Our pilgrimage begins as we depart the United States on an overnight international flight to Cairo, Egypt. We entrust our journey to the Lord and begin preparing our hearts for a grace-filled pilgrimage to the lands of Scripture.

Upon arrival in Cairo, we are welcomed by our local representative and transferred to our hotel. The remainder of the day is at leisure to rest after the journey and begin adjusting to the new time zone. Dinner and overnight in Cairo.

After breakfast we begin our exploration of ancient Egypt with a visit to the Pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx, standing as witnesses to one of the world’s earliest civilizations. We reflect on salvation history and the biblical world in which the Holy Family once lived. We then visit the Grand Egyptian Museum to view the remarkable treasures of King Tutankhamun and artifacts spanning over five millennia. In the evening we enjoy a special dinner cruise along the Nile River, watching Cairo illuminated at night before returning to our hotel.

Today we visit Saqqara and the Step Pyramid, considered the first monumental stone structure ever built. In Old Cairo we explore the Christian quarter, including the Hanging Church and the Church of St. Sergius, traditionally believed to stand over the cave where the Holy Family rested during their flight into Egypt. We also visit the historic Ben Ezra area and walk through the lively Khan el-Khalili bazaar, experiencing the colors, scents, and sounds of the ancient marketplace before returning for dinner.

After breakfast we depart Cairo and travel across the Sinai Peninsula, retracing the lands connected to the Exodus. Along the journey we pass desert landscapes, oases, and biblical regions associated with the Israelites’ wandering. This day of travel becomes a reflective pilgrimage as we meditate on God’s guidance through the desert before arriving near Mount Sinai for dinner and overnight.

Before dawn, pilgrims may climb Mount Sinai to witness sunrise from the mountain where Moses received the Ten Commandments — a deeply moving spiritual experience. After breakfast we visit St. Catherine Monastery, one of the oldest continuously functioning Christian monasteries in the world and the traditional site of the Burning Bush. We then cross into the Holy Land and journey to Bethlehem, the birthplace of Christ, for dinner and overnight.

We travel to Ein Karem, the birthplace of St. John the Baptist, visiting the Church of the Visitation where Mary greeted Elizabeth. We then visit Shepherds’ Field, where the angels announced the birth of Christ to the shepherds on that first Christmas night. In Bethlehem we celebrate Mass and pray at the Church of the Nativity, kneeling at the Grotto marking the exact place of Jesus’ birth and spending time in quiet personal prayer.

Today we enter Jerusalem beginning with a panoramic view from the Mount of Olives. We visit the Ascension Chapel, Pater Noster Church, and Dominus Flevit where Jesus wept over the city. In the Garden of Gethsemane we pray at the Rock of Agony, remembering Christ’s suffering before His Passion. We also visit Mount Zion, including the Upper Room of the Last Supper and Dormition Abbey, before concluding at the Western Wall, a place of profound prayer for the Jewish people.

Early this morning we walk the Via Dolorosa, praying the Stations of the Cross through the streets of Jerusalem to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, site of Calvary and the empty Tomb of Christ. After breakfast we visit St. Anne’s Church and the Pools of Bethesda. We then travel to the Jordan River baptismal site where pilgrims may renew their baptismal promises. Continuing to Jericho, the oldest city in the world, we end the day with a memorable float in the healing waters of the Dead Sea before arriving in Nazareth.

We visit Mount Tabor, site of the Transfiguration, where Christ revealed His glory to the apostles. Continuing to Haifa we stop at Stella Maris Monastery on Mount Carmel, connected to the prophet Elijah and the Carmelite tradition. In Nazareth we celebrate Mass at the Basilica of the Annunciation and visit the home of the Holy Family and St. Joseph’s workshop, reflecting on the hidden life of Jesus.

We begin in Cana, where couples may renew their wedding vows at the site of Jesus’ first miracle. We then take a peaceful boat ride across the Sea of Galilee, imagining the Gospel scenes that took place along its shores. We visit Capernaum, the Mount of Beatitudes where Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount, Tabgha (site of the multiplication of loaves and fishes), and the Primacy of St. Peter where Jesus commissioned Peter to lead His Church.

We transfer to Tel Aviv Airport for our return flight home. As we depart, we carry with us the spiritual fruits of the pilgrimage and the memories of walking in the footsteps of Christ and the prophets, strengthened in faith and renewed in prayer.