Orthodox Tours would like to announce our best-seller Pilgrimage the Holy Land, beginning in Jordan and ending in Jerusalem. The itinerary includes the following cities and major sites:
Capernaum, Nazareth, Bethlehem, Jerusalem (Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Garden of Gethsemane, Mount of Olives, etc.), and Petra (in Jordan). In addition to the “usual” sites that one would expect on such a pilgrimage, we will also have the opportunity to visit significant archeological sites, not to mention Petra, an ancient city that is literally carved into rock cliffs. The Pilgrimage will offer a remarkable opportunity for us to get back to our roots, and to make life-changing connections between the words of our Faith, and the Living Word, Jesus Christ. Invite a friend! Come and see! Space is limited, and offered on a first-come, first-served basis.  

Arrival to Queen Alia International Airport, Amman (Rabath Ammon of Deuteronomy 3), Jordan. Transfer to the hotel Check-in at the hotel. In the evening: welcome dinner and orientation. In case early arrivals a tour of the UNESCO area of the desert Castles may be offer as an option

The first visit of the day will be to Mt. Nebo. The  law-giver Moses observed the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 34) from  this mountain and this is the closest he ever got to the place where he so much desired to be. For lunch, we will return  to Madaba – a little village housing Byzantine Churches with very important mosaics, among them, one depicting  the map of the Holy Land as it would appear to the pilgrims in the sixth century, the Golden Era of the Christian  pilgrimage in the Holy Land. Our last stop of the day will be at Mukawir – site of Herod’s palace, where the  sorrowful events (Matthew 14:1-12, Mark 6:14-27, Luke 9:9) of the end days of St. John the Baptist most likely took place (According to Josephus Flavius). From here we will transfer to the  “rose city” of Petra for dinner and overnight. Overnight: Petr 

Petra (Biblical Sela mentioned in Isaiah 16:1 and the burial place of Aaron, the brother of Moses) is the most intriguing Nabatean city carved in rock  cliffs. This is a historical monument really “one of its kind  anywhere in the world.” We will spend most of the day  exploring ancient ruins and temples, fortifications,  theater, and other buildings carved into the rock. In the  morning, prior to our main visit of the day, we will  explore the site of Little Petra, located just some miles  away from its more famous neighbor. For dinner and  overnight we will remain in Petra. Overnight: Petra 

This morning we will leave Petra  and will be re-tracking our way back to Madaba. Along  the way, we will stop to see Shobak Castle which was  originally called Krak de Montreal or Mons Regalis, and  was the first Crusader outpost beyond the Jordan River.  King Baldwin I of Jerusalem built this mighty castle to guard  the road from Egypt to Damascus. It resisted many sieges,  but in 1189, it fell to Saladin's troops. The towers and walls  are well preserved and decorated with carved Islamic  inscriptions dating back to the 14th century. From here we  will transfer to the deserted Byzantine camp-settlement of  Um Rassas, with the remains of an important monastic  complex where probably the only surviving column of an  ascetic (stylite) still stands. For dinner and overnight we will  arrive to (Madaba  Numbers 21:30 and Joshua 13:9) . 

We will start our day with Divine Liturgy. After breakfast, we will the site that recently was identified as the most  probable place of “Bethany beyond Jordan” (John 1:28) – the place of our Lord’s baptism, also not far from the hill from where  according to tradition St. Prophet Elias (2 Kings 2) ascended to  Heaven in a fiery chariot. The area is historically very  significant and marked with many Byzantine ruins. The  vicinity of the site is also closely associated with the  Venerable Mary of Egypt and her cult is very  prominent among local Christians. Our next stop will be  at the city of Jerash. This city is the location of the  largest and better-preserved ruins of one of the major  cities of the historical and biblical Decapolis. For its  state of preservation, this archeological park has  gained the nickname of “Pompeii of the East”. Transfer  to the border, crossing of the border with Israel. Check-in at the hotel in Nazareth. Dinner and overnight in Nazareth. 

Our pilgrimage will begin with visits to the sites around  the “sea” of Galilee. The first visit of the day will be to  Magdala ( Luke 8:2 ) to see the recently uncovered synagogue from  the time of our Lord; then onto Genosar to see “Jesus’  boat”. From here on to Tabgha (Luke 9:10-17) to pray at the place of  the miraculous multiplication of the loaves and fishes.  In the afternoon, we will visit the ruins of Capernaum, the very  town the Gospel writer calls “His own city” (Matt 9:1) to  see the remains of Peter’s house and the synagogue  where He preached. Adjacent to the ruins that are in  custody of the Franciscans, there is a beautiful church of  the twelve Apostles that we plan to visit as well. Our  last visit of the day will be to Kursi (Luke 8:35), the place where Lord  healed the Gadarine demoniacs and where the herd of swine rushed into the sea and drowned. Overnight:  Nazareth   

Our second day in Galilee, we will start in the town of Nazareth, where the good news to the World were announced by the Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary and where Christ spent his young years with His Most-Holy Mother and the righteous Joseph. There are two important churches in town that share the glory and importance of the event. One is an Orthodox Church built over a well with a spring where according to local tradition the Archangel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary (Luke 1:26-38). Another shrine is the much larger Catholic foundation that is built over the remains of the house of the carpenter Joseph. Just before lunch, we will ascend to Mt. Tabor (Matthew 17:1–8, Mark 9:2–8, Luke 9:28–36 and 2 Peter 1:16–18), the place of the Lord’s glorious and wondrous Transfiguration. From Mt. Tabor we will proceed to the small town of Lod, ancient Lydda, to pray at the tomb of the Holy Great Martyr and Warrior George. After some prayers and the anointing at the tomb of the Holy Marty we will start or ascend toward the Holy City, Jerusalem. The last stop of our day will be at Emmaus Nikopolis (Luke 24:13–35), an ancient site believed to be the place of the apparition of the Risen Lord to His disciples upon His glorious Resurrection. Hotel: Ramat Rachel

Today we will visit the Holy city to pray at the sites associated with our Lord’ passion. Our first stop will be at the church of the Holy Sepulcher, a large ecclesiastical complex, that among other wondrous things, encompasses some of the most important places of the Christendom: the Golgotha (Matthew 27:33, Mark 15:22, Luke 23:33, and John 19:17), the stone of anointing and the Tomb of the Lord, place of His Glorious Resurrection. After our visit to the Church of the Resurrection, we will explore other sites associated with Lord’s Passion: The Judgement gate, the Prison, Lithostrotos (John 19:13), and the sheep’s pool or “Bethesda” (John 5:2) – site where our Lord healed the paralytic (John 5). Our last stop of the day will be at the Tomb of the Theotokos. tucked away at the foot of Mt of Oliver in Kedron Valley. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Jerusalem. Hotel: Ramat Rachel.

After breakfast we will ascend to the Monastery of our Lord’s Ascension (Luke 24:50-53) on Mt. of Olives. We will continue our day by descending Mount of Olives, to the Valley of Kedron following the Entrance of our Lord into Jerusalem and His Saving Passion. Our first stop will be at the “Tomb of the Prophets” an interesting underground catacomb like structure, known as one of the earliest places for the Christian worship in the Jerusalem area. From here the most beautiful panorama of the Holy City unfolds before your eyes and it is here that our Savior wept over the city and its inhabitants that so terrifyingly rejected their salvation. Convent of St. Mary Magdalene – a Russian Imperial foundation that houses the remains of the martyred grand Duchess Elisabeth. Practically adjacent to the site is the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36 and Mark 14:32), the beginning point of Christ’s Passions with splendid Basilica of Agony. After late lunch by the Old City we will visit an engaging and educational exhibit dedicated to the Lord’ Shroud and will discuss the passion and burial practices of Antiquity. Moving on we will stop to visit Monastery of the Cross, one of the oldest and most impressive in all of Jerusalem. Overnight: Jerusalem.

Today we will start in Bethany, one of the sites not too far from Jerusalem that Lord loved to visit because his friends Mary, Martha, and their brother Lazarus lived there. Here we will visit Tomb of Lazarus (John 11:1–44) and Russian Ecclesiastical school for Palestinian girls. On our way toward Jericho we will stop at the Museum of the “Good Samaritan” built on the spot of the Ottoman inn and the ruins of the Byzantine Monastery. Collection of the museum provides an interesting insight into the history of the Byzantine monks of the Judean desert and the Samaritans. From here we will travel to visit monastery of St. Gerasimos of Jordan, and the city of Jericho (Joshua 6, Matthew 20:29–34; Mark 10:46–52; Luke 18:35–43), one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the World. Overnight: Jerusalem 

Today we will start our day with a visit to the Basilica of Nativity in Bethlehem (Luke 2), founded on the spot of the birth of our Savior. From here we will proceed to the Shepherd’s Field (Luke 2:7), to a Greek monastery that is marking traditional spot of the apparition of Angels that brought good news about the Birth of Messiah to simple, but pious shepherds. Later on we will travel to Hebron, to visit Machpelah (Genesis 23), or the cave of the Patriarchs. It is impossible to enter the cave itself, but we could visit an imposing structure built by Herod the Great above the spot of the burial of the Patriarchs. Our last stop of the day will be at Migdal Oz (Acts 8), an active archeological site associated with Acts 8 that describe miraculous meeting and the baptism of the Ethiopian Eunuch by the apostle Phillip. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem

Early in the morning, we will arrive to the Tomb of the Theotokos in Gethsemane for Sunday morning office that includes Matins and Divine Liturgy. Service will last till about 8:30am. 

The rest of your day will be at leisure. 

Alternatively, we’ll be happy to invite you for a unique Archeological journey through Jerusalem that will include visits to the excavations of the City of David with the dry tunnel, Pool of Siloam, Davidson archeological Park that surrounds the Temple mount, Jewish quarter of Jerusalem with Roman cardo and ancient fortifications of pre-Babylonian Jerusalem. After lunch we will visit the National Museum of Israel. It is the largest historical Museum of Israel that houses very interesting scale model of Jerusalem (as of 1 century AD) and spectacular collection of Antiquities covering all the Biblical periods. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Jerusalem  

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV) and departure home.