Diocesan Pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 2011
Group from the Diocese of Ely who visted the Holy Land in May 2009. Photo: © Geoff Grayton
2011 marks the 400th Anniversary of the King James Bible and offers a wonderful opportunity to visit many of the places we read about in the Bible, especially places associated with Jesus - Bethlehem, Nazareth, Cana, Jericho and Jerusalem to name but a few.
We invite you to join us on this Diocesan pilgrimage when your faith will come alive in a new way as you discover that the Promised Land is still the land of promise.
We will be joined on the pilgrimage by a member of Senior Staff.
We are more than happy to visit any group/church/churches and talk about the Pilgrimage – just get in touch.
Malcolm & Sue Raby (Tour leaders)
For further details or for a copy of the brochure to be posted please contact The Revd Malcolm Raby, Diocesan Adviser in Mission & Evangelism, tel. 01954 230329 or email mission@ely.anglican.org
Download brochure
View the photos and report from the Diocesan Holy Land Pilgrimage in 2009
Itinerary
Monday 17th October
We depart on our flight to Tel Aviv. On arrival we will be met and transferred to our hotel in Jerusalem.
Tuesday 18th October
We drive to the Mount of Olives, visiting the Church of the Ascension. We walk down the `Palm Sunday Road' visiting the church of Pater Noster and the Church of Dominus Flevit (where Jesus wept over Jerusalem). Then to the Garden of Gethsemane and the Church of All Nations. We follow this with a visit to Mount Zion and the church of St Peter in Gallicantu. We end in the Garden Tomb with an informal communion service.
Wednesday 19th October
We continue our exploration of the old city with archaeological studies around the Temple area; the Western
Wall, Temple Mount, Church of St Anne, Pool of Bethesda. We walk the Via Dolorosa (including the chapel of Flagellation, Ecco Homo Arch, Antonia Fortress and the Pavement) ending up at the church of the Holy Sepulchre. After lunch we visit the four quarters of Jerusalem where we will have some shopping time.
Thursday 20th October
We travel to Bethlehem to visit the church of the Nativity and the Shepherds' Fields. We will then meet with local Palestinian Christians for lunch.
In the afternoon we have a short coach tour of new Jerusalem and some free time.
Friday 21st October
We leave Jerusalem and visit Masada, the hill top fortress of Herod the Great and Qumran where the Dead
Sea Scrolls were found. We stay overnight at a hotel by the Dead Sea where we can experience the delights of `swimming' in the lowest place on earth.
Saturday 22nd October
We travel to Tiberias on the Sea of Galilee where we stay for the rest of our pilgrimage. We stop at Jericho and Beit Shean on the way.
Sunday 23rd October
We start the day with a boat trip on the Sea of Galilee and then visit the `Jesus Boat' museum. We visit Capernaum, Mensa Christi where we share in a Communion Service, Tabgha and the Mount of Beatitudes. Finally we visit a baptismal site by the River Jordan where we will have an opportunity to reaffirm our baptismal vows.
Monday 24th October
We visit the Nazareth Village - a reconstructed village illustrating life in the time of Jesus. We stay here for a biblical lunch. In the afternoon we visit the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth, Cana and Sepphoris where some fascinating mosaics have been discovered.
Tuesday 25th October
We depart Galilee and travel to Caesarea where we visit the Roman Amphitheatre and Aquaduct before continuing to the airport for our return flight to the UK.
Itinerary subject to change
Price £1390 per person
What the price includes
• Return flights from London to Tel Aviv (Details of flight numbers and times have not yet been finalised).
• Accommodation in good quality 4* hotels in twin / double bedded rooms with private facilities on half board basis.
• Transfer of passengers and baggage.
• Sightseeing as in itinerary.
• 2 lunches (With a local Christian family and at Nazareth village).
• Services of a fully qualified English speaking guide.
• Travel by air-conditioned coaches.
• Entrance fees, gratuities, service charges and porterage.
• Airport taxes.
Not included in the price
• Travel from home to UK airport.
• Single supplement £390 per person.
• Travel insurance (see reverse of brochure)
• £2.50 ATOL Protection Contribution*.
Please note that the cost of the tour may be subject to surcharges - please see the booking conditions. Currency exchange rates used £l =$1.5115 as published in the Financial Times on Ist July 2010.
* On October 1st 2009 the CAA increased its levy to £2.50 per passenger APC (ATOL Protection Contribution) which provides passenger protection via the ATTF (Air Travel Trust Fund). For further information visit www.caa.co.uk