In the winter of 2006-07, I had the once in a lifetime opportunity to travel with my seminary class to the Holy Land and spend almost 3 months there. During that time, I posted reflections and pictures from my pilgrimage on my previous blog. I have recreated those entries now on this new site to make them permanently available. At the time of the initial writing, nearly 100 people followed my day to day journey through the Holy Land. I pray that these posts will continue to inspire those who find them with a great love of Jesus and this special place where he pitched his tent among us.
Going to the Holy Land – Introduction
Day 1 – Travel
Day 2 – Zurich, Switzerland
Day 3 – Arrive in Israel
Day 4 – Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem
Day 5 – Church of the Nativity, Milk Grotto, Bethlehem University
Day 6 – Study Day
Day 7 – Monastery of Mar Saba, Shepherds’ Fields
Day 8 – Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
Day 9 – Christian Division
Day 10 – St. Catherine’s Church, Bethlehem
Day 11 – Solomon’s Pool, Tomb of the Patriarchs
Day 12 – Muslim Call to Prayer
Day 13 – Qumran, En Gedi, Masada, Dead Sea
Day 14 – Class
Day 15 – Class
Day 16 – Decorating Bethlehem for Christmas
Day 17 – Caesarea, Mt. Carmel, Nazareth
Day 18 – Cana, Mt. Tabor, Church of the Transfiguration, Megiddo, Nazareth
Day 19 – Nazareth, Jericho, Mt. of Temptation, St. George Monastery
Day 20 – Photo Organizing
Day 21 – Class
Day 22 – Ecumenical Prayer Gathering, Concert for Life and Peace
Day 23 – Christmas Party for an Orphanage
Day 24 – Melkite Church, Arrival of the Patriarch
Day 25 – Midnight Mass, Christmas Day in Bethlehem
Day 26 – The Manger at Christmas
Day 27 – The Date of Christmas, Snow in Bethlehem
Day 28 – More Snow
Day 29 – Mass with the Patriarch, The Holy Land Situation
Day 30 – Tour of the Cave of the Nativity
Day 31 – New Year’s Eve
Day 32 – Goodbye to Bethlehem, Traveling North
Day 33 – Zippori, Bet Sharim, Nazareth, Home of the Holy Family
Day 34 – Akko, Chorazin, Kursi
Day 35 – Sea of Galilee, Capernaum, Tabgha, Primacy of Peter
Day 36 – Sea of Galilee, Hazor, Dan, Caesarea Philippi
Day 37 – Mt. of the Beatitudes
Day 38 – Up to Jerusalem
Day 39 – Jerusalem, Holy Sepulcher, Mt. of Olives
Day 40 – Notre Dame Center
Day 41 – Jerusalem, Western Wall
Day 42 – Holy Sepulcher, St. Anne, Bethesda
Day 43 – Shabbat
Day 44 – Gethsemane, Tomb of the Virgin, Dominus Flevit, Pater Noster, Ascension
Day 45 – Greek Patriarchate Church
Day 46 – Study
Day 47 – Jewish Presentation, The Resurrection
Day 48 – Calvary, Bani Nayim
Day 49 – Temple Mount, Dome of the Rock, Al Aqsa Mosque
Day 50 – Jewish/Catholic Presentation
Day 51 – Shabbat
Day 52 – Armenian Catholic and Orthodox Churches
Day 53 – Tower of David Museum
Day 54 – Church of the Visitation, Ein Karem, Yad VaShem, Bethany
Day 55 – Church of the Dormition of Mary, Peter in Gallicantu, House of Caiaphas
Day 56 – Christian Unity Week Gathering
Day 57 – Study
Day 58 – St. Savior, Oskar Schindler’s Tomb, More Peter in Gallicantu
Day 58.5 – All-Night Vigil at the Holy Sepulcher
Day 59 – Negev Desert, Beer Sheva, Avdat
Day 60 – Negev Desert, Makhtesh Ramon
Day 61 – Study
Day 62 – City of David, Water Tunnel System, Pool of Siloam, Western Wall
Day 63 – Ascension, John the Baptist Chapel, Pater Noster, Mary Magdalene
Day 64 – Jerusalem, Rock of Agony, Stone Pavement, Shroud of Turin Exhibit
Day 65 – Rest
Day 66 – Mount Joy, Samuel, Abu Gosh, Emmaus
Day 67 – Super Bowl Monday
Day 68 – Via Dolorosa, Temple Excavations, Kidron Valley, City of David
Day 69 – Armenian Orthodox Cathedral of St. James
Day 70 – Hezekiah’s Tunnel, Gihon Spring, Pool of Siloam
Day 71 – Temple Mount Controversy and Study Day
Day 72 – Dominus Flevit, Mount of Olives, Bethlehem Farewell Dinner
Day 73 – Goodbye