Bishop Deborah K. Hutterer - Grand Canyon Synod Holy Land Pilgrimage

                                 DAILY ITINERARY
                 The Grand Canyon Synod - ELCA

                             January 2 – 11, 2023

Day 1 Jan 2 (MON):  Departure from Phoenix, AZ
• Depart on your overnight flight - meals are served on board

Day 2 Jan 3 (TUE):  Arrival, Tiberias
• Arrive in Tel Aviv, meet your guide, and drive to Tiberias via coastal plains
• Dinner and overnight at hotel in Tiberias

Day 3 Jan 4 (WED): Carmel, Tabor, Nazareth, Cana

After breakfast, we will start with Mount Carmel and consider the contest between the Prophet Elijah and the false prophets of Baal, discussing the reasons why the Prophet chose that place for the contest, and the lessons we learn from the story. Next, we will visit Mount Tabor the site of the Transfiguration. Afterward, we will go to Nazareth where we visit the Basilica of the Annunciation, we will also visit the Church of St. Joseph and Mary’s Well. We will finish the day at the Wedding Church in Cana, where Jesus performed his 1st miracle. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Tiberias.

Day 4 Jan 5 (THU): Golan Heights, Sea of Galilee

After the Golan Heights, we will visit Mt. Beatitudes, where we will celebrate Holy Communion. We will visit the Primacy of St. Peter, where Jesus appeared to the disciples for the 3rd time after the resurrection; Tabgha; the Multiplication of Loaves and Fishes; and the Sermon on the Mount. We will visit Capernaum, Jesus’ Galilean ministry base; the house of Peter’s mother-in-law; a Synagogue; and other ruins of the village. After that, we will visit Magdala, the hometown of Mary Magdalene, where we will see the remains of a 1st century Synagogue.

Day 5 Jan 6 (FRI): (Epiphany) Sea of Galilee - Caesarea - Bethlehem - Church of the Nativity

 We will start our day with Caesarea to see the ruins of the ancient Roman City with its aqueduct. Afterward, we will visit Shepherd's fields where the angels appeared to the shepherds and announced the birth of Our Lord. These fields are also the setting of the Book of Ruth. Later we will travel to the Church of the Nativity and view the actual place where Our Lord was born. We will finish our day with dinner at a local restaurant at Beit Sahour, overnight in Bethlehem.

Day 6 Jan 7 (SAT): Augusta Victoria Hospital, Mt. of Olives, Mt. Zion, Palm Sunday Walk, Dormition Abbey, Upper Room/Last Supper, Garden Tomb, Dar Al Kalima College – Rev Dr. Mitri Raheb, Beit Sahour Lutheran School

We will start our day at August Victoria Hospital to witness the work of the Lutheran World Federation in health and education; celebrating communion in the worship space behind the hospital where Redeemer Lutheran Church has its Easter Sunrise Service. From there we will enjoy the panoramic view from the top of Mount of Olives; and continue down the Palm Sunday Walk: Church of the Ascension, Pater Noster, Dominus Flevit, St. Magdalene Church, Garden of Gethsemane, and Church of all Nations. From there we visit the Dormition Abbey of the Blessed Virgin Mary; St. Peter in Callicantu, where Jesus was denied by Peter three times; visit the Upper Room, place of the Last Supper and also the home of the High Priest, Caiaphas; will pass King David’s Tomb, on our way to the Garden Tomb. Returning to Bethlehem, we will visit Dar Al Kalima College and the Culture Center. Meet with Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb to learn about the Palestinian Christians. Visit the Lutheran School in Beit Sahour. Dinner and overnight in Bethlehem.

Day 7 Jan 8 (SUN): Worship at Christmas Lutheran Church, Old City, Jewish Quarter, Wailing Wall

After breakfast, we will attend Bethlehem’s Christmas Lutheran Church worship service, where Bishop Azar will be preaching; will celebrate Holy Communion. Free time in the Old City. Dinner and overnight in Bethlehem.

Day 8 Jan 9 (MON): Wadi Qelt, St. George’s Monastery, Bethany Beyond the Jordan (Bet Arabah) Baptismal Site, Jericho, Qumran

This morning we depart Bethlehem traveling along the Judean wilderness where Jesus fasted for 40 days, we travel along the ancient road passing the good Samaritan inn, reaching wadi Qelt where we enjoy a view of St George’s Monastery nestled in the wilderness. This monastery is one of 100 monasteries built in this wilderness during the Byzantine period. Carry on along the ancient road reaching Jericho passing along Herod’s Winter palace where the King died in the year 4 BC and probably was the background setting for the parable of the prodigal son. Prior to visiting Jericho, we head to visit bet Arabah where John baptized those who came to him. The site is also known as the “Place of Crossing.” From Bethabara we will drive to the city of Jericho. We will see Tel Jericho, the old town of Joshua, and see the excavations of the ancient walls. Jericho is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. We will have a view of the spectacular Mount of The temptation will also be in sight and see Elijah’s Spring. We will then drive to Qumran and visit the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were accidentally found and the buildings that formed the public canter of the Essenes. Dinner and overnight in Bethlehem.

Day 9 Jan 10 (TUES): Old City: Temple Mt, St. Anne’s, Pools of Bethesda, Via Dolorosa, Holy Sepulcher, Lutheran Church of the Redeemer

We will ascend the Temple Mount, discussing its connection to both the Old and New Testaments; see the Al-Aqsa Compound: Dome of the Rock and Al-Sharif; visit St. Anne’s Church and Pools of Bethesda, where the
healing at the pool took place. We will walk the Via Dolorosa, the traditional path that Jesus walked from the Antonia Fortress to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. We will finish our day at the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, inaugurated in 1898 in the presence of the German Kaiser Wilhelm II. The church is notable for its bell tower, seen from all around the city. Redeemer Lutheran Church was built on the remains of the Crusader Church of St. Maria Latina, whose façade is still visible in the northern part of the church. We will meet with Bishop Ibrahim Azar, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Jordan & the Holy Land (ELCJHL); and other ELCA/ELCJHL clergy. Farewell dinner and overnight in Bethlehem.

Day 10 Jan 11 (WED): Departure Tel Aviv to the US. Or take the post-tour extension to Jordan.

*Optional Post Tour extension to Jordan:

Day 10 Jan 11:  Jordan –  Mt. Nebo - Petra
After breakfast, we will depart to cross the border to Jordan. We visit Mt. Nebo, the place where prophet Mousa (Moses) gazed over the Promised Land before he died. We will visit an old monastery, overlook the Jordan Valley, the Dead Sea, and parts of the Holy Land. Then we continue to drive towards Petra for a traditional Bedouin Dinner & overnight.

Day 11 Jan 12: Full day Petra – Amman
After breakfast, we will visit the Site of Petra, a 2000-year-old Nabatean city that was highlighted in the movie “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”. We will walk through the narrow passageway up to the Treasury, a massive royal tomb carved out of the solid rock. If time permits we will visit the Traditional Tomb of Aaron (Moses' brother). Afternoon we have a transfer to Amman for dinner and overnight.

Day 12 Jan 13:  Amman – Jarash
After breakfast at the hotel, we will visit Jarash, north of the capital Amman. Inhabited since the Bronze Age, it’s known for the ruins of the walled Greco-Roman settlement of Gerasa (one of the cities of Decapolis). These include the 2nd-century Hadrian’s Arch, the Corinthian columns of the Temple of Artemis, and the huge Forum’s oval colonnade. We then proceed to Amman to meet with and pray with, the local ministry leaders. We will check into our hotel, have dinner, and overnight in Amman.

Day 13 Jan 14: Arrive USA
This morning will have breakfast then transfer to the airport for your flight back to The USA.

NOTE: The schedule is subject to change due to various factors and your tour Leader and guide’s discretion.