basilica of annunciation – constructed at the place where Mary received the message that she will become the mother of the Messiah from Angel Gabriel
4. Mt. Carmel – the contest of Elijah and 350 priests of Baal (the god of Canaanites)
5. Cana – Jesus’ first Miracle at a wedding (water to wine)

The Sea of Galilee 

1. Where Peter removed a coin from a Fish’s mouth to pay temple tax
2. The place where Christ fed 5000 men with two fish and five loaves of bread
3. The sea where Jesus met with His disciples after resurrection – where he told them to cast their net to the right side of the boat having had not caught anything and they caught lots of fish!

Capernaum

1. The town where Jesus spent most of his ministry time having been rejected in Nazareth
2. It is here that Jesus called His Disciples, healed the sick and raised the dead!
3. Mount of Beatitudes – It is here that Jesus delivered the sermon on the Mount, taught his Disciples how to pray
4. River Jordan – Where Christ was baptized