Following the Footsteps of Moses and Jesus

A Pilgrimage to Holy Sites in Egypt, Jordan and The Holy Land

Led by:

The Rev. John D. Lane and The Rev. Dawn Frankfurt

October 13 – 29, 2009

DAY 1, Tuesday, October 13, 2009 - Depart from Washington, DC. bound for Cairo, Egypt.  Dinner on board the aircraft. D

DAY 2: Wednesday, October 14, 2009 - We arrive in Cairo this afternoon and meet our driver and guide and board our motorcoach for the transfer to our hotel for dinner and overnight.  Overnight CairoMeals on board aircraft and dinner in Cairo. D

DAY 3: Thursday, October 15, 2009 - Today we will visit the amazing Egyptian Museum with its Tutankhamen Collection.  We continue on to Old Cairo to see the Church of Abu Sraga, built to commemorate the Flight of the Christ Child to Egypt.  We will see the Ben Ezra Synagogue and the Mar Mosque.  We will visit the Church of St. George, a modern building sitting over a Roman tower, where priests wrap heavy chains around the heads and waists of believers while they chant prayers in the memory of St. George.  We will end the day with a visit to the Khan el Khalili Bazaar.  Overnight Cairo. BLD

DAY 4: Friday, October 16, 2009 - This morning we will see the famous Pyramids of Giza and enter the Cheops Pyramid.  We continue on to the famous Sphinx, carved out of a single block of rock.  From there we will drive to the ancient capital of the Pharoahs, Memphis, and see the exotic decorations with which it is adorned.  We will continue on to Sakkara, probably one of the earliest Pharonic sites and see the Step Pyramids.  Dinner and overnight Cairo. BLD

DAY 5: Saturday, October 17, 2009 - We will have a very early wake up call and depart at 6 AM to begin our journey into the desert from Cairo to St. Catherine’s.  Here we explore the 5th century St. Catherine’s Monastery, commissioned by the Byzantine emperor Justinian in AD 530 to protect those of Greek Orthodox faith.  It is considered to be the oldest continuously inhabited monastery in the world.  Inside the monastery, we will see the Church of the Transfiguration (now called the Church of St. Catherine) where some of the rarest icons in the world are displayed along with the relics of St. Catherine.  We have dinner and overnight near St. Catherine’s. BLD

DAY 6: Sunday, October 18, 2009 - Early morning climb to the top of Mt. Sinai (for those who wish, there will be camels available to ride) which commemorates the spot where Moses received the Ten Commandments.  Once we reach the summit, we will celebrate Holy Eucharist.  We will descend the mountain after sunrise and have some time to relax by the pool or simply take a break.  Dinner and overnight near St. Catherine’s. BLD

DAY 7: Monday, October 19 2009 - We will drive to the port city of Nuweba where we will board the fast ferry to Aqaba and then continue on to Petra for dinner and overnight.  We will be traveling through Wadi Rum, known for its spectacular desert landscape as we approach the area of Petra.  Dinner and overnight Petra. BD

DAY 8: Tuesday, October 20, 2009 - A full day to explore the Red Rose City of Petra.  We will enter the site through the dramatic “ciq” or canyon.  We will see the Treasury, carved in the pink stone, and continue past the Roman Theatre, the Corinthian Tomb and Palace Tomb to the Roman Road.  For those who wish to take the 60 minute walk to the Monastery, they will be rewarded with one of the best views of Petra.  Dinner and overnight Petra. BD

DAY 9: Wednesday, October 21, 2009 - We depart Petra and drive north along the Kings Highway to Kerak where we will visit the impressive Crusader Castle.  Now, on to Mt. Nebo where Moses viewed the Promised Land and from which we can see the Jordan Valley, Jericho and the Judean Hills beyond.  We continue to Madaba to see the remains of the mosaic map of the Middle East and Jerusalem which is a unique piece of art designed in the 6th century A.D.  At that time Madaba was part of the Provincia Arabia, and was inhabited by Aramaic speaking Christians descendant from the ancient biblical people of the Moabites.  The mosaic was discovered accidentally over one hundred years ago (in 1897) during construction of a new church for the Greek-Orthodox Arab community.  We will continue to Amman where we will have dinner and overnight.  Overnight Amman. BD

DAY 10: Thursday, October 22, 2009 - Morning drive to see Ajlun Castle, perched on a high peak, it is visible from all directions.  The castle was originally built in 1184 by a cousin of the great Arab leader Salahdin and was used as a base in his successful campaign to drive the Crusaders from Jordan.  We will visit Jerash, the ancient city which boasts an unbroken chain of human occupation dating back more than 6,500 years.  We will visit Pella, known in Arabic as Tabaqat Fahl, and one of the most ancient sites in Jordan.  The city seems to have been continuously occupied since Neolithic times.  Some flints from this period have been found there and some recent finds 2 km north of the tell even date to Paleolithic times, around 100,000 years ago.  We return to Amman for our overnight. BD

DAY 11: Friday, October 23, 2009 - This morning we will visit the site where archaeological evidence is mounting that John baptized Jesus on the eastern side of the Jordan River at Bethany Beyond the Jordan.  We will renew our Baptismal vows here before continuing to the Allenby Bridge where we will cross from Jordan into Israel.  We will visit Jericho, considered to be the world’s oldest city, and then continue to Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found.  Finally, we make our way to our kibbutz on the shores of the Sea of Galilee for dinner and overnight BD

Day 12: Saturday, October 24, 2009 - “He is going ahead of us to Galilee” (Mt. 28):  The Sea; Capernaum; Tabgha; Korazin; Mount of Beatitudes.  We begin at Capernaum where we shall walk in the ancient synagogue and see St. Peter’s house.  We continue to Korazin (Mt. 11:21) before traveling to Tabgha where we will see the mosaics of the Loaves and Fishes and celebrate Holy Eucharist.  From Tabgha we will take a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee all the way back to Tiberias.  Afterwards, we will journey to the Mount of Beatitudes to rehear the Sermon on the Mount.  We will return to our kibbutz and visit the museum that holds the 1st century boat discovered in the mud around the sea.  Dinner and overnight at our kibbutz. BD

DAY 13: Sunday, October 25, 2009 - We begin heading south today stopping at Nazareth where Jesus spent his childhood and where we will visit the Basilica of the Annunciation.  We will see Nazareth Village, a replication of Nazareth in the time of Jesus and the Nazareth Jesus would have known.  We will have lunch here enjoying the foods that would have been served and eaten during the time of Jesus.  We will continue to Jerusalem where we will find a site high above the city where we can orient ourselves to Jerusalem.  Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem. BLD

DAY 14: Monday, October 26, 2009 - Through St. Stephen’s Gate, we walk to St. Anne’s Church, standing on a property facing the Temple Mount just as it was built by the crusaders.  Once inside we find ourselves singing (the acoustics are glorious).  Nearby, we visit excavations which speak to us of Jesus’ healing at the “pool with the five porticos.”  We walk together to the Temple Mount Dig, to the Dome of the Rock, to the Western Wailing Wall and the Jewish Quarter.  From there we go to St. Mark’s Syrian Orthodox Church, possible site of the Upper Room.  We travel now to Bethlehem where we will have lunch at Abu Shanab (2 Moustaches).  Bring a big appetite for lunch!  Then we will visit the Church of the Nativity and Shepherd’s Field before we return to Jerusalem for our overnight. BLD

DAY 15: Tuesday, October 27, 2009 - The Passion:  Palm Sunday Walk; Dominus Flevit; Church of the Agony; Garden of Gethsemane; Cave of the Olive Press; Kidron Valley to the House of Caiaphas.  We will celebrate Holy Eucharist in the area of the Garden of Gethsemane and from here we shall move on to walk the Via Dolorosa, winding through the busy markets of the Old City and praying at the Stations of the Cross.  We will end our walk at the Church of the Holy Sepluchre, scene of the Crucifixion of Jesus and site of the tomb where his body was laid to rest.  Overnight Jerusalem. BL

DAY 16: Wednesday, October 28, 2009 - New Jerusalem: Today we shall visit the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial and the Knesset, the Israel Museum which houses the Shrine of the Book, along with other important sites.  Afternoon is free for exploring your favorite sites in the Old City on your own or doing some last minute shopping.  We will enjoy a gala farewell dinner together before returning to our hotel for a short rest.  Overnight Jerusalem. BD

DAY 17: Thursday, October 29, 2009 - Early morning departure from Tel Aviv to the United States arriving back in Washington this afternoon. BL

Price: $3,999.00.  Price is based on double occupancy without airline taxes and fuel surcharges.  Roundtrip air from Washington DC.  Air transportation available from other cities.  Single supplement $1,149.00.

Full payment due July 15, 2009

Cancellation Penalties
◊ Until April 6, 2009 - $200.00 per person plus any unrecoverable fees
◊ April 6 – July 14, 2009 - $300.00 per person plus any unrecoverable fees
◊ After July 16, 2009: NO REFUND

An application for travel insurance will be included with the receipt for your deposit.  We strongly recommend that you seriously consider this coverage.

Meals: B Breakfast, L Lunch, D Dinner, S Snack

The itinerary is subject to change due to local conditions or at the discretion and direction of the leader or guide.