Pilgrimage to the Holy Land--the Footsteps of Jesus

Mercy Tours Inc. 6504 28th Street S.E. Suite Q Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546

Tel: 1-877-404-4240 616-942-4773 fax 616-808-3794

Mercy Tours

A Spiritual & Cultural Experience

Day 1 - U.S.A.--Israel

We will leave our home towns today and fly to our East Coast departure city (usually Newark) and connect to our flight to Tel Aviv.

Day 2 - Arrival to Tel Aviv

Upon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv we will meet our tour guides, and transfer to our hotel. We will stay overnight at either the Nazareth or Tiberias hotels; dinner will be served at the hotel.

Day 3 - Caesarea- Haifa- Nazareth- Cana- Tiberias

After our open buffet breakfast we head off to Caesarea Martima, and after that we move on to Haifa to visit the beautiful Shrine of Stella Maris, we will have some time to look around and to enjoy lunch on our own time. Our next stop is Nazerath where we will be visiting the Church of the Annunciation where we will partake in Holy Mass, and after the Mass we will visit the Church museum. We will then take a short walk to the spot where the Arc Angel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary. After that we are off to visit Cana of Galilee and the Wedding Church where couples can renew their vows. At the end of our first day in Isreal we will enjoy a beautiful dinner at either our hotel in Nazareth or Tiberias.

Day 4 - Sea of Galilee- Caesarea Philippi

After breakfast we start our day off with the Renewal of our Baptismal vows at the traditional baptismal site of Yarednit on the Jordan River. Then we are off to Upper Galilee and Caesarea Philippi. On our return to Tiberius we will drive a short distance to the dock where we will embark on a boat ride on the beautiful waters of the Sea of Galilee; as we recite Our Father and sing hymns to the Glory of Our Savoir. After our boat ride we will enjoy a seafood lunch at a nearby lakeside restaurant. Next we will visit the Mt. of Beaitudes where we will have Mass. Then we will visit the Church of the Multiplication and Peter's Primacy. We will return to our hotel in either Nazareth or Tiberias, where we will enjoy dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 5 - Tabor- Jericho- Qumran- Dead Sea- Jerusalem

After breakfast we check out of our hotel and depart for Mt. Tabor. When we reach Mt. Tabor we will have Holy Mass . After Mt. Tabor we will head for Jericho, the oldest inhabited city in the world. In Jericho we will see the Mt. of Temptation and the Judean Desert, we will enjoy some free time and lunch on our own time. After lunch we start our ascent to Jerusalem en route passing the Good Samaritan Inn. After we make it to Jerusalem we will visit Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. We will have some more free time during which we can enjoy a relaxing swim in the Dead Sea, for those who would like to experience floating on water. Others can enjoy the beautiful area, shop, or have refreshments in a cafe. We return to Jerusalem to check into our hotel where we will have dinner and our overnight stay.

Day 6 - Mt. of Olives- St. Peter in Galicantu- Bethlehem- Shepherd Field

After breakfast we start our day with a visit to the Ascension Chapel. Our next stop is the Church of Pater Nostre where Jesus taught the Lord's Prayer- today the prayer has been translated into over 160 languages. We will continue on the Mt. of Olives to a panoramic view of the eternal golden city, we will walk along Palm Sunday road where we will be stopping at Dominus Flevit, the spot from where Jesus wept for the city. We will carry along this road until we reach a Jewish cemetery with a view over the Eastern gates, known as the Thrones of Judgment. Next we will visit the Garden of Gethsemane and the Grotto of Gethsemane. Our next stop is the Church of the Assumption, and then we carry on to visit St Peter in Galicantu. We will have free time to explore and get lunch on our own. After lunch we will visit the Church of the Nativity followed by Mass at St. Catherine's Church with visits to St. Joseph's and St. Jerome's Grotto. On our way back we will stop at Shepherd's Field. Dinner and overnight stay at our hotel in Jerusalem.

Day 7 - Wailing Wall- Temple Mount- St. Anne's Church- Pools of Bethesda- Upper Room and Davids Tomb- Israeli Museum- Ein Kerem

After breakfast we head to the famous Wailing Wall, and after that we leave to visit the Temple Mt. We then visit the Pools of Bethesda where Jesus healed a Paralytic. We then stop at the Church of St. Anne nearby. Next we are off to the Upper Room and David's Tomb. Then we go to the Dormition Abbey where the Blessed Mother fell into an eternal sleep. We will then have some free time for lunch on our own. After lunch we visit the Shrine of Book and the Model city of Jerusalem. Our last stop of the day will be Ein Kerem- the birth place of John the Baptist and the Church of Visitation where we will have Mass. We return to our hotel in Jerusalem for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 8 - Ecce Homo- Via Dolorosa- Holy Sepulcher- Free Afternoon

We start our day very early as we pray at the Stations of the Cross and carry the Holy Cross along the Via Dolorosa. We will then have Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Our next stop is the Church of St. Mark, where Peter took refuge after being released from prison by the Angel of God. There is an Icon of the Blessed Mother and Child, which is believed to be the work of St. Luke, in the church. We will be able to hear one of the priests or nuns chanting the prayer of Our Father, and Hail Mary in Aramaic- the Lord's language. We will have free time to explore the city and have lunch, or anything else we please on our last day in Isreal. We will then return to the hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 9 - Departure

We transfer to the Tel Aviv airport for our flights back home.

Mercy Tours Value includes:

Centrally located hotels.

At least one priest will accompany each group.

Daily Mass & Rosary.

Porterage of one bag per person at hotels.

Full buffet breakfast & dinner daily.

One lunch of St. Peter's fish.

Visits and admissions as outlined.

English-speaking guide to accompany us throughout.

Airport transfers and all ground travel by air-conditioned luxury motor coach.

A small group of 15-25 people.

Not Included

Personal Expenses

Travel Insurance

Drinks at meals

Lunches

Gratuities for guide / driver and hotel staff

Anything not mentioned above

Upcoming dates:

November 11-19, 2011

$1499 + air

Price is per person, double occupancy. Airfare additional. A $300 per person deposit will hold your place, the balance is due 60 days prior to departure. There is no extra charge for late registrations--if we can get you on at the same price then we will do so. A few single rooms are available for an additional $550 per person.

Items not included: Round-trip air to Tel Aviv, lunches (except one), beverages other than water and coffee at meals, tips to driver and guide, personal expenses.

To walk where Jesus walked, visit the places where He preached and taught, celebrate Mass in the land of His birth, is an unforgettable experience that is difficult to put into words. The Bible comes alive as you visit these many holy sites on your 9-day journey. We have chosen to make our Holy Land pilgrimages longer than many other companies offer so that you will truly be able to enjoy your time at the major sites in what is often a once-in-a-lifetime journey. This pilgrimage will have a profound impact on your spiritual life when you stand on this holy ground.

Contact us for special low-cost airfare from your home town. Or call us toll-free at 1-877-404-424

Optional trip insurance is available and highly recommended.

Catholic Holy Land Pilgrimage