"Ancient and Holy in the Holy Land"
(Israel - Palestine and Jordan)
October 28 – November 11, 2010
The proposed trip is an Orthodox Christian pilgrimage and educational tour. We combine visits to sites of religious significance with stops at places of historical and archaeological importance. The tour will be of interest to all who have an interest in the Early Church, Monasticism and the Ancient Middle East.
If you are interested in joining this tour or have any questions, please contact us!
“Ancient and Holy in the Holy Land” is a unique trip that combines several features. It is first and foremost an Orthodox Christian pilgrimage. Our highest priority is the veneration of the Holy Sites associated with the Earthly Ministry of our Savior, Most Holy Virgin Mary, Apostles of our Lord and a multitude of righteous individuals from the Old and New Testament. Therefore, we will first and foremost visit Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Jericho, Mt. Tabor and number of sites in Galilee. At the same time, we seek to provide members of our tour with a better understanding of the ecclesiastical and cultural-historical background of the Holy Land; for this reason, we will visit important monuments of the Jewish and Nabatean past – Masada, Qumran, and Petra, as well as imposing Roman Ruins at Sephoris and Jerash. The trip includes visits to important monuments of the Byzantine past, chiefly active and ruined monastic sites of Israel and Jordan, such as the monasteries of St. Sabbas, St. Theodosius, St. George of Hoziba, and the foundations at Kursi and Um Rassas. While this religious tour is prepared with an Orthodox traveler in mind, anyone interested in Early Church History and in the Antiquities of the Middle East will surely benefit from our voyage.
PILGRIMAGE TO THE HOLY LAND
(Israel-Palestine and Jordan)
October 28 – November 11, 2010
ITINERARY:
Departure from the Canada. Air Canada flight 84 (AC 84) at 17:05 (5:05pm). Arrival in Tel Aviv. Transfer to Nazareth/Tiberias for rest, supper and overnight. Our first day in Galilee will begin by exploring the vicinity of "sea" of Galilee. We plan to visit a number of sites around the lake. To cover the territory in one day is impossible, but some of the most important sites are definitely on the list: we will visit Capernaum, where Jesus made his home during the years of His earthly ministry; the Mount of Beatitudes where Our Lord taught His followers the New Testament "ten commandments" Tabgha, with church of multiplication of loaves and fishes; and Kursi, the place where Lord healed the Gadarine demoniacs and where the herd of swine rushed into the sea and drowned. Our second day in Galilee we will start in the town of Nazareth, where the good news to the world were announced by 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. Another shrine is the much large Catholic foundation that is built over the remains of the house of the carpenter Joseph. Later this morning we will stop in the little town of Cana - the place of the first miracle of our Lord (of turning water into wine) that announced the beginning of His service to the world. In the afternoon we will continue to Mt. Tabor, the place of the Lord's glorious and wondrous Transfiguration. Today we will start our "ascend" to Jerusalem by the road that is likely was used by our Lord, His disciples and other Galileans who were travelling to Jerusalem for various holidays and to make Passover sacrifices at the Temple. Our first step will be in Nablus, or biblical Sikhem/Shechem where Jacob, upon his returned from Mesopotamia bought the land, dug the well, and where according to the Gospel our Lord was talking about the living water with the Samaritan woman. Nablus stands between Mt. Jebel and Mt. Gerisim. The later is sacred to the Samaritans to this day as they regard it rather than Jerusalem's Temple Mount as the location that was chosen by God for His Temple. From Nablus we will continue to Jericho one of the most ancient cities on the World; according to research Jericho was successively occupied for over 11,000 years. Here we will visit Greek and Russian ecclesiastical compounds associated with the traditional sites of the famous Zacchaeus's tree and the remains of the house (or rather remains of the Byzantine Monastery built on the site) of the repented tax collector. At the end of the day we will visit the Monastery of St. Gerasimos of Jordan, one of the oldest in the Palestine Desert. Today we will start our day with a visit to the Biblical "high country", home to Righteous Zachariah and Elizabeth and the birth place of the Lord's Forerunner and Baptizer John. Here we will visit Catholic Monastery of the Visitation with some remains of the Byzantine Monastic Foundation and Church of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist. Adjacent to the splendid Catholic complex there is a Russian Orthodox Monastery that we will plan to visit as well. From Ein Karem we will proceed to Katamon for a visit of the Church of St. Simeon. Righteous Simeon was promised not to see death until he'll see the Salvation of Israel; he was buried here upon his death that came after the Lord fulfilled His promise to Simeon and Righteous elder hold infant Christ in his own hands. After lunch we will continue our exploration of the city with visits to the Monastery of the Holy Cross and the National Museum of Israel, where we will visit the Shrine of the Book, which houses the famous Scrolls of Qumran. Today we will begin by attending early Liturgy at the Basilica of Nativity in Bethlehem, founded on the place of the birth of our Savior. After service and some light nourishment, we will continue to venture deep into Judean desert to venerate the most prominent fathers and spiritual leaders of Palestinian Monasticism - St. Sabba the Sanctified and Venerable Theodosios the Sanctified. The Lavra of St. Sabba is open for males only, so we have to warn our female pilgrims that they will be able to observe the monastery only from a "bird's eye view" - from an observation deck in an ancient defense tower nearby. For Lunch we will return back to Bethlehem and will continue with an exploration of a Greek Monastery on Shepherd's Field, which is marking traditional spot of the apparition of Angels that brought good news about the Birth of Messiah to simple, but pious shepherds. On our way back to Jerusalem we will explore the monastery of St. Elias the Prophet that is located about half way between Jerusalem and Bethlehem. Early in the morning we will visit the empty tomb of the Virgin Mother and will have an Akathist service to Her Glorious Dormition. After two days of preparation by visiting sites that are associated with events that lead to the redeeming Passion of our Savior, we will follow the footsteps of Christ on His way to Golgotha. We'll start our journey in the Garden of Gethsemane, the beginning point of Christ's Passions. Then we continue to St. Stephan's Gate and will enter the Old City. Our first visit will be to the Church of the Nativity of the Theotokos built over the house where the Theotokos lived with her righteous parents Joachim and Anna, then to a sheep's pool, known from the Gospel story as Bethesda. Then we will continue on Via Dolorosa - the path Christ walked carrying His cross to Golgotha. We will make several stops along the way to visit churches and places marked by Holy Tradition as being related to the last walk of Christ to save all men from death. We will end our journey in the Holy Sepulcher - a Medieval Cathedral built atop of a Byzantine basilica that St. Helen had built to house the places of our Lord's Saving Passion and Crucifixion - Golgotha, the stone of anointing, the Tomb of our Lord - place of Lord's Resurrection, and several adjacent places depicted in the description of the Lord's Saving Passion. After a break for lunch in the Old City we will continue to Mt. Zion - to venerate the tomb of the righteous King David, the chapel marking the place of the Mystical Supper, and the Basilica of our Lady's Dormition. 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 and Russian Ecclesiastical school for Palestinian Children. From here we will proceed to the Monastery of our Lord's Ascension on Mt. of Olives, the "tombs of the prophets" (one of the first places in Jerusalem supposedly utilized by Christians for worship), and the Church of "Our Father" - a small and modern house of worship built over a system of tunnels and caves where according to tradition our Lord taught His disciples the prefect prayer to His Heavenly Father. From here we will come to the site known as "Dominus Flevit" or Lord wept. 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. We will end up our day in the Convent of St. Mary Magdalene - a Russian Imperial foundation. Here we will Vigil service and pray over the relics of its founder - the martyr Duchess Elizabeth. Today is your day to spend at leisure in Jerusalem. You may go to venerate the Holy sites again, buy some souvenirs at exotic street markets, visit some of Jerusalem's many museums or just stroll along the streets of the Old City. Alternatively, you may go for an optional tour along the Dead Sea to visit the ruins of the ancient fortress of Masada and remains of a Jewish "proto-monastic" foundation at Qumran. A break stop for a swim in the Dead Sea will be included in the optional extension as well. With Our Lord's will, we will start our day with Matins and Divine Liturgy in the church of the Holy Sepulcher. I want to forewarn all pilgrims that we would have to be in the church of the Holy Sepulcher between 11:30pm and 3am (duration of the entire Midnight office) as the gates will be closed during that entire time. After the Midnight service we will return to the hotel. After late breakfast and check-out from the hotel we will leave the Holy City and will be descend toward the Mediterranean. Our first stop will be in Jaffa, now suburb of Tel Aviv, but once a historical city, closely linked to the mission of the apostles; the tomb of the righteous Tabitha is located in the vicinity of the old city. From there we will continue to an Archeological Park in Caesarea, known from the Scriptures and Classical History as the Caesarea of Palestine, center of the Roman Province of Palestine at the time of Christ. On the way back to Jerusalem we will stop to venerate the Tomb of St. Great Martyr George the Victory-bearer, who according to tradition was a native of this little town in Palestine. This morning we will check out from the hotel and will transfer to Jordanian Border. After border formalities, we will go to the site that recently was identified as the most probable place of "Bethany beyond Jordan" - the place of our Lord's baptism, also not far from the hill from where according to tradition St. Prophet Elias 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. Today we will start our day with a visit to Mt. Nebo. The law-giver Moses observed the Promised Land from this mountain and this is the closest he ever got to the place where he desired to be so much. Then we will visit Madaba - a little village housing Byzantine Churches with very important mosaics, among them, one depicting the map of the Holy Land and Mukawir - site of Herod's palace, where the sorrowful events of the end days of St. John the Baptist most likely took place. This will be our last stop before our transfer to Petra. Petra is a 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, theaters and other buildings carved in the rock. In the afternoon we will explore the site of Al Beidha or Little Petra, located just some miles away from its more famous "neighbor". For o/n and Dinner we will remain in Petra. This morning we will depart from Petra back to Amman. Along the way, we will stop to see Shobak Castle which was originally called Krak de Montreal o Mons Regalis, and was the first Crusader outpost beyond the Jordan River. It was built by King Baldwin I of Jerusalem 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 inscriptions dating from 14th. Then we will continue to Kerak, a town known in the Biblical times as Qer Harreseth. It was one of the Moab's fortified towns, then a castle of the Nabatean and Roman Rulers. During the Crusades it was revived. Massive castle at Kerak was built in 1142 AD. Infamous Renau De Chateau was the master of the Castle, until it was captured by Saladin. From Kerak we will continue to the deserted Byzantine camp-settlement of Um Rassas, with the remains of an important monastic complex where probably the only surviving column of some ascetic (stylite) still stands. We will arrive to Madaba for dinner and overnight. This morning we will travel North to visit the Archeological Park in Jerash, which is the site of some 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". After exploration of that magnificent site, we will cross the border again, and will head toward the airport near Tel Aviv for our return flight. On the way to the airport we will stop in Jerusalem for supper at an Arabic restaurant. Return flight: Air Canada flight 85 (AC 85) at 23:35 (11:35pm), arrival to Toronto 5:15am on November 12. Financial arrangements: The current cost of the land portion of the tour is USD 2300 per person, based on double occupancy in a group of 26+ participants. · The hotels that we offer for this tour are local equivalent of 3*** and in some places the best available. Please note that, the level of accommodations and services may be different from the expectations of similarly rated hotels in Western Europe or North America. *AIR FARE: Round trip direct airfare from Toronto is available at a group rate of 1150 USD.Day 01 - Thursday, October 28, 2010.
Day 02 - Friday, October 29, 2010
Day 03 - Saturday, October 30, 2010
Day 04 - Sunday, October 31, 2010
Day 05 - Monday, November 01, 2010
Day 06 - Tuesday, November 02, 2010
Day 07 - Wednesday, November 03, 2010
Day 08 - Thursday, November 04, 2010
Day 09 - Friday, November 5, 2010
Day 10 - Saturday, November 6, 2010
Day 11 - Sunday, November 7, 2010
Day 12 - Monday, November 8, 2010
Day 13 - Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Day 14 - Wednesday, November 10, 200
Day 15 - Thursday, November 11, 2009
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE TOUR:
Price includes:
Price does NOT include:
OPTIONAL SINAI EXTENSION (PREQUEL)
(Please note that offered flight arrangement is different from the main itinerary) Itinerary: Meet, assist and transfer to hotel. Time/strength permitting evening activities - visit to churches or evening tour of Cairo. Dinner and overnight at the hotel. Visit Giza, the Pyramids and Sphinx, the Egyptian Museum, Visit Convent of St. George, Ben Ezra Synagogue (where Moses was found in the bulrushes),Church where the Holy Family stayed during their flight into Egypt and also one of the oldest Christian Churches in the world (the Coptic Hanging Church). Dinner & overnight at the hotel. Travel to the Monastery of St. Anthony & St. Anthony's cave (Zafarana), continue to the traditional Red Sea Crossing site (Bitter Lake), transfer to St. Catherine's. Dinner & overnight at the hotel. Morning tour of St Catherine Monastery, hike to the cave of St. John Climacus, possible side trip in the afternoon to some of the stops along the route of the Exodus. Dinner & overnight at hotel. If you wish, you may climb Mount Sinai where Moses received the Ten Commandments to see the glory of this holy place at sunrise. Transfer to Taba for departure to Israel. Crossing the border to Eilat and border formalities. Transfer to Nazareth (444 Km./276 Miles). Meeting with the rest of the group. Dinner & overnight at the hotel in Nazareth. Price for the extension is $850 (USD) in a group of 15+ travellers. Single supplement: $150 (USD) · 2 nights at Shepherd Hotel including breakfast & dinner ****+ Air fare is available at USD 1350 with Air Egypt on the following itinerary: Leaving New York City at 18:30 (6:30pm) on Sunday, October 24, direct flight to Cairo, arriving to Cairo on Monday, October 25 at 11:15am. Return: Leaving from Amman, Jordan on November 12 at 5:00am, changing planes in Cairo, arriving New York City (direct flight) at 15:15 (3:15pm) We would request $500.00 deposit at the time of signing up for the trip. Deposit is non-refundable. The deadline for signing up for the trip is July 30, 2010. The entire amount is requested no later than August 15, 2010. All payments should be made by check to the "Palomnik, LLC". Any returned checks are subject to $20 fee. You can make flight arrangements on your own, if you would be able to find a better deal with another airline. However, in that case it will be your responsibility to arrange transportation to the hotel and back to the airport at the port of entry/departure. All special requests, concerns and suggestions must be submitted in writing to Fr. Ilya Gotlinsky no later then the date of the final payment (August 15, 2010). In the unlikely event of cancellation, the charges, in addition to the full amount of the deposit are*: All the cancellations must be in writing and sent directly to agent/coordinator - Fr. llya Gotlinsky, and must be received for reimbursement by the dates shown in the cancellation schedule. The places that we will be visiting may not have the same amenities that one may be accustomed to. Medical facilities in some areas are limited. Because of the difference in language and customs, it is expected that the traveler will follow the directions of the Tour Director at all times. The Director reserves the right to restrict a person's participation in the group's activities, including exclusion from the group, when, in the opinion of the Director, such action is appropriate. Please note: The Director of the trip (Fr. Ilya Gotlinsky) does not hold any legal responsibilities concerning any of the arrangements. He plays only the role of an agent/coordinator. A valid passport is needed to travel to the Middle East. The passport must be issued at least three months prior to the departure and must be valid until your return. US citizens do not need a visa to travel to Israel. Group Visa to Jordan is obtained at the border free of charge. If you are not a US, Canada or EU citizen, please contact the Embassies or Consulates of Israel and Jordan to see if you do need a visa to travel there. Israel and Jordan generally are safe countries despite the abundance of news about domestic disturbance there. Even in the West Bank tourists are not considered to be targets. In Israel you should be careful around any conservative religious quarters of Muslims and Jews alike. Petty street crime such as pick pocketing is quite widely spread, especially in large cities and in and around "tourist traps". Don't keep all of your cash in one place, and carry important documents (like your passport) with you in a hidden pocket or secure bag. You don't want to be in a foreign land without money or travel documents. Expensive jewelry and fancy clothes are best left at home. Israel and Jordan have very good health systems and drugs are widely available at many pharmacies. Most of the clerks at the pharmacies speak fluent English. However, we still would recommend you to bring whatever medications that you think you may need, and especially prescription drugs. Please check with your doctor if you need any vaccinations when traveling to that part of the World. Please bring anti-allergen remedies if you have a history of pollen allergy. It is very easy to become dehydrated on trip like this because the climate is hot and dry. Make sure to drink lots of liquids (pure water is the best choice). Mid July will be very hot, especially in the desert. So, please be prepared adequately and don't take your chances with heat and sun. In Israel it is safe to drink tap water, unless noted otherwise. In Jordan and some parts of Israel it is advised to use only bottle water for drinking and brushing of teeth. We are going to visit a lot of churches and cathedrals. While the dress code is generally loose, I want to encourage all to show moderation and respect. People in shorts and open shouldered outfits most likely won't be allowed in most monasteries and churches. Monastic and clergy will treat tourists and pilgrims very differently. While I understand your desire to wear shorts and something cool in a hot climate, I encourage you not to spoil the visit for the rest of the group. Several services are scheduled during the pilgrimage. However, at this time I'm not giving exact time or place of all of the services as that all is flexible and can change. The very pattern of our days may be changed to fit the services in. Services are open to all who want to attend, but are not mandatory. Those Orthodox travelers who would like to receive Holy Communion during the Divine Liturgy must come for Confession on that day (or night before), prior to receiving Holy Communion. Many of the stores in Israel and Jordan accept credit cards (mostly Visa or MasterCard, no Discover or American Express). However, if you plan to shop at the markets or at the souvenir stands you will need cash. Dollars and Euros are very widely accepted. However, if you feel that you need local currency, the easiest way to obtain it is to use the ATM machine. For ATMs use your debit card because you won't be charged any interest on cash withdrawals. On your credit card purchase or with your debit card cash withdrawal you get the best exchange rate, that of the day. It is a good idea to let your bank or credit company (the one that you'll be using a card) know that you are traveling overseas. Without such a notice some companies may "freeze" your account in an attempt to prevent foreign card fraud. Whenever you shop, especially at the markets and in the Arab stores, make sure to bargain. As a rule you can reduce the price by about 30-50% and often you can make even a much better deal. Be persistent and pay no attention to raging emotion - that's part of the culture and the way of conducting trade business. Although you will see a lot of tourist wearing shorts and sleeveless t-shirts, in parts of Israel and Jordan such outfits may be considered very offensive. Light, but longer pants and dresses are appreciated and buy more respect. Open sandals will be very uncomfortable on the uneven terrain of the Archeological sites and are considered provocative in a non-tourist settings of the West Bank Jordan (This recommendation applies to both - men and women).October 25:
October 26:
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October 28:
October 29:
Prices includes:
Price does NOT include:
Sign up and Payment:
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Dress code:
Be sure to bring:
An alarm clock; alcohol-based hand sanitizer or wet wipes; Kleenex; film and extra batteries for your camera (at the tourist places they are widely available but significantly more expensive); comfortable shoes for a lot of walking (do not start the trip with new shoes). Electric outlet adapter is necessary if you plan to use any electric gadgets from the US. Hat or a head cover, sun protection lotion and a bottle of water (can be purchased along the way) are absolutely "must have" things on this trip.
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Last Updated (Saturday, 12 June 2010 10:06)