9day pilgrimage tour Jordan – Holy Land 21/8/2011

21/8/2011
Pilgrimages meet at El. Venizelos Airport.

Day 1: 22/8/2011
Athens – Tel Aviv - Allenby Bridge - Amman.
Departure for Tel Aviv at 02:30 on an AEGEAN AIRLINES flight. Arrival and transfer to the tomb of St George the Trophy-bearer in Lydda. We will be transferred to Jordan, which we will enter via the Allenby Bridge in Jericho. Upon arriving in Amman, we will check into our hotel and rest. We will take a panoramic tour of the city of Amman in the afternoon, return to our hotel, have dinner and stay the night.

Day 2: 23/8/2011
Madaba – Mount Nebo – Amman
After breakfast we will depart for Madaba (the so-called “city of the mosaics”), which has been continuously inhabited for 3,500 years. The main attraction is the extraordinary Madaba map, which is vivid, 6th century Byzantine mosaic map showing Jerusalem and the Holy Land with much detail. This map can be found on the floor of the Greek Orthodox Church of St George in Madaba and other mosaics can be found scattered throughout Madaba. We will continue our tour by driving to Mount Nebo, which is located ten minutes to the west of Madaba and there we will find one of Jordan’s most significant sights: the memorial of Moses, the presumed site of his death and burial place. From a natural balcony at the memorial one has an exceptional view of the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea. Return to Amman to visit the Bishops’ Manor, the Roman Theatre and the temple of Hercules of the acropolis.

Day 3: 24/8/2011
Petra - Jerusalem
After breakfast will be transferred to the ancient city to marvel the impressive sculptured monuments. We will then climb El-Nejr Mountain, one of the most breathtaking structures in Petra. The route is truly magical and follows a path that passes through gorges of moonlit beauty. We come across the colossal facade of the temple which has a width of 47 metres and a height of 40 metres. This is known as the Al-Dier or Monastery, renamed so by the first Christian hermits, who were attracted by the uniqueness of the environment. The Nabataean Bedouins built the city 2,000 years ago. The name Petra was given by the Greeks of the Hellenistic period, who were captivated when they encountered the buildings sculptured in the rocks. We will make our way through the gorge, on horseback, by small buggy, or on foot, to the entrance of Al-Siq, the 2,500 metre narrow gorge, which ensures the city’s safety since it was difficult for its enemies to detect it. Its decline and disappearance began in 106AD after the Roman emperor Trajan took over the city. During our tour we will see the Treasury (El Khazneh), the Roman theatre, the Urn Tomb, the Palace Tombs, the High Place of Sacrifices, the entrance, the churches, the markets, the temples, the springs, the palace and the remains of the Roman soldier tomb and we will finish with the archaeological museum, an interesting, but unusual structure set in the city’s hillside. By following the route via the Jordan Valley, we will arrive at Sheik Hussein Bridge. We will continue onto Jericho, where we will check-in to our hotel, have dinner and spend the night.

Day 4: 25/8/2011
Gesthemane-Mount Zion-Bethlehem-Monastery of Saint Savvas-Monastery of Saint Theodosius
Early in the morning we will participate in the Holy procession of the Virgin Mary’s icon being transferred from the Metochion of Gethsemane to Her Tomb. We will continue onto Mount Zion, where we will find the Coenaculum, and King David’s Tomb and the Holy Church of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary. Then onto Bethlehem, where we will visit Church of the Nativity, we will pilgrimage at Christ’s birthplace as well as at the Cave of infants massacred by Herod. We will also visit the Holy pilgrimage at the Village of the Shepherds, the Holy Monastery of St Theodosius of Cenobiarch and the Holy Monastery of the glorified St Savvas at the desert of Judea, where we will pilgrimage his full-bodied relics. Return to the hotel. Dinner. Overnight stay.  

Day 5: 26/8/2011
Galilee-Mount Tabor-Nazareth-Cana-Tiberias-Mount Beatitudes-Jordan.
Following breakfast we will depart for Galilee, where we will visit Mount Tabor, the place where the Transfiguration of Christ took place. This is located close to Nazareth and Capernaum, areas where Jesus lived and taught. We will pilgrimage at the Holy Monastery of the Transfiguration and we will then be transferred to the village where Jesus spent His childhood and adolescent years in Nazareth; there we will visit the Church of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary. In Nazareth we will find the home in which the Virgin Mary lived and Joseph’s workshop.
Our tour will continue with a pilgrimage at Cana, where Christ performed His first miracle, the conversion of water to wine and blessed marriage. We will then go on to the Church of Holy Apostles at Lake Tiberias at Capernaum, which is the only natural reservoir in the region. We will also visit Mount Beatitudes and the city of Tiberias, where we will pilgrimage at Church of Holy Apostles Peter and Paul and St Magdalene. The pilgrims will then participate in a symbolic baptism and be sprinkled with Holy Water at the river of Jordan. Return to our hotel, dinner, overnight stay.