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Tours to the Holy Land: Trips & Israel Tour Packages 2024, 2025

"Every place we visited was breathtakingly beautiful, with stunning landscapes and rich historical and cultural heritage. We highly recommend visiting Israel to anyone who wants to experience an unforgettable journey. We had a life-changing time there and are already planning to return." Simon L. and Beatriz G. – Tour to Israel/Egypt/Jordan February 2024 "I had a wonderful time in Israel. I felt while I was there the precautions that were taken for our safety were well in hand. I still got to experience many holy sites and be blessed by walking the path that Jesus walked. Every day was started in prayer, singing, or scripture reading which also extended the blessing of the trip." Quincie L. – Tour to Israel/Egypt/Jordan February 2024

Our Israel tours & Holy Land tours of 9-24 days for the Evangelical Protestant Bible believer are what Pilgrim Tours does best. Prepare yourself for a life-changing journey to walk where Jesus walked and visit Jerusalem, Galilee, & Samaria. Each of our Israel tours is led by a local guide who is an experienced expert on the historical, cultural, scenic, and spiritual history of the Holy Land. If you travel with 10 or more people, a private group tour can easily be arranged. Pilgrim Tours can customize an itinerary to fit your group needs with many options to choose from.

Concerned about safety? As a Christian tour operator, the staff at Pilgrim Tours takes a Biblical perspective regarding the current situation in the Middle East. We do not believe that peace in Israel is something that will occur until the Prince of Peace comes to restore His kingdom. Please do not make a reservation with us based on the hopes of a calm future. If you long for the special blessings only available in Israel, we will take you there. An expert driver and guide will carefully keep you from any areas that could present a problem and treat you to the riches of Israel as our special guest.

Below is a large variety of Israel tour packages departing in 2024 and 2025 year-round.

View Our New Israel Tour Highlights Video! Click Here

Reserve your tour at least 6 months in advance for an early booking discount, groups and parties of 6 or more click here for special rates, scheduled 2024 & 2025 israel tours.

View our Israel tours ranging from 9-24 days.

Take a tour of a lifetime and bring the Bible to life.

Featured Sites in Israel

Explore a vast selection of beautiful historical and Biblical locations throughout Israel with our Israel Holy Land tour. You can visit Jerusalem, Galilee, and parts of Samaria, getting the life-changing opportunity to see where Jesus and many other Biblical figures lived and walked. We even offer Holy Land tours that allow you to see the Dead Sea, the Garden Tomb, and the Jordan River Baptism Site. Like all of our Europe tours , our Israel Holy Land tours are led by local guides who have extensive knowledge of the area and its history. If you want to experience the history of Israel and see the Bible come to life, our Holy Land tours give you that opportunity.

The city of Jerusalem offers a unique convergence of Judaism, Christianity, and the Muslim faith. For Christians who visit Jerusalem, you will learn about many stories of the Bible while walking her streets. Many actors in the Bible such as Abraham, King David, King Solomon, the twelve disciples and Jesus all lived, visited, or spent time there. The Passion week of Christ will be highlighted during our stay as we visit the Mount of Olives, the Garden of Gethsemane, the Western Wall, the Way of Suffering, and the Garden Tomb.

Sea of Galilee

Nowhere in Israel does the Bible come to life more than along the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Pilgrims who visit the Galilee region have the opportunity to imagine what life was like 2,000 years ago and what Jesus and the twelve disciples experienced while fishing on the Sea of Galilee. The peaceful setting and the natural wonders of the Golan Heights to the east and Mt. Arbel to the west make for a great way to start your morning in quiet reflection. During our tour, we explore the Biblical towns of Capernaum, Magdala, and Nazareth and take a meaningful cruise on the Sea of Galilee.

The Dead Sea is not only the lowest and most lifeless lake in the world, but also nearly 10 times saltier than the ocean. Travelers will enjoy the beautiful colors of the blue water and the red mountains of Jordan to the east. Take time to enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime Dead Sea “float” either in the sea itself or at one of the warm salt water pools at our hotel. The Dead Sea experience is truly a bucket list visit you won’t want to miss!

Garden Tomb

Our visit to the Garden Tomb and its surrounding gardens is normally one of the highlights of our tour to Israel. The Garden Tomb is a rock-cut tomb in Jerusalem that was unearthed in 1867 and is considered by some Protestants to be the site of the burial and resurrection of Jesus. Our visit offers a unique time of prayer, reflection, communion, and praise, which will be a special life-long memory for many travelers.

Jordan River Baptism Site

The Jordan River Baptist Site or “Yardenit” is a baptism site located along the Jordan River just south of the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel. This site is frequented by Christian Pilgrims who enjoy imagining the setting of the baptism of Jesus. For anyone who would like to be baptized in the Jordan River, Yardenit has been developed to be a peaceful setting with beautiful gardens, clean colored water, changing facilities, showers, and a nice souvenir shop.

Caesarea Philippi

To many Pilgrim travelers, Caesarea Philippi is a special surprise while on their tour. Located along the rushing springs of Mt. Hermon, the beautiful and natural setting is where Jesus asked his disciples “Who do men say that I am?” He asked this question while observing the pagan worship of the god Pan as worshipers offered their sacrifice at the “Gates of Hell.” Our time at Caesarea Philippi is one of many opportunities throughout our tour to see the lessons and message of the Bible come to light in a special way.

Israel Tours: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best month for the Holy Land tour?

Taking a trip to Israel during the spring or fall offers the most enjoyable weather of the year but normally has the largest crowds. If you want to enjoy a peaceful tour with fewer crowds, consider visiting between December and February or June and August. We offer Israel and Jordan tours throughout the year, so you can select a trip that works for your schedule.

How many days do you need for a Holy Land tour?

We offer several types of tours of the Holy Land, so the duration of your tour depends on the tour package you choose. The Best of Israel Tour is our most basic offering and includes a Sea of Galilee boat ride, a trip to the Jordan River Baptism Site, the Dead Sea, and many opportunities to walk on the same land Jesus walked on. This is our shortest trip at just 9 or 10 days. Our most involved trips allow you to experience a wide range of historical locations over the course of a few weeks. Egypt tours are included in some of these packages, as well as tours in Greece and other countries. These tours can take up to 24 days, giving you the chance to spend an extended period of time learning about and visiting different parts of the world. From our Turkey tours to all of our Israel Christian tours, all of our tours feature a first-class hotel rating for the country you visit. We do offer some upgraded tours that offer better lodging options. You can review our hotel categories at https://www.pilgrimtours.com/company/hotelcomparison.htm . Check out any of our tours to view a day-by-day itinerary and see what amenities are included with each tour.

What is the dress code in Israel?

The dress code in Israel is different from other parts of the world. There are a few dress code basics you should understand before booking Israel tours: When you’re in Israel, there is no strict dress code. You can wear what you feel comfortable wearing. However, both men and women should try to dress conservatively and cover their shoulders and knees when visiting any of the religious sites throughout Israel. Generally speaking, it’s best to avoid tank tops and shorts. Men need to cover their heads when visiting the Western Wall. Pilgrim Tours provides a Pilgrim Tours ball cap upon arrival in Israel, but you might consider purchasing an affordable kippa that you can bring when you visit Jewish sites. Some places may offer a free kippa, but these are generally low quality. (Women are not required to cover their heads at any sight.) You can figure out what you need to pack and how to dress each day by looking at the itinerary for our Holy Land tours. Guides normally offer guidance on how to dress for the next day while on tour. We also suggest looking at the extended weather forecast as you prepare and pack for your trip.

Is there a lot of walking involved on an Israel Tour?

Our Israel tours do require a significant amount of walking each day and you should be able to walk unassisted 3-4 miles per day on average. Make sure you have a comfortable pair of shoes that provide adequate support. While there are bus and boat rides during these tours, you have to walk quite a bit to explore some of the Biblical sites. Our tour guides normally give the group a few options at sites for those that have physical limitations. One thing to keep in mind is that there are many hills and valleys in Israel which can make walking even more taxing. The amount of walking you have to do may vary based on the tour you take, so look at the itinerary before choosing your tour. The good news is that Israel is a beautiful country to see on foot, and you’ll have several opportunities to sit down and give your feet a rest. As long as you have a good pair of shoes and comfortable clothes, it’s easy to forget about all the walking you’re doing and enjoy the tour.

What passport & visa information do I need for your Israel tours?

U.S. citizens need a valid U.S. passport with at least six months validity beyond their intended stay to enter Israel. Make two photocopies of your passport. Leave one copy at home and carry the other separately from your original. Israel: U.S. and Canadian Citizens do not need a Visa when entering Israel. Non U. S. /Canadian Citizens are responsible to fulfill appropriate entry requirements of destination. Contact your Consulate office for requirements.

What common languages will be spoken during your Israel tours?

Hebrew, Arabic and English.

What currency can I use on your Israel tours?

The U.S. dollar is widely accepted across Israel, and we suggest bringing about $30 for each day you’ll be on tour. U.S. dollars are recommended for use for small purchases and lunches. Lunches typically cost $15-20. It is important to bring about 20 $1 bills as some bathrooms charge a small fee for use. Credit cards may also be used for larger purchases. ATMs in Israel are all connected to European and American banking systems. Please be advised that the ATM machines dispense money in SHEKELS – NOT U.S. DOLLARS. Please notify your bank before traveling overseas.

Do I need to bring a converter for the Israel tour?

Israel uses the European plug with two round pins. You will need to bring along the necessary converters and adapters to operate any 120 volt appliances such as hair dryers and electric razors as well as camera and cell phone chargers. Electricity in Israel is 220 volts 50 Hz.

What is the time zone for your Israel tours?

The time zone for Israel is seven hours ahead of EST and two hours ahead of GMT.

What climate should I expect during your Israel tours?

In Israel the climate is temperate, and temperatures all year-round are reasonable. Israel has two main seasons: winter (from November to March) is cold and rainy in most parts of the country; summer (from April to October) is hot and dry with little or no rainfall. The desert areas can be extremely hot in summer time.

Recent Reviews on Trustpilot, BBB, & Google

View what others are saying about our Israel tours on Trustpilot , BBB , and Google !

"Pilgrim tours is who I'll be recommending people to travel with. We've been trying to get to Israel for two years and finally made it!! Great company from booking to on the ground with great guides. All details taken care of with great hotels, bus, and the best guides!! Wonderful experience!"

"We had a great experience in Israel with Pilgrim Tours. Everything went very well and there were no glitches or problems of any kind. The bus and driver were top notch as were the hotels and daily breakfast buffets. Our tour guide was great as his depth of knowledge of the people, history and languages Israel was quite amazing. We will very likely use Pilgrim again in the future."

"We have toured with Pilgrim Tours three times and what a blessing. Accommodations, excursions, information and food were all high quality. Post pandemic, we were so thankful to return to Israel."

"I couldn't have asked for more for a trip to the Holy Land than what Pilgrim Tours provided me. It was the perfect balance of spiritual reverence, history, geography, and social issues. I am so grateful for the experience that I had on this trip."

"Our church group just returned from taking a "Best of Israel" ten day tour. It was one of the best experiences of my life. I am so glad we chose Pilgrim tours. From our excellent hotel accommodations, to our wonderful tour guide, we enjoyed everything. Our trip exceeded our expectations. I would recommend Pilgrim Tours to anyone who is planning a trip to the Holy Land. We definitely plan to travel with them again."

View some of the sites from our Israel tours!

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Holy Land Israel Tour

Join other Christians on a 10 Day Holy Land Tour to Israel

Israel & Jordan Tour

Join other Christians on a 12 Day Holy Land Tour to Israel & Jordan

Israel & Rome Tour

Join other Christians on a 13 Day Holy Land Tour to Israel & Rome

Israel & Istanbul Tour

Join other Christians on a 13 Day Holy Land Tour to Israel & Turkey

Israel & Athens Tour

Join other Christians on a 14 Day Holy Land Tour to Israel & Greece

Egypt, Jordan, Israel Tour

Join other Christians on a 15 Day Holy Land Tour to Egypt, Jordan & Israel

Church Groups

Christian Tour Leaders and Organizers Create own Holy Land Christian Travel Group

Join other Christians on a journey of a lifetime

Come with us to the Land of the Bible.

Israel Holy Land Tour

Join other Christians on our ten day Holy Land Israel Tour and experience the land of the Bible. Make your dream come true. It’s now easier than ever with affordable special group rates.

Israel & Jordan Holy Land Tour

Travel on a unique Holy Land experience and journey with us to Israel and Petra in Jordan on a spiritual combination tour of a Lifetime.

Egypt, Jordan, & Israel Holy Land Tour

Join other Christians and make your dreams come true on our popular fifteen day Holy Land Egypt, Jordan, and Israel tour to "Where it all Began."

Israel & Rome Christian Tour

Travel on a journey to Israel & Rome including Vatican City. Tour Rome where Christianity flourished, and the Gospel spread to both Jews and Romans.

Israel & Istanbul Christian Tour

Amazing Christian journey to the Holy Land Israel and Istanbul Turkey where East meets the West in the city once named Constantinople.

Christian Church Groups to the Holy Land

Traveling as a Christian group is a great act of solidarity in faith with your Christian community, and a rewarding experience you’ll never forget.

Ten Day Holy Land Tour

Walk where jesus walked on an experience of a lifetime..

1 Peter 5:2-4

Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers-not because you must, but because you are willing.

Step by step guide

Christian Leaders and Christian Community Organizers' step by step guide on how to begin your own Holy Land group tour.

Pastors Guide

Pastors and Church Leaders follow suggested steps to organize a tour to the Holy Land for your Church Members.

Leading people to the land of the bible

Tour Leaders and Church Organizers create a Holy Land group tour for your church and Christian community.

Customer Holy Land Tour Reviews

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• Christian Israel Tours

Israel Tours for Christians

There’s nothing like an Israel Holy Land pilgrimage and tour to bring you closer to Yeshua and give you a deeper and broader understanding of God’s word. Coral offers the very  best Christian tours to Israel  for our customers throughout the year. Book one of our  biblical Israel tours  today!

Biblical Israel Tour Options for Christian Travelers

Coral offers a wide-variety of options to Christian travelers who want to visit the Holy Land. Below you’ll find the  best Christian Israel tours to meet the needs of individuals, small groups, large groups, be it church, bible study, or educational groups. If you are a pastor or Christian leader and are interesting in hosting a tour group to Israel, be sure to check out our Pastors’ Familiarization Tour!

Essence of Israel Tour – Designed for Believers

Packed with lots of amazing historical and biblical sites, joining our Essence of  Israel tour  is a great option for individuals and small groups who want an opportunity to meet new people with the same love of the  Holy Land  while keeping the costs of the trip very affordable. This is the  perfect biblical Israel tour  for small churches, bible study and high school/college groups.

Israel Tour – Pastor Familiarization

Familiarization trips  are unique opportunities for Christian leaders to study the land of  Israel  and explore the wide-range of tour options available for hosting a group to the Holy Land. Learn how you can receive a full refund of your tour (basic program) when you book and host your own group to the Holy Land within 12 months of the  familiarization tour .  Click here  to request a quote to any of our  destinations  for your specific group of pastors.

Israel Tour – Customized Travel for Private Groups

Our friendly qualified staff will work with you, one on one, to  design an Israel tour program  to include the particular sites and attractions to suit your specific travel requests. Whether you want to arrange a  Biblical Israel tour  to walk where Jesus walked or sail the Aegean Sea, we can assist you with creating the perfect program.  Please contact us for a free, no-obligation quote.

2023 Resurrection Church, Veritas Church, Calvary Chapel New Orleans Israel Tour

Join Pastor John Core, Bishop C.L. Mitchell, and Pastor Kevin Cox for this exciting biblical Israel Tour, May 19 – 30, 2023. Experience scripture come alive during this amazing Israel experience! Visit many of the places you’ve heard about during Sunday sermons! Draw closer to Jesus as you walk in His footsteps

2023 Cornerstone Community Church Israel Tour

Join hosts Pastor Ron Baum and his wife Julie   for this inspiring 10-day tour of Israel. Departing May 2, 2023, you won’t want to miss this opportunity to visit Israel and see the Bible come to life! Explore the land of the Jewish Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Walk in the footsteps of Jesus and be transformed. Don’t miss this journey of a lifetime! Space is limited. Be sure to save your spot and register today.

Pastor Robert & Donna Schuller Israel Tour

June 20 – 28, 2023. Join Pastor Robert & Donna Schuller for this Footsteps of Jesus Israel Tour! Your faith will be transformed as you explore places that Jesus walked and preached the Good News. Visit the places you’ve read about in the scriptures and  experience the Bible come to life! This 9-day Israel tour is packed with many exciting places you’ve read about in the Bible! Don’t miss this opportunity to be baptized in the Jordan River! Register today!

Calvary Chapel Greeley Israel Tour

October 18 – 29, 2023. Join tour leader, Pastor Jeff Figgs for this unforgettable Holy Land Tour! Grow your Christian faith as you journey throughout this amazing land where Jesus, the prophets and the kings lived. This 12-day tour of the Promised Land with renew your spirit! Register to join fellow believers on this exciting group tour of the Holy Land!

2023 Calvary Chapel Monrovia Israel Tour

Journey to the Holy Land with Calvary Chapel Monrovia and Pastor Richard Schork , October 22 – November 2, 2023. This 12-day door to door tour package includes flights, meals – including a special farewell dinner, lodging, lots of historical sites and biblical places you’ve read about in the scriptures. Don’t miss this amazing bible-themed group tour to Israel! Sign up today!

2023 Bishop Tyron Ivy Israel Tour

Experience the best of Israel on this 11-day Holy Land Tour with host Bishop Tyron Ivy, November 6 – 16, 2023 . Visit some of the most notable sites in Israel during this once-in-a-lifetime tour! Explore Jaffa, Caesarea, Jerusalem, Nazareth, Megiddo, Sea of Galilee, Tel Dan, Capernaum, Bet She’an, Masada, and much more… Register today to save your spot on this incredible journey.

2023 Calvary Chapel Snowflake Holy Land Tour

October 22 – November 2, 2023. Join this 12-day bible-themed group Israel Tour with Calvary Chapel Snowflake. Explore the Promised Land with your hosts Pastor Dave & Lisa Marshall . Experience the powerful spiritual impact of this special journey. As you travel and wander through the ancient biblical places you’ll be amazed at the miracle of modern Israel! Reserve your space today.

IPHC Israel Tour with Dr. Doug Beacham

Visit Israel November 27 – December 8, 2023 with Dr. Doug Beacham during this 10-day Holy Land journey! During this Bible-themed group tour of Israel you’ll discover the roots of your faith, visit the places you’ve read about in the bible and draw nearer to Jesus! Return home with a lifetime of memories. Visit the IPHC Israel Tour page for details!

CC Eureka & CC Tracy Israel Tour

Join Pastors Alejandro Anchondo and Nathan Mrotzek for this Calvary Chapel Israel Tour , February 26 – March 6, 2024. During this 11-day custom-designed Holy Land tour, your understanding of the bible and who Jesus is will expand exponentially. You’ll be a witness to prophecies come true as you travel throughout the land. Return home with a renewed spirit and a closer relationship with Jesus!

Jonathan Cahn 2024 Israel Mystery Tour

Experience the Holy Land, March 11 – 21, 2024, with Rabbi Jonathan Cahn during this 11-day Israel Mystery Tour! The Bible will come alive as you walk the land of God, where the prophets walked, the heroes of the Bible, the disciples, and Messiah Himself! Visit the Jonathan Cahn 2024 Israel Tour page for details!

Israel Tour – Guaranteed Departures

Planning your own trip, or already in Israel on business or leisure? We offer  half-day, full-day , as well as longer guaranteed departure tours to a variety of the country’s regions including Jerusalem, Masada, the Dead Sea, Bethlehem and more. You’ll visit the land of milk and honey with highly experienced, government licensed Israeli guides.

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Holy Land Pilgrimages & Israel Tours 2024 & 2025

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Holy Land Pilgrimage 2024 or 2025 with Bethlehem Stay

Holy land pilgrimage with jordan and petra tour – 12 day, holy land & jerusalem pilgrimage tour, holy land pilgrimages to israel featuring foodies tours.

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Holy Land Tours 2025 – Pilgrimage Tours to Israel – Israel Pilgrimage

Catholic Holy Land pilgrimages, Holy Land tours, and Pilgrimages to Israel in 2025.  Starting at $2,595 for land only.  Only $3,595 with airfare.  We offer 4 different Catholic Holy Land Pilgrimages to Israel.

Our traditional Holy Land pilgrimage tour is the Holy Land and Jerusalem Pilgrimage which stays overnight in Jerusalem.  We have offered this Catholic pilgrimage for over 20 years and is a tried and true Holy Land Pilgrimage with 4-star hotels.

The Holy Land Pilgrimage with Jordan and Petra Tour stays overnight in Bethlehem instead of Jerusalem and also has a fantastic visit to Petra in Jordan.  We have great prices on this Holy Land tour for 2024 starting at $3,195 for land only with 4-star hotels.

Our newest Holy Land Pilgrimage Tour stays overnight in Bethlehem.  This is our lowest-priced Holy Land Pilgrimage starting at $2,595 for land-only and features 4-star hotels.

Catholic Foodies will be tempted by our Holy Land Pilgrimages to Israel featuring Foodies Tours.  This premium pilgrimage to Israel and the  Holy Land focuses on Food and Faith to feed the body and soul in the Holy Land.  For this Catholic pilgrimage, we stay at the very best hotels.

ETA-IL is now required .   It is easy to do.

All of our Holy Land Tours 2025 are excellent and are suitable Holy Land Tours for Seniors.  We offer Holy Land Tours from Canada for each pilgrimage.  Join us on any of our pilgrimage tours to Israel.

We have over 20 years of experience in pilgrimage tours to the Holy Land and Israel.

Holy Land Pilgrimage 2025 – Holy Land Tours 2025 – Israel Pilgrimages

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• Christian Holy Land Tour 8 Days
• Christian Bible Land Tour 8 Days
• Heritage Holy Land Tour 8 Days
• Christian Deluxe Israel Tour 10 Days
• Christian Holy Land-Red Sea Tour 11 Days
• Christian Holy Land & Jordan Tour 11 Days
• Heritage Holy Land & Jordan Tour 12 Days
• Interfaith Israel Tour Highlights 9 Days
• Interfaith Israel Tour Classic 10 Days
• Interfaith Israel Tour Explorer 12 Days
• Interfaith Israel Tour Prestige 13 Days
• Interfaith Israel & Jordan Tour Unity 13 Days
• Interfaith Israel Tour Grande 15 Days
• Holy Land Tour in Private – 8 Days
• Bible Land Tour in Private – 8 Days
• Heritage Holy Land Tour in Private – 8 Days
• Group Tours

Heritage Holy Land Tour – 8 Days

• Plan A - Deluxe Hotels
• Plan B - Superior Hotel
• Plan C - Moderate Hotels
• Plan D - Tourist Hotels

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Or continue as guest, adding item to wishlist requires an account, heritage holy land tour.

Heritage of the Holy Land Tour is a true 8 day Christian Israel tour. An experience of a lifetime package with several hotel packages. Connect yourself to the biblical land of Israel.

Itinerary - Heritage Holy Land Tour

Thursday, day 1 arrive at ben gurion airport - israel - transfer to tel aviv.

Shalom and welcome to the Heritage of the Holy Land Tour. Meet and greet by a Trips Israel representative. Tel Aviv Hotel transfer and check in.

Overnight in Tel Aviv.

Friday, Day 2 Caesarea, Megiddo, Cana to the Galilee

Following our first breakfast in Israel, we will leave the city of Tel Aviv and drive north along the Mediterranean coast and see the following:

See the ancient Roman theater, built by Herod and once the capital of Judea. Here Paul embarked on his journey to Tarsus (Acts 9:30) and where Cornelius and his family (the first Gentile believers) lived. Caesarea is also where Pontius Pilate had his base; and where Paul embarked to Tarsus (Acts 9:30 Acts 10 24-48) and where Philip preached (Acts 8:40). Explore the restored Roman amphitheater, with its acoustic and theatrical sound. It was used for many performances throughout the centuries. Walk through the excavated fortress and view the aqueduct, once used for conveying water to the city.

One of King Solomon’s walled, fortified cities (1st Kings 9:15; 10:26), with the ruins of 20 levels of civilization, including the well-preserved water supply system. From here, the Books of Daniel and Revelation will come alive as we read about the final Battle of Armageddon, while viewing the Plains of Jezreel.

Stop at a wedding church, to see the site of Jesus’ first miracle, where he turned water into wine at a wedding ceremony.

Afternoon/evening:

Drive through the Pastoral Hills of the Galilee and to our hotel for check-in.

Overnight in the Galilee

Saturday, Day 3 Tiberias, Wester Galilee, Banias (Golan Heights)

After breakfast, start the day with a visit to the north shores of the Sea of Galilee, the stage for many events in Jesus’ life. Continue with the following visits:

Center of Jesus’ Galilean ministry and the site of many of His miracles (Mark 2:4; Matt. 8:5; 14-17; 9:1-7; 17:18). ”. Here Jesus spent much of His time healing the sick and performing miracles. Visit the remains of the 2nd century synagogue.

Site of the the “Loaves and Fishes”, including the Church of the multiplication (John 6:1-14), a 4th century mosaic floor. Here, Jesus fed the 5,000. See the mosaic floor depicts a basket with loaves and two fishes, and the Church of the Primacy of St Peter, commemorating Jesus’ reinstatement of Peter as chief among the Apostles.

Mount of Beatitudes:

Where Jesus delivered perhaps the most famous sermon preached – “The Sermon On The Mount” (Matt. 5) and it is believed that he picked his 12 apostles. 

Golan Heights:

For a panoramic view of the peaks of Mt. Hermon and the rugged Golan plateau.

Banias Springs and Caesarea Phillipi:

One of the sources of the River Jordan. It’s believed Caesaria Philippi and and Simon identified and made their confession of Jesus as the messiah (Matt. 16:16). It is believed, Jesus took his disciples, revealing his purpose and His Church before his last trip to Jerusalem. 

A Baptismal site in the Jordan River. Here we will have the chance of being Baptized.

Evening at leisure.

Overnight in the Galilee.

Sunday, Day 4 Nazareth, Beit Alpha, Jordan Valley to Jerusalem

Breakfast at hotel. Visits will include:

(Optional – additional cost) Boat Cruise:

Cruise on the Sea of Galilee for a biblical revival in a Jesus boat replica. Sail on a boat on the Sea of Galilee to experience the tranquility and scenery little changed during the past 2000 years (subject to conditions and fee).

The boyhood home of Jesus. Here we will visit the Grotto of the Annunciation and the Church of St. Joseph. These churches are located over the traditional site where Mary and Joseph lived. We will also visit the site of the ancient City Well, believed to be the site, where Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary.

Beit Alpha – Gilboa Mountains:

Visit the ancient synagogue at Beit Alpha, located at the foot of the northern slopes of the Gilboa Mountains, which has    one of most preserved and beautiful mosaics in Israel.A Baptismal site in the Jordan River. Here we will have the chance of being Baptized.

Jordan Valley:

See the dessert bloom with flowers and vegetation, prophesied by Isaiah in chapter 35:1-2.

Arrive Jerusalem and check in to our hotel. Suggested stroll at the streets in Jerusalem.

Overnight in Jerusalem.

Monday, Day 5 Massada and the Dead Sea area

Early breakfast and start the day with a drive drive south towards the Dead Sea. Start to descend to the lowest point on earth at 1305 feet (398m) below sea level, as the drive gets closer to the shores of the Dead Sea. Visits around the Dead Sea region will include:

Ascend by cable car to the legendary mountaintop plateau of Masada to see where the Jewish Zealots struggled against the Romans. The Zealots held out for three years against the legions of Flavius Silva. They chose to die as free men at their own hands in preference to Roman slavery and torture.

Where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered by a young shepherd boy.

Enjoy a float at the unsinkable shores of the Dead Sea and use the natural mud to cover your body in mud (weather permitting). The Dead Sea is uniquely formulated in a small body of water (similar to a lake) and includes 11%-13% salt and other natural ingredients.

Tuesday, Day 6 New City Bethlehem

After breakfast, start the day at:

Israel Museum:

See the Shrine of the Book, where the Dead Sea scrolls are housed. View the scale model of Jerusalem, as it used to look in the 2nd Temple period.

The birthplace of John the Baptist and where his parents enjoyed their summer house. View this  picturesque village in the south western outskirts of Jerusalem. This small village has great significance in Christian traditions. 

Yad Vashem:

Israeli memorial for the Holocaust, where six million Jews perished in WWII.

It is believed by many Christians, this was the site of where Jesus was born at the Church of the Nativity.

Wednesday, Day 7 Jerusalem: The Old City

Breakfast at hotel. Today, visits will include – Jerusalem and the Old City.

Western Wall (The Kotel):

It is the last remaining structure of a much greater wall from the Second Temple period. The temple was built by Herod and is the holiest place for Jews. The Western Wall is located in the Old City of Jerusalem, near the Dung Gate.

Via Dolorosa:

Is known as the “Stations of the Cross” and the Way of the Cross to Jesus’ Crucifixion. Today, the Via Dolorosa hold many colorful bazaars and marketplace.

• Church of the Holy Seplechre

Believed to be by many Catholic and Orthodox Christians; this was the site of Golgotha, where Jesus was crucified and resurrected.

The Upper Room at Mt. Zion:

Located above David’s Tomb compound at Mt. Zion, it is considered to be the room where Jesus had His last Passover meal (Room of the Last Supper).

• Mount of Olives

Mount of Olives is situated on the east side of the Old City. On top of the mountain, is a beautiful panoramic view of the Old City and the Golden Gates. At the bottom of the mount, is an urban garden, most famous for the site where Jesus prayed in many occasions prior to His crucifixion.

Thursday, Day 8 Tel Aviv / Ben Gurion Airport

Transfer to Ben Gurion Airport for departure.

Included - Heritage Holy Land tour

8 days/7 nights accommodations.

• 1 night in Tel Aviv
• 2 nights in the Galilee
• 4 nights in Jerusalem
• Hotel taxes and service charges

Tours and guiding

• Touring in a Deluxe vehicle/motor-coach with a professional licensed driver
• A professional government licensed English speaking guide – hand picked
• Entrance fees to all sites and parks

Meet, assist and transfers

• Meet and assist at Ben Gurion Airport, immediately after passport control
• Transfers on arrivals and departures from and to Ben Gurion Airport

Meals included

• Israeli style buffet breakfast daily

Please note: Dinner packages are available. If you wish to add dinners, please see below costs:

• $557 – per person in deluxe hotel plan
• $350 – per person in superior hotel plan
• $190 – per person in moderate hotel plan
• $168 – per person in tourist hotel plan

The above dinner packages include 6 dinners. No dinner on the 1st night.

Not included

• International airfare
• Travel insurance
• Tips to guide and driver
• lunch daily

Highlights - Heritage Holy Land Tour

Tel aviv and surrounding area, jerusalem – new city.

• Israel Museum
• Garden of Gethemane
• Mount Zion: Tomb of King David, Upper Room

Dead Sea and surrounding regions

• Dead Sea swim facility

Mediterranean Coast and surrounding area

Galilee and surrounding regions.

• Casrea Phillippi
• Sea of Galilee cruise
• Mount of the Beatitudes
• Baptismal site at the Jordan River

Jerusalem – Old City

• Christian Quarter in the Old City of Jerusalem
• Via Dolorosa
• Kotel – Western Wall

Hotels - Heritage Holy land Tour

Delux hotels - 4.5 to 5 stars, tel aviv hotels:.

Carlton Hotel – Tel Aviv

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Welcome to Elbow Holy Land Tours, where faith and discovery come together in a journey of a lifetime.

Our Christian Holy Land Tour company offers one day or multi-day tours to church groups and Christian families, providing a faith-filled experience like no other. Led by knowledgeable and Spirit Filled (Born Again) Christian tour guides, our tours allow you to walk in the footsteps of Jesus, bringing the Bible to life as you explore the Promised Land.

Whether you’re part of a large church group or a small family party, our fully bespoke tours cater to all types of groups, ensuring a personalized and meaningful experience. With over 40 years of combined experience, we have worked with church groups from around the world, as well as individual believers seeking a private tour of Israel.

At Elbow Holy Land Tours, we understand that each journey is unique, and we are committed to creating a tour that suits your exact budget and requirements. Contact us now for a free, no-obligation quotation and embark on a faith-filled family adventure in the Holy Land like no other.

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Remember, we specialise in made to measure tours of the Holy Land and bespoke Christian Tours of Israel for church groups, schools, associations and even individuals. We can build a Holy Land tour to suit your exact budget and requirements, or if you have a group, why not take advantage of one of our Israel Tour Group Offers for 2023 / 2024 . We also guarantee to beat any other written quotation.  See here for details.

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• Mt of Beatitudes
• Mt of Olives
• Mt of Temptation
• River Jordan
• Beit She’an

ISRAEL – THE HOLY LAND

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Footsteps of Jesus – Holy Land Pilgrimage

Watch the Gospels come alive as we set out on this true pilgrimage of faith and retrace the progressive stages of the life of Jesus from his younger days in Nazareth and his public ministry in the Galilee, unto his passion, death and resurrection in Jerusalem. As we together respond to Jesus’ call to ‘follow me’, prepare to be deeply moved, as we behold with our eyes what our minds for so long attempted to imagine.

Tel Aviv (1 night) • Caesarea Maritima • Haifa • Mt Carmel • Nazareth (2) • Mt Tabor • Cana • Sea of Galilee (2) • Mt Beatitudes • Capernaum • Magdala • Jordan River Baptismal site • Jericho • Jerusalem (4) • Bethlehem day

• 10 Days / 9 Nights
• Tel Aviv to Jerusalem
• Optional Jordan 3-night extension

Meal Code: (B) = Breakfast, (L) = Lunch, (D) = Dinner

DAY 1 ARRIVE THE HOLY LAND

Welcome to the Holy Land, affectionately known as the land of the ‘fifth Gospel’.

Upon arrival at Tel Aviv , we will be transferred to our local hotel to gather ourselves and prepare for the amazing days ahead.

Tel Aviv overnight (D)

DAY 2 DAY 2: TRAVEL VIA CAESAREA MARITIMA & MT CARMEL TO NAZARETH

Theme: Prepare the way This morning we journey north to the crusader port of Caesarea Maritima to see the port city built by Herod the Great and once the Roman capital of Israel. It was here the centurion Cornelius was baptized by Peter, becoming the first gentile convert to Christianity (Acts 10), and where Festus tried Paul (Acts 25: 6-12). Visit the impressive excavations, the amphitheatre, and the Herodian port. Continuing our journey, we come to Haifa , the largest city in Northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country. The Mediterranean Sea wraps around three sides of the city with intoxicating blue and gold beaches.   We firstly visit the Stella Maris Monastery at Mount Carmel where in the lower cave, Elijah was said to have meditated on His victory over the false prophets of Baal ( 1 Kings 18:1-40 ).

After lunch at a spectacular restaurant overlooking the sea, we visit the House of Grace , a Catholic ministry that works with the most marginalised members of Haifa: Christians, Jews and Muslims who are in need of counselling, guidance, and material aid. We will listen to an inspiring talk about this ministry.

Later today, arrive into Nazareth , the hometown of Jesus’ childhood.

Nazareth overnight (BLD)

Day 3 NAZARETH & MT TABOR

Theme:  The Formative Years of Jesus

Our spectacular morning begins at the Basilica of the Annunciation where a traditional cave becomes the focal point to Mary’s response to the Angel Gabriel “Let it be done to me according to thy word” (Luke 1:38). After a guided tour and our private Mass, we will visit the adjacent Church of St Joseph to commemorate the life of Mary’s beloved spouse.

Not far away, we enter the nearby Synagogue Church , a Crusader structure said to be built on the site of the synagogue where Jesus read the Messianic passage in Isaiah 61 ”   The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me, to bring good tidings to the afflicted; he has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.”

Continue on to Nazareth Village , an authentic re-creation of the village life of Nazareth as in the days of Jesus. Here we will take a parable-rich walk back in time along the path which brings to life the environment and atmosphere which shaped Jesus’ early years and ministry. Complete our memorable visit with a fascinating Biblical Meal lunch in the authentic setting of a first century house.

In the afternoon, we journey east to the foot of Mt Tabor before ascending by dedicated taxis up the narrow winding road leading to the majestic summit. Here in this breathtaking setting, Our Lord’s divinity shone forth in the Transfiguration (Mt 17:1–2) as we better understand Peter’s words ‘Lord it is good for us to be here’ .

This evening, pilgrims may take the opportunity to join in the candlelit procession, rosary or adoration back in the Basilica of Annunciation (subject to parish schedule).

Day 4 NAZARETH VIA CANA, MT BEATITUDES & TABGHA TO SEA OF GALILEE

Theme: Mountains of the Lord Departing Nazareth today, we travel to and ascend Biblical Mt Precipice , which offers an incredible view of Nazareth and the Jezreel valley. This is the site of the rejection of Jesus, described in Luke 4:29-30, where the people of Nazareth tried to push him from the mountain. In 2009 Pope Benedict XVI celebrated a Mass here with 40,000 people in attendance. We notice too the Olive Tree planted earlier by Pope John Paul II as a symbol of peace between religions.

Travel on to the village of Cana where Jesus, at the request of His Mother, performed His first miracle transforming the water into wine at the wedding feast ( Jn 2:1-12 ). Here, married couples will have the opportunity to renew their wedding vows.

Continue east towards of Lake Galilee … “Go to Galilee and you will find him there” ( Mt 28:7 ). On arrival, we come to the Mount of Beatitudes to enjoy some reflective time and to wander through the Church and tranquil gardens to ponder Jesus’ message of the Sermon on the Mount ( Mt 5:1–12 ).

Journey then to Tabgha , site of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes (Mt 14:20), before an important stop at the Church of the Primacy of Peter where Jesus challenged Peter and each one of us ‘Do you really love me, feed my sheep’. Here we will spend some quiet time to reflect and pray by the shore of the lake.

Sea of Galilee overnight (BD)

Day 5 SEA OF GALILEE & SURROUNDS

Theme: The Public Ministry of Jesus Following breakfast, we travel to Capernaum , the centre of Jesus’ teaching and healing and home to Peter the Apostle (Mt 4:12–20).

Onwards to Nof Ginosar Kibbutz to see the preserved remains of a first century fishing boat from the days of Christ. We then set off from the shore in a traditional sailing vessel to encounter one of our most memorable pilgrimage highlights – a Private Mass floating quietly in the centre of Lake Galilee . Here we will recall the miracles of Jesus calming the storm and appearing to the apostles walking on this very water. After Mass, we will continue back to the shore for our special ‘ St Peter’s fish’ lunch .

Journey on to the panoramic Mt Arbel lookout to view Lake Galilee and the entire Golan Heights. From here, a spectacular highlight awaits the more agile, as we descend by foot along a unique stretch of the ancient Jesus Trail frequented by Our Lord in his many visits between Nazareth and Capernaum. This well-worn shepherd’s path through the Valley of the Doves offers a rare and genuine opportunity to prayerfully tread the actual footsteps of Jesus down through the rustic pass between the mountains that have changed little since the days of the Gospels. (N.B. Weather and personal fitness dependant / or optional afternoon at hotel.)

Sea of Galilee overnight (BLD)

Day 6 SEA OF GALILEE VIA JERICHO TO JERUSALEM

Theme: Desert Encounters Begin our day in Magdala , home of Mary Magdalene, who became the first recorded witness of the resurrection of Jesus (John 20:18). Recent archaeological discoveries have made Magdala an important pilgrimage essential as we explore the remains of the town famous for its fishing industry and visit the Church of Duc In Altum, named after the words of Jesus to Simon Peter “put out into the deep” and famous for its boat altar.

Departing Lake Galilee this morning we journey south along the Jordan Valley towards Jericho.

Soon we arrive at the Jordan River Baptismal site (Qasr Al Yehoud), an archaeological discovery said to be the actual location where Jesus was baptised. Celebrate a special Mass here as we renew our own baptismal promises.

Onwards to Jericho , the ‘City of Palms’, which is the oldest inhabited city in the world and most famous oasis dating back to around 9000 BC. Stop by the famous Sycamore tree used to commemorate the powerful story of the tax collector Zacchaeus. Across the valley we look up to view the Mt of Temptation, the site of Jesus’ fast of 40 days and there are enough stones to illustrate Satan’s words “If you are the son of God, tell these stones to turn into loaves” . After a lunch stop in Jericho, we drive to St George’s Monastery lookout to marvel at the cliff-hanging 5 th C complex carved into a sheer rock wall and still occupied today.

Travel towards Jerusalem along the Jericho Road, as we remember the parable of the Good Samaritan and journey through desert hills and dry rocky landscape. Finally, we ascend up into Jerusalem – the City of our God and the Mountain of His Holiness.

Jerusalem overnight (BLD)

Day 7 BETHLEHEM & SURROUNDS

Theme: Commemorating the Birth of Jesus

We travel out today to Ein Karem this morning and ascend the hill to the Church of the Visitation where Mary visited Elizabeth and proclaimed her Magnificat prayer – ‘My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord’. Visit the nearby Church of St John the Baptist to pray before the grotto of his birth.

Continue to the Shepherd’s Field to celebrate a joyous Christmas Mass in a local cave to commemorate the appearance of the angels to the shepherds on that first Holy night ( Lk 2:8–16 ).

In Bethlehem this afternoon, we will enter the spectacular Church of the Nativity , the oldest complete church in the Christian world (6 th century) and birthplace of Our Lord and Saviour. Bow low and enter the grotto through the Door of Humility as we descend to the Holy Manger where a silver star in the floor marks the actual spot where Jesus was born.

Proceed to St Jerome’s Cave where in 386 AD the saint spent 30 years producing the first vernacular version of the Bible! Before returning to our hotel for a rest we have the opportunity to visit the Christian Co-Op store.

Jerusalem overnight (BD)

Day 8 JERUSALEM

Theme: The Passion of Jesus We proceed to the Mt of Olives this morning where we will firstly visit the Church of the ‘ Pater Noster ’ commemorating the site where Jesus taught His disciples the Lord’s Prayer (Mt 6:7–15). We then enjoy a panoramic view over the city and a spectacular photographic opportunity. As we commence our walk down the Palm Sunday Road, we wander past the tombs of the Prophets Haggai, Malachi and Zechariah before arriving at the Dominus Flevit for Mass. This church was built on the site where Jesus wept over the city of Jerusalem (Lk 19:41–44).

We then continue down to the Garden of Gethsemane , where we will enter the Church of the Agony containing the rock upon which Jesus is said to have prayed before His arrest. Prepare then for a memorable pilgrim highlight, as we gain private group access inside the adjacent ‘Garden of Betrayal’ for an extended time of prayer and reflection surrounded by ancient olive trees dating back to the time of Christ.

From here we see the path Jesus was taken along as a prisoner while ascending Mt Zion to the house of the High Priest Caiaphas. Here, at the Church of St Peter in Gallicantu , Our Lord was interrogated and imprisoned, while Peter denied Jesus three times. Continue to the Cenacle, room of the Last Supper and the Church of Dormition where Our Lady was assumed into heaven.

After a rest before dinner, we will meet representatives of the Bereaved Parents Circle – this is a joint Israeli-Palestinian organisation made up of more than 600 bereaved families. Their common bond is that they have lost a close family member to the conflict. Instead of choosing revenge, they have courageously chosen a path of reconciliation which is sure to touch us deeply.

Day 9 JERUSALEM

Theme: The Death, Resurrection & Ascension of Jesus

We commence early this morning our Stations of the Cross , beginning from the Antonia Fortress where Jesus was condemned to death. See the Lithostrotos (pavement) in the Ecce Homo convent.

Visit nearby the Flagellation and Condemnation Chapels as we pray and follow in Our Lord’s footsteps along the actual Via Dolorosa to the site of Calvary where we will celebrate Mass in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre . Walk the stairway climbing to the actual site where the Cross of Jesus once stood. The glass panels reveal the natural rock below which we may reach through to touch with our pilgrim hands the rock of Calvary. Finally, we may have the opportunity to enter the Tomb where Our Lord rose from the dead for a jaw-dropping moment of pilgrimage.

This morning we travel to the vicinity of the Temple Mount to view the Dome of the Rock , El Aqsa Mosque and the Western Wall . Then we come to the Church of St Anne , said to be built over the birthplace of the Virgin Mary, and visit the adjacent Pool of Bethesda where Jesus healed the paralysed man (Jn 5:2–9).

Finally we come to the Israel Museum to view the Second Temple scale model of Jerusalem as it was in the time of Jesus. This model will help us to understand the layout of the Old City of Jerusalem as it was in the time of Jesus. We will also visit here the Shrine of the Book to view the Dead Sea Scrolls .

Remainder of the afternoon at leisure.

For a special evening of pilgrimage, we will enjoy a Final Celebration Dinner with spectacular views over all of Jerusalem.

Day 10 DEPART THE HOLY LAND

We are transferred to the airport for our homebound flight connections or onto the Wonders of Jordan extension. (B)

All tour inclusions and order of daily arrangements remain subject to change due to any unforeseen circumstances, which may arise, or at the discretion of the tour leadership.

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Dates & Prices

3 – 12 September 2024

Single Room

USD $1690 Supplement

US- --> - --> Tel Aviv

Tel AvivTel Aviv

• Prepaid Tipping

USD $USD $15 PPPD** --> USD $15 PPPD**

8 – 17 October 2024

26 November – 5 December 2024

4 – 13 February 2025

6 – 15 May 2025

2 – 11 September 2025

14 – 23 October 2025

25 November – 4 December 2025

*Per person, twin share **Per person, per day

Costs are indicative and must remain subject to possible change in the event of significant exchange rate variations, tax & hotel changes or minimum group size factors beyond Harvest’s control. Refer to Harvest Terms & Conditions. To confirm your place on this pilgrimage, you will be required to pay an $500 per person deposit at the time of booking.

• ACCOMODATION & MEALS: Based on reputable local 3-4 star superior hotels or quality religious houses as applicable • Meals as specified in Itinerary
• TOURING & TRANSPORTATION: Deluxe Air Conditioned Coach • Professional Pilgrimage Escort / Local Guides • Sightseeing and Entrance Fees
• OTHER: Fully Escorted by Pilgrimage Chaplain • Porterage at hotels (where available) • Harvest Backpack, Pilgrims Journal and Travel Wallet

Not Included

• International Airfares
• Other meals not listed
• Passport and Visa Costs (if applicable)
• Items of a personal nature including phone calls, laundry, beverages, etc.
• Travel insurance

Wonders of JORDAN extension

Petra (2 nights), Dead Sea (1).

DAY 10 JERUSALEM TO PETRA

Travel east this morning crossing into the Holy Land of Jordan.

Visit St Georges Church in Madaba with its precious 6th-century mosaic map of the Holy Land comprised of more than two million pieces.

We continue on and travel south to the magnificent ancient trading city of Petra known as the ‘Red Rose City’ and one of the new Seven Wonders of the World .

Petra overnight (BD)

DAY 11 PETRA EXPLORATION

This morning we enjoy a breathtaking guided walking tour through the ruins of ancient Petra – the city that the Nabateans carved out of solid rock dating back to 300 BC! Our visit will follow a passage through the Siq , a chasm created in a prehistoric earthquake. It is one of the special moments to walk through this canyon which dramatically opens up before your eyes to reveal the Treasury Building (Al-Khazneh) – a never to be forgotten experience. We will see also the Roman Theatre , Corinthian tomb along with churches, homes and many other buildings from this fascinating period.

DAY 12 PETRA VIA MT NEBO TO DEAD SEA

Travel north today where we will ascend Biblical   Mt Nebo  for a spectacular Mass. Here, at the site where the Old Testament opened its door to the Land of the New, Moses looked over into the Promised Land and blessed Joshua who was to lead the Israelites under God’s protection (Joshua 1:6-9). It has been possible for archaeologists to identify this sanctuary, thanks to the records left by two pilgrim-visitors of the fourth and fifth centuries of their travels in this region.

His Holiness Benedict XVI, on his pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 2009, said this while here on Mt Nebo:  “Here, on the heights of Mount Nebo, the memory of Moses invites us to ‘lift up our eyes’ to embrace with gratitude not only God’s mighty works in the past, but also to look with faith and hope to the future which he holds out to us and to our world.”  We too can seize this opportunity to thank God for our journey thus far and anticipate the blessings that are to come.

We then arrive at the Jordanian side of the  Dead   Sea  to check-in to our beautiful hotel located down on the shore. Here we will unwind and take the optional opportunity to float in the salty waters said to have healing qualities.

Dead Sea overnight (BD)

DAY 13 DEAD SEA TO AMMAN

Depart Dead Sea today for Amman airport for our homebound flight connections. (B)

Meal Code: (B) = Breakfast (L) = Lunch (D) = Dinner

“The tour was well organised, the accommodations was excellent. The tour guides were knowledgeable and were an enormous source of information. Border transfers were easily arranged. It was great to travel in an unknown area without any worries.”

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Discovering the Holy Land & Christian Heritage Sites

See The Sites Of The Bible And Be Inspired In The Holy Land and the Mediterranean!

Christian Holy Land Tours

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Embark on a transformative journey to the Holy Land and its surrounding areas with Tradition Tours' exceptional Christian Holy Land Tours.

Our journeys are more than mere vacations; they're opportunities for profound spiritual growth and reflection.

As you explore the biblical past and vibrant present of the region, you'll discover a deeper connection to your faith.

Engage in prayer, meditation, and enlightening group discussions (church group tours only), fostering an experience that will stay with you forever.

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10 Day Christian Holy Land Foundations Tour

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The Exclusive Private Tour of Sicily: Discovering Taormina, Mount Etna, and Syracuse

Experience Israel, the Holy Land

The Holy Land is not just a geographical destination; it's a place of immense importance in Christianity's history and theology. Walking in the footsteps of biblical figures like never before, you'll be moved on a spiritual and emotional level. Visit iconic locations such as Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth, the Jordan River, Mount of Beatitudes, and more. Tradition Tours offers an extraordinary blend of spirituality and cultural exploration, allowing you to connect with local communities, traditions, and cuisine. Explore our diverse Israel Tour packages to find your perfect journey.

Discover Other Christian Heritage Sites

Beyond Israel, Tradition Tours offers a collection of non-Israel tour packages that redefine the Christian pilgrimage experience. Our tours stand out due to our commitment to personalized itineraries, small group sizes, and experienced guides. Walk in the footsteps of biblical figures in places of profound significance. From sacred sites to private chapel visits, our tours offer unparalleled opportunities for deepening your faith.

Planning a Trip With Your Church?

When planning a trip with your church group, Tradition Tours guides you every step of the way. After your church group has determined travel dates, confirmed group size, and decided on the specific sites, connect with the Tradition Tours team to craft an unforgettable journey tailored to your church's needs.

The Tradition Tours Experience

Also, to put your mind at ease about international travel, rest assured that we stay on top of the news and developments in Israel to ensure your trip is always safe so you can immerse yourself in the experience without concern. As mentioned, we’ve done this hundreds of times without a safety issue. Call now - 1-855-958-6877

Don't just take our word for it. Here's what our travelers have to say:

"I've never experienced such a profound blend of faith, culture, and exploration. Tradition Tours made every moment memorable and meaningful." - David M.

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Your questions answered:

When should I plan a trip? We offer tours year-round, each with its unique appeal. Our team can help you choose the best time based on your preferences.

Do I need a Visa when traveling to the Holy Land? Visa requirements vary by nationality. Our experts will assist you in navigating the necessary documentation.

Is it safe to travel to Israel? We prioritize your safety. Learn more about the measures we take in this article, Is Israel Safe to Travel? for insights and guidance.

Do you have to be vaccinated? Health requirements may vary. We'll provide guidance on any necessary vaccinations for your journey prior to departure. You can also ask us when you call our toll-free number.

What do I do if I need help during my trip? Our dedicated support team is available 24/7 to address any concerns you may have.

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Four Reasons to Join Our Holy Land Group Tour

• You choose the tour dates from just about any Thursday to Thursday during the year
• You decide how much to spend by selecting your hotel category
• You benefit from a bucket list itinerary of the Holy Land regardless of the trip cost
• You experience baptism in the Jordan River during the Holy Land tour

Our Holy Land group tour is the perfect answer to your journey of a lifetime. The tour itinerary is identical for all participants, however, you choose your hotel category – which determines the final price. There are four hotel categories from which to choose. Breakfast and dinner are included in all categories.

• Our tours have guaranteed departure dates with a minimum of 2 persons.
• All tours start and end on a Thursday.

Tour Options:

• Add extra nights at the start or end of the tour in either Tel Aviv or Jerusalem.
• Extend the tour with a visit to either Jordan, Egypt, or both.  

Holy Land Heritage tour is a comprehensive 7-night trip that goes to Joppa, the Sea of Galilee, Jerusalem, the Dead Sea, and Bethlehem (security permitting). The tour starts on a Thursday all year round except for certain blackout dates.

Accommodations: Tourist Class, First Class, Superior, and Deluxe hotels are available according to your choice.

Day 1: Arrival. Thursday – Tel Aviv.   Upon arrival at Ben Gurion airport, you will be met by our representative for transfer to your hotel in Tel Aviv. Overnight: Tel Aviv.

• Baptism certificate – a precious souvenir to frame when you return home
• Mandatory baptismal robe
• Entry to the changing room facility with hot showers

Upon request and depending on availability, a Pastor may be present. The Pastor’s fee will be paid (onsite) by those requesting his services.

Day 4: Sunday – Nazareth / Jordan River / Jerusalem After breakfast, set out for Cana to visit the Wedding Church where Jesus performed his first miracle, turning water into wine.  Continue to Nazareth, where Jesus spent his childhood, and the Church of Annunciation , built on the site where archaeologists believe the Archangel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary. Visit  Mary’s Well and Joseph’s Church. Drive through the Jordan Valley to walk through Beit Shean, an ancient Roman city destroyed by an earthquake and recently excavated. Continue to Jerusalem as we drive along the Jordan River Valley, to Jerusalem. Overnight: Jerusalem

Christmas in Old City, Jerusalem

Day 5: Monday – Masada / Dead Sea After breakfast, drive to the Dead Sea region which is 1300 feet below sea level – the lowest place on earth. See the remarkable desert scenery during the drive to the ancient mountain fortress of  Masada , a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Ascend by cable car to the fortress – the last stronghold of the Jewish Zealots in their war against the Romans. Visit the excavations including King Herod’s palace, the synagogue, and the bathhouse.  Enjoy the breathtaking view of the Roman camps and the Dead Sea.  En route to the Dead Sea, you will see the site of the Qumran caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. Weather permitting, float in the dense salty, mineral-rich waters of the Dead Sea . Note: Bring a swimsuit and swim gear. Overnight: Jerusalem

Day 7: Wednesday – Jerusalem After breakfast, visit Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial . Continue to Ein Karem, the birthplace of John the Baptist .  Drive a short distance to the Israel Museum to view a detailed model of the Old City of Jerusalem from the time of the Second Temple and see the Dead Sea Scrolls in the Shrine of the Book. Drive by the Knesset, Israel’s House of Parliament, and the campus of The Hebrew University. Situation permitting, visit Bethlehem to see Rachel’s Tomb along the road to Bethlehem, and the Church of the Nativity inside the town. Overnight: Jerusalem

Day 8: Thursday – Jerusalem. Departure day. Transfer to the airport for your flight.

Options: Extend your stay with additional days in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv, or an add-on to Jordan and/or Egypt.

• 7 nights of hotel accommodation in the category of your choice
• Daily Israeli breakfast
• Daily dinner from the 2nd night onwards
• Transfers from/to airport on arrival and departure
• Sightseeing in a modern air-conditioned motor coach
• Service of a government licensed guide on all touring days
• Entrance to sites included in the itinerary.

Not included:

• Porterage at airport
• Tips for guide, driver, hotel staff
• Beverages with meals
• Travel insurance
• The tour is on a guaranteed departure basis – subject to a minimum of 2 participants.
• The sequence of the tour, hotels used, and sites visited may be amended due to circumstances.
• Reservations received less than 14 days prior to departure are on a request only basis.

Holy Land Heritage Tour

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Unforgettable Journey

Take a step to where Jesus walked!

A Journey Of Spiritual Discovery

Enjoy, live and explore all the historical places where Jesus was born, lived, died and has risen almost the same as the time he lived there. Modern coaches, nice clean accommodations 4 and 5 Star Hotels, good food, different and unique nature, nice beaches, moderate nice weather and much more...

Explore Our Pilgrimage

Embark on a historic journey through Jesus' life, from his birth to resurrection. Travel comfortably in modern coaches, stay in luxurious 4 and 5-star hotels, enjoy diverse nature, beaches, and delectable cuisine amidst pleasant weather. Experience history and spirituality seamlessly intertwined.

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10 Days Pilgrimage

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Experienced team, inclusive packages, it's safe & secure, we are here to help, unforgettable experience, high class services, photos we have picked for you.

Questions that pilgrims has frequently asked us!

How will my pilgrimage help my fellow Christians living in the Holy Land?

What about tips and donations.

• $7/day for the guide
• $4/day for the bus driver
• $2/day for the hotel waiters

What is a typical day like and what is the level of activity?

What sort of food should i expect, what about phone calls back home.

HLB Tours is a registered and licensed tours operator that aims to provide an extra ordinary experience for its pilgrims to the Holy Land. Throught out the experience they had during all the years of pilgrimages in the Holy City.

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5721 Woodfield PKWY Grand Blanc Mi, 48439

(us) (810) 228-8900, [email protected].

The Holy Land

Methodist Journeys helps you to echo the invitation to “Come and See” to your community. From Bethlehem to Nazareth, from Capernaum to Jerusalem, you will be able to walk in the footsteps of Christ. If a pilgrimage is truly at the heart of our faith, then visiting Israel should make our hearts beat with even more fervor and excitement.

Here is a sampling of several highly requested itineraries, ranging from 8 to 12 days. All of our itineraries are fully customizable. We are happy to work directly with you to develop an itinerary that matches your exact needs.

• Tour 1 (6 nights / 9 days)
• Tour 2 (8 nights / 11 days)
• Tour 3 (8 nights / 11 days)
• Tour 4 (10 nights / 13 days)

The Holy Land: In the Footsteps of Jesus

Jaffa / netanya / tiberias / nazareth / jerusalem / bethlehem / emmaus.

• Depart via scheduled air service. The destination is Tel Aviv
• Arrive at Ben Gurion Airport
• Travel to Jaffa for a panoramic orientation and walking through Jaffa’s picturesque alleyways. Here Peter had a vision that led him to convert Cornelius (Acts 10) and initiate the church’s mission to the Gentiles
• Drive through Tel Aviv on the way to our hotel in Netanya on the beautiful Mediterranean Sea for check-in
• Evening dinner and overnight
• Breakfast at the hotel
• This morning, follow in the Footsteps of Paul by traveling up the Plain of Sharon to Caesarea. Visit the aqueduct, the ancient Herodian harbor, the remains of the seaside palace of Pontius Pilate and the theater. Continue to the altar of Elijah at Muhraka atop Mount Carmel.
• Lunch, on own
• Continue to Megiddo, the ancient Tel and future site of the battle of Har-Megiddo or Armageddon (Revelations 16). See the walls of Solomon and the impressive 8th-Century BC water tunnel. Drive across the Valley of Jezreel and climb to Nazareth, to visit Nazareth Village, a reconstructed first-century village that tells the story of the hometown of Jesus. Continue to the Church of Mary’s Well
• Arrive at the Sea of Galilee for evening dinner and overnight

Paths of Scripture, Paths to Our Future

Jaffa / netanya / caesarea / nazareth / jerusalem / emmaus, walking with jesus and witnessing to christ, bethlehem / hebron / nazareth / tiberias / sea of galilee / caesarea / jerusalem / qumran valley / emmaus.

• Meet your Faith Journeys Tour Manager who will assist the group to an awaiting chartered motorcoach for a transfer to Bethlehem
• Late afternoon hotel check-in
• Evening Welcome Dinner and overnight
• This morning we will travel to the Shepherd’s Fields to rejoice over the glad tidings of the birth of Jesus. We will return to Bethlehem to visit the Church of the Nativity and the Chapel of the Massacre of the Innocents. Visit Milk Grotto and Mamre, site of God’s promise to Abraham
• Take an excursion to Hebron where we will visit the 2000-year old Herodian building marking the Tomb of the Patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and their wives. Return to Bethlehem for time at leisure to shop for famous Bethlehem crafts Meet with a prominent member of the Palestinian Catholic community, to hear the struggles of Christians to maintain their faith in difficult times

Land of Promise, Land of Hope:

Jaffa / netanya / nazareth / sea of galilee / capernaum / dan / caesarea philippi / beth shean / jericho / dead sea / jerusalem / bethlehem.

• Meet your Faith Journeys Tour Manager who will assist the group to an awaiting chartered motorcoach for a transfer to Netanya via Joppa for a panoramic orientation to the land and visit the Church of St. Peter.
• This morning we will follow in the footsteps of Paul and make our way up the Plain of Sharon to Caesarea. We will visit the aqueduct, the ancient Herodian harbor, the remains of the seaside palace of Pontius Pilate, and the theater. Continue to the altar of Elijah at the Muhraka atop Mount Carmel
• Cross the Valley of Jezreel to Nazareth. Visit Nazareth Village, a reconstructed first-century village that tells the story of the hometown of Jesus. Continue to Church of Mary’s Well and end the day with a panoramic view of the area of Jesus’ lakeside ministry from the cliff of Mount Arbel
• Continue to Tiberias for evening dinner and overnight

Contact us directly if you have any questions regarding a pilgrimage through the online form or at:

[email protected]

• 470-455-6373
• [email protected]

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Pastors & Church Leaders Educational Holy Land Tour - 2022

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We will begin our time together in Galilee, visiting ancient sites from the Old and New Testaments. Not only the history of God’s work in these places, but God’s work in the current Holy Land, and what the future holds as Jesus lives and calls for ongoing ministry. We provide a deeper connection to the sources of our faith by interacting with the religions and cultures in this fascinating Holy Land.

Have any questions please contact us at   [email protected]  | 406-261-7791

  FLIGHT SCHEDULE:

WASHINGTON, D.C.  (IAD)

•   TK   8     MO  18APR  IAD - IST   2315   1605*
•   TK 788   TU   19APR  IST - TLV   1820  2020
•   TK 785   TU   26APR  TLV - IST   1030   1250
•   TK   7      TU  26APR  IST - IAD   1500  1905

CHICAGO (ORD) 

•   TK   6     MO 18APR  ORD - IST  2140  1610*
•   TK 788   TU  19APR   IST - TLV    1820    2020
•   TK 785   TU   26APR   TLV - IST    1030    1250
•   TK   5     TU   26APR   IST - ORD  1415   1740

* Flight times, flight numbers, equipment, gates, and seats are subject to change. For the most current information check the airline website.

What is included in the tour

• International Airfare
• 7 nights in 4-star hotels
• Daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner 
• Entrance fees to all places of interest listed in your itinerary, and the service of an English-speaking guide
• Transportation in Private modern air-conditioned bus with WiFi

What is NOT included in the tour

• Gratuities for guide and driver
• Personal expenses
• Your domestic flight 
• Travel Insurance:  Travel Insurance is required and not included in the purchase price. For your convenience, we offer travel insurance through *Travelex Insurance Services. For questions, quotes, or to purchase travel insurance, visit  Travelex Insurance   or call  (800) 228-9792  and use the code  26-0057  for Elias Tours.
• PCR or other testing upon arrival and departure to and from Israel 
• Not only the major biblical sites but personal connections with the locals
• Unlike other Holy Land tour organizers, we focus on bringing Scripture to life through first-hand experiences in the places where the stories actually happened
• You will be traveling with Pastor Joel Pancoast (Zion Lutheran Church - Loveland, CO),  Pastor Steve Easterday-McPadden (First United Methodist Church Grand Junction), and Elias Nawawieh

Elias Nawawieh a Palestinian Christian, born and raised in Bethlehem, has been leading and organizing church groups in his homeland since 2010, hosting more than 500 pilgrims each year. Rather than just seeing holy sites from a tour bus in a hurried manner, we offer a more personal experience for our travelers. We focus on meeting local leaders and spending time with local families - connecting with the "Living Stones"  Most other tours only focus on the past. Our travelers come away from our tours with a broader perspective of what the Holy Land was and continues to be today.

DAY 1 - April 18      Departure from the USA 

DAY 2 - April 19    Arrival - Tiberias

Arrive in Tel Aviv, meet your guide, drive to Tiberias, have dinner, and overnight in Tiberias

DAY 3 - April 20   Nazareth - Cana

Mount Carmel, Elijah's confrontation with the false prophets of Baal (I Kings 18)

Meet with Elias Chacour, "Author of Blood Brothers"

Nazareth, Basilica of the Annunciation

Dinner and overnight at hotel in Tiberias

DAY 4 - April 21    Golan Heights - Sea of Galilee 

Caesarea Philippi

The Mount of Beatitudes, communion at the site of Sermon on the Mount 

Boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, Tabgha ( The Multiplication Church)

DAY 5 - April 22    Jacob's Well -    Bethlehem - (The Living Stones)

Jacob's Well ( The Samaritan Women) 

Meet with Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb and learn about the Palestinian Christians

Shepherd’s Field in Beit Sahour

The Church of the Nativity

Evening Walk in the old city of Bethlehem, (Free Time)

Dinner and overnight in Bethlehem

DAY 6 - April 23    Dead Sea  - Jordan River - Qumran

St. George Monastery, Wad Qelt

Qumran, Dead Sea Scrolls

Floating in the Dead Sea

Jordan River, renewal of baptism

Jericho, View Mount of Temptation

DAY 7 - April 24    Mount of Olives, Augusta Victoria Hospital, LWF -  Lutheran Church of the Redeemer

Sunday Worship with the local church

Panoramic view from the top of Mount of Olives

Dominus Flevit

The Garden of Gethsemane and the Church of All Nations

St. Peter in Galicantu (Caiaphas House)

DAY 8 - April 25    The Old City of Jerusalem -  Church of the Holy Sepulcher

The Western Wall and Temple Mount, The Dome of the Rock,  El-Aqsa Mosque

St. Anne’s Church, Pools of Bethesda, Walk the Via Dolorosa (Palm Sunday Path)

 Meet with Bishop Azar (ELCJHL)

Church of the Holy Sepulcher

Free time in the Old City of Jerusalem 

Traditional farewell dinner and overnight in Bethlehem     

DAY 9 - April 26    Departure - Back to the USA

Breakfast, Transfer to Tel Aviv Airport for your return flight home with luggage packed with keepsakes and your heart full of memories!

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

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Holy Land Tours & Trips

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21 Holy Land tour packages with 443 reviews

Heritage of the Holyland Tour - 8 days

"The tour was simply fantastic! Her knowledge and professionalism is only exceeded by her passion." Samuel, traveled in June 2023

• 10% deposit on some dates

Highlights of the Holy Land Best Experience - 8 Days

"Everything was a good pace, never rushed and saw so much place and Leah was an expert with knowledge." Michelle, traveled in April 2023

Heritage & Holy Land - 8 days

"Everything is great I had an amazing time. Thanks be to God. And thank you, tour radar." Marivic, traveled in March 2023

Holyland Pilgrimage Trip Experience - 8 Days

"The Jerusalem hotel was magnificent." D, traveled in September 2023

Heritage of the Holy Land

"The tour was well planned and organized, and we would not hesitate to recommend your company." Elmario, traveled in September 2019

Biblical Lands - 8 days

Holy Land Discovery - Faith-Based Travel - Catholic Itinerary

"The tour was excellent. I have never taken a trip out of country by myself my husband has gone with me but could not this time." PATRICE, traveled in June 2023

Holy Land Discovery with Jordan - Faith-Based Travel - Catholic Itinerary

"The guide put me completely at ease." John, traveled in April 2023

Journey Through the Holy Land - Faith-Based Travel

"Good value for your money." Diane, traveled in September 2023

Journey Through the Holy Land with Jordan - Faith-Based Travel

"Itinerary and hotels were very good." Julianne, traveled in July 2023

What people love about Holy Land Tours

I loved the Heritage of the Holy Land tour. Our tour guide Leah was very knowledgeable and informative. Our bus driver Hassam was very good about navigating the narrow streets with a tour bus. We all became like family by the end of the week.

We had the most amazing guide Leah Dor and the best driver Hassan they both was so lovely, accomodating and went out their way to be so helpful and gave us some extra nice suprises throughout the tour. Everything was a good pace, never rushed and saw so much place and Leah was an expert with knowledge. Transfer drivers was on time when arrived plus to leave. Reliable company and organised well. Only thing, if you want to visit where Jesus was born inside the church, there is a big que and it is not part of this tour as this is just the highlights, they visit the church but not to que for certain things like that which many was not aware of so read the intinary clearly

Dear Folks, The tour was terrific and all I antiipated it would be - experiencing Israel in every way, shape and form everywhere we went! However, at my age the amount of walking was beyond my comfort zone after a several days. I was worn out after 4 days, and totally exhausted after the 6th day, after I'd rested my sore toe in the hotel the previous day! I'm in good shape for my age, however that much walking on unlevel terraine was w-a-y beyond my comfort zone and I'll sign up for that level of intensity again. The tour guides were great and professional. If I were to do another tour, I'll visit half to one/third the number of places we went, relax more, and spend more time at each place. Your foils online that answered all my questions were superb, kind and helpful. That's all, may God bless you all richly!

Travel Holy Land your way

• In-depth Cultural

Choose from over 21 cultural tours and explore historical sites, local traditions and immerse yourself in the vibrant culture of Holy Land. Our cultural tours vary from 3 days to 14 days.

Explore a wide diversity of group tours through Holy Land. We have 20 adventures that vary from 3 days to 14 days. With the greatest number of departures in February, this is also the most popular time of the year.

Find the perfect tour for your family, catering to all ages with over 18 family tours lasting from 3 days up to 14 days available in Holy Land.

Fully Guided

Select from our extensive range of 18 fully guided tours to enjoy a worry-free experience through Holy Land with our expert guides leading the way.

Top operators in Holy Land

"I loved the Heritage of the Holy Land tour. Our tour guide Leah was very knowledgeable and informative. Our bus driver Hassam was very good about navigating the narrow streets with a tour bus. We all became like family by the end of the week.

Consolidated Tour Operators is an expert in:

"The 5 day Holy Tour of Jerusalem booked with Click Tours was the worst tour I have ever booked. I take tours 3-4 times a year, so have many tour group comparisons. Although asked, Click Tours would not advise hotel locations until a few days before the tour commenced. I should have used that as a sign and gone elsewhere… I had accomodation booked near Jaffa Gate prior to the tour commencing, thinking easy for pickup with the tour group as I had such limited information from them about the process. The hotel used by Click Tours as part of their package (Prima Park) was on the outskirts of the city with no restaurants etc nearby. Nice hotels if you have a car, but not otherwise. As we were provided “vouchers” a few days before the commencement of the tour, I messaged Click Tours and asked if we were just meeting different day tour groups each day. I was told the booking is a tour group and not private. As I tour often, private usually means just the person booking and their guide, so found this statement quite misleading later, since this was definitely NOT a tour group booking and was exactly what I thought when getting the vouchers, just day tours with a 3rd party. No representative for Click Tours ever contacted us (other than basic info via Tour Radar) or spoke with us. We were left to our own devices and just picked up by a 3rd party company who Click Tours use for day tours. We had to walk 4 mins from our hotel to a different hotel for pickup each morning by a taxi, who dropped us to a secondary location with no explanation!! Eventually we discovered we had to walk down a hill to a cafe, (cannot see cafe from drop-off spot) find someone from the 3rd party group, who looked up our name on a board to find the day tour we were on. Appalling organisation from the 3rd party, but also from Click Tours who provided zero information about this process. At the close of each day tour, other parties would get dropped to their hotel, whilst the 3rd party would drop everyone and then get us a taxi since our hotel was so far from everyone else. This wasted an hour or so of our time everyday. In the advertising, it stipulates “we” will go to… and very much applies the tour is an organised tour and does not mention just vouchers provided to join different day tour groups with a 3rd party. I enjoy tour groups for the camaraderie you build with your group over the time of the tour. Due to solely being day tours with different people everyday, you could not do that. My father is 78 (and fit) but the structure left no room for rest for him, which normal tours allow for. (Note - I checked age rating for the tour before booking). The tours are 12 hours or more every day. In addition, a number of things advised in the advertising we did not get to go to. I.e., holocaust museum, whilst other places we went to twice (Garden of Gethsemane, Via Dolorosa) wasting precious holiday time. Would suggest care dealing with Click Tours for tours of Israel.

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"Dear Folks, The tour was terrific and all I antiipated it would be - experiencing Israel in every way, shape and form everywhere we went! However, at my age the amount of walking was beyond my comfort zone after a several days. I was worn out after 4 days, and totally exhausted after the 6th day, after I'd rested my sore toe in the hotel the previous day! I'm in good shape for my age, however that much walking on unlevel terraine was w-a-y beyond my comfort zone and I'll sign up for that level of intensity again. The tour guides were great and professional. If I were to do another tour, I'll visit half to one/third the number of places we went, relax more, and spend more time at each place. Your foils online that answered all my questions were superb, kind and helpful. That's all, may God bless you all richly!

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FLIGHT TO ISRAEL:

Caesarea • roman amphitheatre • mt. carmel • megiddo • nazareth village • tiberias:, dan • caesarea philippi • cruise sea of galilee • capernaum • mount arbel:, jordan river baptismal • beit-shean/ scythopolis • jordan valley • jericho:, mount of olives • garden of gethsemane • temple mount • dome of the rock-wailing wall • rabbinical tunnels • upper room • st. peter in gallicantu • garden tomb:, via dolorosa • church of the holy sepulcher • shrine of the book • holocaust museum • ein kerem:, pool of bethesda • southern wall • bethlehem • church of the nativity:, dead sea • masada • ein gedi • qumran caves • allenby • jordan:, jordan • jerash • petra:, petra • amman:, madaba • nebo • israel:, tel aviv • home:.

Tour arranged by: Christian Tours

• Frequent walking on rough & uneven terrain

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Kremlin & Red Square

The very founding site of the city (and arguably, the country), the Kremlin and Red Square are still at the heart of Moscow – historically, geographically and spiritually. Feel the weight of this significance as you wander within the walls of the ancient fortress, marvel at the mind-boggling magnificence of St Basil’s Cathedral and pay your respects to the revered leader of a now-defunct state. Moscow will move you. It will tantalise your senses, soothe your spirit and boggle your mind – and it all starts right here at the Kremlin and Red Square.

Communist History

The remains of the Soviet state are scattered all around the city. Monuments remember fallen heroes and victorious battles, while museums attempt to analyse and synthesise the past. See Lenin and Stalin – off their pedestals – at the whimsical Art Muzeon. Step into the socialist-realist fantasy at VDNKh. Descend into the depths of the Soviet system at Bunker-42 Cold War Museum. Ride the museum-like metro and remember the millions who suffered at the Gulag History Museum. Nowadays, retro clubs and cafes give their guests a taste of the Soviet experience. You can even try your hand at Soviet-era arcade games.

As you leave Moscow, the fast-paced modern capital fades from view and the slower-paced, old-fashioned countryside unfolds around you.

Performing Arts

What is more thrilling than watching a ballerina defy gravity, leaping across the stage at the glittering Bolshoi Theatre? Or feeling the force of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture, just a few blocks away from where it premiered more than a century ago? Or oohing and aahing as circus performers soar under the big tent? The classical performing arts in Moscow are still among the best in the world. Nowadays, even the most traditional theatres are experimenting with innovative arrangements, reviving lost favourites and hosting world premieres. Whether you appreciate the classics or prefer the contemporary, the capital’s performing arts will impress.

Orthodoxy & Architecture

At nearly every turn in Moscow, you’ll see golden domes peeking out over the rooftops and hear church bells peeling through the streets, which are dotted with some 600 churches – many of which are glittering after recent renovations. There are colourful hidden gems, historic fortresses and gargantuan cathedrals. The exteriors are adorned with stone carvings and glittering domes; interiors are packed with ancient icons, swirling incense and faithful worshippers. For more than a millennium, Orthodoxy has helped to define the Russian nation, a significance that is palpable in these atmospheric spiritual places.

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New Jerusalem monastery

Tour program

• Meet your guide and driver in the morning in the lobby of your hotel. The trip will take you about 1 - 1,5 hours.  
• Explore the fabulous complex of the New Jerusalem monastery. During the tour, we’ll visit The Church of the Resurrection of Christ which is built in the likeness of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, and copies of all the main shrines of the Jerusalem temple including Golgotha, the Chapel (chapel) above the Holy Sepulcher, the Anointing Stone.  Nearby is the underground church of Sts. Constantine and Helen. The baroque 18th-century interior has been beautifully restored, and a little chapel in the far corner serves water from the holy well.  
• Climb the walls of the monastery to enjoy outstanding views from above.  
• Have a lovely stroll past the monastery wall to the park which is meant to represent the garden of Gethsemane.  
• Enjoy simple but hearty lunch in the monastery's cafe.  
• Drive back to Moscow

Optional Tour Extensions

• If you like history we'd recommend you to visit the museum of the New Jerusalem which is only 7 minutes walk from the monastery. It is a remarkable place to understand the 17th-century history of Russia and the personality of the patriarch Nikon. The museum often hosts outstanding art exhibitions.  
• Why not combine a trip to the New Jerusalem monastery with a visit to the charming Rusian town Zvenigorod . A 40-min drive will take you to a peaceful old town that has preserved remarkable medieval architecture and stunning rural landscapes.

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St. Tikhon of Moscow's Gift to America

The monastery of st. tikhon of zadonsk.

Jesse Dominick

On September 26/October 9, the Orthodox Church commemorates the 1989 glorification of New Hiero-confessor Tikhon (Bellavin), patriarch of Moscow and all Russia. St. Tikhon is of course best remembered as the first Patriarch of Russia, elected in 1918, since the 1721 abolition of the patriarchate by Peter I. He guided the Church as a firm and steady anchor during the early years of the communist regime, suffering imprisonment in Donskoy Monastery from 1922 to 1923 for opposing the government’s confiscation of Church property. He entered into repose on the great feast of Annunciation in 1925 and is considered a confessor of the Orthodox faith.

Before taking up the yoke of arch-pastor for the entire Russian nation, St. Tikhon served as a missionary bishop in the burgeoning American mission. He was appointed as bishop of the Aleutians and Alaska in 1898 and he traveled throughout America, visiting parishes, comforting the faithful, and consecrating new parishes. In 1905 he was raised to the dignity of archbishop and he relocated the center of the diocese to New York, before being called back to Russia in 1907.

St. Tikhon’s is home to a rich history and a great many “treasures” of Orthodoxy, some known, some relatively unknown, which stand as a testament to the prayers and labors of our American apostle, St. Tikhon, and his continuing heavenly protection.

St. Alexis Toth

Archbishop Arseny

After more service in America, Canada, Russia, and Serbia, Archbishop Arseny returned to Canada as the bishop of Winnipeg in 1926. In 1937 he retired to the monastery which he had founded, and the following year he founded the pastoral school which became St. Tikhon’s Seminary.

Archbishop Arseny, locally venerated as a saint in the Canadian diocese, is buried in a simple grave next to the chapel in the monastery cemetery.

Metropolitan Leonty

St. Tikhon’s Monastery also knows the blessing of the relics of many other saints, including its revered founder St. Tikhon of Moscow, its patron St. Tikhon of Zadonsk, St. Panteleimon, St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco, St. Raphael (Hawaweeny), and many others, notably including a piece of the True Cross.

MIRACULOUS ICONS

She Who is Quick to Hear

We recently published an interview on the miraculos icon of St. Anna with Fr. Athanasy, conducted by Khouria Frederica Mathewes-Green.

WHERE SAINTS HAVE WALKED

In addition to Sts. Tikhon, Arseny, and Alexis, St. Tikhon’s has been blessed with the ministry and prayers of several other venerable American saints.

St. Raphael of Brooklyn

St. Alexander Hotovitsky

St. Nicholai of Zhicha

Fr. Vasily (Philipoff)

Igumen Gregory (Zaiens) who lived several years at St. Tikhon’s with Fr. Vasily recalls:

As to his spiritual life, Fr. Vasily could be described as a pillar of Orthodox piety—blagochestie. He held that which was God's in honor; he had a holy, blessed, humble, fearless fear of God. He had assimilated this as a natural, organic part of his being. To live with such a person is a great lesson in the Orthodox way of life even if one is never given a word of instruction. There are a few small words which I remember that I could pass on. One time I asked Father: “What is the meaning of humility of wisdom?” He replied, “When you repent, you become humble and then God gives you wisdom.” He once said in a sermon, “Some people say that if you read the Bible too much you will lose your mind. That is true. You will lose your carnal mind and get a spiritual one.”

Once after the evening service I was going to venerate the central icon in the Church. Fr. Vasily who had served was approaching the icon so I waited. As he neared the icon and I looked at him his physical appearance changed so that he physically looked somewhat smaller than he actually was. He looked extremely humble and it seemed as though he was on fire with prayer.

Archimandrite Vasily is buried in the cemetery at St. Tikhon’s where pilgrims can come to seek his intercession.

MUSEUM AND ICON REPOSITORY

Among the most notable articles in the museum are the a Gospel book gifted by Tsar Michael Romanov to a convent in Russia which dates to 1636, the mantia of St. Tikhon of Moscow from his time as the metropolitan of Moscow, vestments of St. Nicholai Velimirovich, and hand-written letters of St. Alexis Toth.

The museum is an evangelical effort as many non-Orthodox come out of an interest in art or history and learn about our holy Orthodox faith. The museum is open by appointment to all who are interested.

The monastery brotherhood, which has known sixty bishops, currently under its sixteenth abbot, Schema-Archimandrite Sergius (Bowyer) , is growing and continues to serve the Church in America and beyond through its many endeavors including the St. Tikhon’s Monastery Press and Bookstore, iconography, and support of the training of new clergy in the seminary through providing several professors as well as the church in which the seminary community prays and is shaped.

Of course the main task of a monastery is always to pray, which is a constant emphasis of Abbot Sergius. Perhaps the greatest treasure the monastery offers to America and to the world is the daily serving of the Divine Liturgy since 1905. Few places in America offer the holy Eucharist daily, and certainly none for as long as St. Tikhon’s. The grace and power of the Divine Liturgy is inestimable, and the presence of Christ that is manifest in holy Communion sustains the world.

St. Tikhon’s Monastery and Seminary sits on a quiet property in north-eastern Pennsylvania surrounded by nature ideal for fostering prayer, humility and love for God. St. Tikhon’s is indeed a center of Orthodoxy in America, ever being offered for the benefit of others who are always welcome to go on pilgrimage to experience the grace and many “treasures” of St. Tikhon’s—St. Tikhon of Moscow’s offering to America.

More information on St. Tikhon's Monastery can be found here , and information on St. Tikhon's Seminary here .

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Crusader treasure unveiled: Medieval altar found in Jerusalem’s Holy Sepulcher

By AC Wimmer

CNA Newsroom, Jul 17, 2024 / 14:05 pm

Researchers have unearthed a Crusader-era altar in Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulcher in a serendipitous discovery that sounds straight out of an Indiana Jones plot.

The find, announced by the Austrian Academy of Sciences , offers a marble-clad window into medieval Christian artistry and papal power projection.

The altar, consecrated in 1149, is an impressive 3.5 meters (about 11 feet) wide, according to the academy, making it the largest known medieval altar to date.

For centuries, the altar stood as a silent sentinel to countless pilgrims before vanishing from collective memory in 1808, when a fire ravaged the church’s Romanesque section.

Ilya Berkovich, a historian at the ÖAW’s Institute for Habsburg and Balkan Studies, and Amit Re’em from the Israel Antiquities Authority stumbled upon this liturgical leviathan during renovation work.

The church has long been of interest to researchers and archeologists.

The newly discovered altar had been hiding in plain sight, concealed behind a graffiti-covered stone slab weighing several tons.

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“That something so significant could lie unrecognized for so long in such a place came as a complete surprise to all involved,” Berkovich said.

The altar’s intricate cosmatesque decorations — a technique mastered exclusively by craftsmen in papal Rome — hint at a hitherto unknown connection between the Eternal City and the Christian Kingdom of Jerusalem . Using marble fragments often scavenged from ancient Roman buildings, these artisans created dazzling geometric patterns and ornaments, he said.

“The pope honored the holiest church of Christendom,” Berkovich noted, suggesting that the pontiff’s dispatch of a cosmatesque master to Jerusalem was a calculated move to underscore Christian claims to the Holy City.

The Church of the Holy Sepulcher holds paramount significance for Catholics as the site of Christ’s crucifixion, burial, and resurrection. Its importance as a pilgrimage destination has endured for nearly two millennia, drawing faithful from across the globe to its hallowed grounds.

The altar’s installation in 1149 coincided with a period of relative stability in Crusader-held Jerusalem, researchers said. Fifty years after the First Crusade captured the city, the Kingdom of Jerusalem sought to cement its presence through grand building projects and religious ceremonies. The rededication of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, with this newly discovered altar as its centerpiece, marked a high point in the Crusaders’ tenure in the Holy Land.

This rediscovery enriches the understanding of medieval Christian art and illuminates the complex tapestry of relationships between Rome and Jerusalem during the Crusader era .

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Researchers hope further investigation in papal archives might unveil more details about the altar’s creation and perhaps even identify the skilled artisans behind this monumental work.

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July 26, 2024

Taylor Swift and Bach Can Thank Ancient Temples for Modern Music

The basic notes, rests and harmonies of Western music arose as humans heard how sounds traveled through the first large temples, built more than 2,000 years ago

By Lynn Whidden

Solomon's Temple in ancient time.

North Wind Picture Archives/Alamy Stock Photo

Where did Western music come from? Most historical accounts credit composers with the first formations of simple tunes, which eventually led to “early music” and later classical music and the many popular forms that have since sprung up. But acoustic ecologists and musicologists have been talking lately about a different foundation: the earliest temples and cathedrals, which literally shaped musical notes and rests that led to song and symphony. Buildings determined how religious leaders chanted and how musicians composed using the first harmonies.

The shape and dimensions of early Israeli temples—notably Solomon’s Temple , said to have been built in the decade of 950 B.C.E—were designed to help words spoken at the altar reach people in attendance. The most effective interior design had a certain ratio of length to width to height and took into account the building materials and furnishings. Both the dimensions and materials affected the sound that leaders were able to deliver.

Aware of this interplay, early music composers chose pitches, silence (rests), rhythms and simple harmonies that sounded well throughout the physical building. When ornamentation was added inside, limiting reverberation, the basic dynamics of classical music were set, even as it spread among different societies and religions. Within the nave, as the main interior part of the church came to be called, the early creators of classical music , such as Pérotin (known by his mononymous name) in the 1200s, and John Dunstaple and Guillaume Dufay in the 1400s, were able to organize and explore sound. They eventually created polyphony, the layering of simultaneous voices—the harmonies much loved to this day. In this view, the “house” provided the acoustics for early music creations, and by the late 15th century, the basics of Western music were in place. Even today, many concert halls mimic the plan and dimensions of cathedrals.

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While scholars have lauded the visual qualities of the basilica style, few have explored the auditory. One landmark study, Sound and Space in Renaissance Venice: Architecture, Music, Acoustics , by architectural historians Deborah Howard and Laura Moretti, examines this. Lifelong ethnomusicologists like myself have long recognized the importance of context for music but failed to recognize its importance in the development of Western classical music. In May at the biannual Rupert’s Land Colloquium at the University of Winnipeg, and in June at the Eighth International Conference on Analytical Approaches to World Musics at the University of Bologna in Italy, I argued for the importance of “habitat” for human music. Studying the space in which music was created adds a new dimension to our understanding of music: the importance of early architecture.

Most of us have lost sight of how deeply rooted we are in our physical environment—as ethnomusicologist Simha Arom described so well when discussing the tall, cathedral-like tropical forests of the central Congo basin, where the Aka people and other groups sing multilayered choral pieces. The history of Western music often begins with ancient Greece, especially its music theory. Yet for acoustical reasons, the origin of Western harmony is not within Greek buildings—and especially not in Greek or Roman temples because, as art historian Nikolaus Pevsner wrote in his book An Outline of European Architecture, “A Greek temple’s interior mattered infinitely less than its exterior.... The faithful did not enter it and spend hours of communication with the Divine in it, as they do in a church.”

When humans moved into buildings with impenetrable walls, song changed. In my research, I’ve proposed that Solomon’s Temple in ancient Israel was the prototype for a sonic interior in which people could control and elaborate on music and that the ancient Hebrews designed an indoor space, the temple’s interior holy place, with proportions that made possible both clarity of sound and the repetition needed for focused contemplation.

Isaac Newton, as we might expect of a mathematician and physicist of the time, described the physical dimensions of Solomon’s Temple in masterful Latin. There were many rooms of acoustic interest, but the one of lasting musical influence is the nave. Newton and others gave the relative proportions of this room as a length of six, a width of two, and a height of three.

In modern-day churches, this temple-inspired shape is an oblong hall, often with aisles on either side. At one end there is a narthex, or entrance space. At the opposite end is the elevated platform where the sacred altar sits. In Solomon’s Temple, it is likely that the temple’s two towers functioned as a sort of loudspeaker. This architecture allows for the untrammeled movement of sound waves and leads to musicologist Denis Stevens’s observation that even simple doubling of sung intervals of fourths, fifths and octaves in a large building such as an abbey or cathedral is “magnificently sonorous.” Curtains like those of early Christian basilicas were installed on special occasions to help reduce reverberation, keep the sound within the Gothic nave and help the tonal continuity of liturgical melodies.

Today, in similar fashion, most concert halls feature a forecourt or lobby and then an oblong space approximately two thirds of the hall’s total length for the audience. This long, narrow, rectangular space carries sound well. Music and music performance also depends on the ability to create and maintain silence. Silence allows us to discern and demarcate music boundaries; specific rests in music are crucial to structuring a work.

A room of right angles supports artistic and social hierarchy, too; there is no circle of equality. The people standing higher and often in front of a group readily control the sound space. This seems very similar to the provenance of the concert stage today.

High ceilings were copied in successive churches to the present. Height enriches singing with a longer path of travel for sound waves, thereby prolonging sound. Even higher ceilings are better for instrumental music, which may have been more prevalent in Solomon’s Temple than many records suggest. This arrangement is now an accepted visual and acoustic shape.

Ancient temples were often constructed of stone covered with wooden floors and walls. Cherubs, palm trees and flowers carved into the wide planks of wood described in the Bible can sufficiently absorb sound waves. Another effective absorber in Solomon’s Temple would have been the veil of variegated linen that was said to have been at the entrance to the innermost chamber, called the Holy of Holies, which, incidentally, would have been a near-totally silent room. In such a cube-shaped space, probably by design, equally sized sound waves cancel each other, resulting in a quieter sound, particularly at the center of the room.

It seems that our sound-aware predecessors understood the absorptive effects of materials and objects in the temple and in the Christian churches that followed. Surfaces, be they rough or porous, alter sound in an enclosed space. Acoustic engineers now assign an absorption coefficient to surfaces, a number indicating how easily an object is penetrated by sound waves. A low coefficient means that sound waves pass through the object with relatively little attenuation. A high coefficient indicates that sound waves are well absorbed. People in ancient times apparently knew well how to adjust objects in an indoor space to optimize the absorption coefficient or reverberation needed for humans to hear the message clearly.

Each building we occupy is a sonic niche that affects what we hear and perform. It is likely that temple builders were assisted by priests to fine-tune a desirable sound space. The intoned, low-pitched vowels and syllables of the exclusively male priests’ speech would have been heard clearly, one pitch at a time, to optimize comprehension. Perhaps the designers allowed just enough resonance for some echoing to create a sense of a far distant sound that they considered sacred—the word of God.

History, from ancient times to the present, shows us how this “container” for music lived on. By 300 B.C.E. the Bible’s Old Testament had a Greek translation called the Septuagint. Greek was the lingua franca of the time and of historian Flavius Josephus, who was born around C.E. 37. Josephus’s compelling historical works, which included a description of Solomon’s Temple, were carried across the Middle East and finally into Europe. Josephus, who was Jewish, mentioned Jesus several times, a fact that made his works more acceptable to the new Christians of the time.

While Jews were dispersed, Christians became a multitude. With the efflorescence of Christianity, a religion rooted in the Old Testament, through the Septuagint, knowledge of the temple spread.Temple imagery pervaded medieval church construction, iconography and biblical sermons, and its liturgy carried in verse and music. The long nave design of Christian churches and their endemic music spread west and north—even to England, with William the Conqueror. In 1137 the Norman-English began work in present-day Scotland on St. Magnus Cathedral, known to this day for its good acoustics.

As musicologist Craig Wright observed of Solomon’s Temple in a 1994 paper , “This monument of great spiritual importance to the people of Israel quickly assumed equal significance with the early Christians.... Every sanctuary in Christendom drew upon the vision of the Temple of Jerusalem as the source of its spiritual authority and external form.”

In medieval times, music experimentation abounded, but it was within the “house” where an intimation of the possibilities of organized, layered and unvarying human sound—that is, Western classical music—was to come. Old St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, which stood from the fourth to 16th centuries C.E., had a long colonnaded nave that drew attention to the main altar. The nave was central to the great Romanesque and Gothic cathedrals that followed, such as the Basilica of Saint-Denis, built in 1135 in France, in which the vaulting was higher than in previous cathedrals and stained-glass windows replaced parts of solid stone walls, further enriching the acoustics. Western churches soared to new heights, as did their music. Musicologist Richard Terry is said to have remarked that a mass by Robert Fayrfax, a Renaissance composer and organist, was composed with three parts in voices and a fourth part provided by the church building.

While the temple design was the crucible for music change, individual musicians, who used their surroundings to create music, should be acknowledged. Recognition is often difficult because we don’t have recordings, of course, but written records of the time do point to a few individual composers, often in their church context. Notre Dame cathedral in Paris , with a nave that is 115 feet high, provided the setting for the composer Léonin to use drone (sustained) notes for the tenor voice part, Pérotin to use four voice parts for a type of plainchant melody called organum, and both composers to experiment with polyphony. Another great musical innovator, Josquin des Prez, who lived from about 1450 to 1521, worked at a series of sacred buildings in France: Cambrai cathedral, the chapel at Saint-Germain-en-Laye castle and the Sainte Chapelle chapel.

We do know of the specific music innovations of Dunstaple, who composed and played in St. Albans cathedral, a Norman cathedral said to have the longest nave in England, in the 15th century. Dunstaple, an English composer, traveled to the French Burgundian court, where he introduced and formalized the new English musical sound. Other composers such as Leonel Power and Dufay were part of the new art.

The increasing standardization of sound promoted exchanges of music ideas between continental Europe and England. The control of sound facilitated sonic organization of pitch and rhythm using silences and layering of sound. Repetition with fidelity led, with the aid of print, to longer organized forms such as the motet, a vocal music composition, and the conductus, a Latin song with a rhythmic structure.

By the end of the 15th century the die was cast: Western classical music was on its determined path. By the late Renaissance, the elements of Western music were established and it sounded best in decorated, rectangular cathedrals and churches, aristocratic chapels and, soon to follow, dedicated concert halls.

Ancient people saw a need to control their sound space, so they designed the temple. Its plan lives on in cathedrals and concert halls, and almost all the significant contributors to Western music composed within a cathedral space. Although I have provided strong indirect evidence, researchers today could use digital data to recreate interior soundscapes to provide acoustical proof that connects early temple and cathedral spaces with classical music and the explosion of music compositions that has followed. All of us are deeply rooted in our sound environment, and the spaces of the past can inspire us to give further thought to sound in our life.

United States Institute of Peace

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As Russia Builds Influence in Africa, its Church Takes a Role

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Russia’s Orthodox church is expanding in Africa as an instrument of Moscow’s soft power.
• Russia builds sway in Africa by backing authoritarians — and by echoing African citizens’ grievances.
• Supporting peace in Africa means addressing real injustices, past and present.

Wednesday, July 24, 2024

/ READ TIME: 8 minutes

By: Andrew Hoyle

Vladimir Putin’s campaign to make the world safe for violent authoritarianism visibly exploits conflicts and bolsters military rule in Africa with mercenary armies, internet-borne disinformation and weaponized corruption. A less recognized Russian effort to build influence in Africa is an expansion across the continent of the Russian Orthodox Church. As the Russian church’s overt support for Putin’s war on Ukraine has corroded its influence in the traditionally Orthodox Christian world, the Moscow Patriarchate is opening parishes and hiring priests away from the established African church.

The Russian church’s expansion is challenging centuries-old Orthodox jurisdictions that place Africa within the Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa, headquartered in Egypt. In 2021, the Russian church established its own ecclesiastical province, or exarchate, in Africa and accepted what it said were spontaneous appeals from 102 African Orthodox priests to join the Russian church. Moscow has established 200 parishes in 25 African countries, the Russian prelate declared last year. It recruits priests partly with increased pay, and it promises to invest in churches, hospitals and schools.

Moscow launched its push into Africa after losing its long battle to maintain control over Orthodoxy in Ukraine. Global Orthodoxy’s senior-most primate, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, granted Ukraine’s request for independence from the Russian church in 2019, and Alexandria’s patriarch joined others in support. Russia condemns those decisions as a “deviation into schism” that invalidates the authority of those patriarchs.

The church’s expansion is part of the Kremlin’s broad, strategic campaign to build influence in Africa with every tool available.

The church’s expansion is part of the Kremlin’s broad, strategic campaign to build influence in Africa with every tool available — from diplomacy to disinformation and from miners to mercenaries . Analysts and media investigations document Russia’s weaponization of corruption to secure loyalties from South Africa to Sudan to Zimbabwe . One focus is Uganda, whose autocratic president, Yoweri Museveni, has sustained decades of close ties with Moscow, notably as an arms buyer. Amid Putin’s war on Ukraine, Museveni has buttressed Russia’s position with his diplomatic talking points, a visit to Russia and Uganda’s votes in the U.N. General Assembly. Moscow’s church says Museveni has donated land facing his presidential palace for a Russian Orthodox “ spiritual center :” a church, hospital, school and hotel.

To lead its push into Africa, the Russian church appointed Leonid Gorbachev , a cleric known for posting social media screeds against Russia’s enemies and praise for the Wagner Group mercenaries fighting under Putin’s hardline ally, Yevgeniy Prigozhin. Under Gorbachev’s lead, the church focused expansion efforts where Wagner’s forces operated. Two months after Prigozhin briefly rebelled against Putin last year, he died in an unexplained plane crash — and weeks later, the Russian church ordered Gorbachev’s retirement.

Russian church history helps illuminate Russia’s ambitions. Both Ukraine and Russia claim ancient roots in a Slavic kingdom, called Kyivan Rus , that formally adopted Orthodox Christianity in 988. In 1453, when a Muslim army captured Constantinople, the main seat of Orthodoxy, Moscow’s Orthodox hierarchy declared itself the only remaining true church and heritor of Christian religious authority — or in its view, the “ third Rome .” The Russian Empire sustained that claim until it was replaced by the Soviet Union, which marginalized the church under the tight scrutiny of the KGB. In Putin’s post-Soviet quarter-century of rule, his campaign to revive Russian power has included new efforts to make Moscow the head of the global Orthodox community, which comprises at least 14 fully recognized, independent (or “autocephalous”) churches. (Other Orthodox churches exist but are not fully recognized among the 14.)

Putin’s efforts to increase Moscow’s influence within Orthodoxy gained momentum until his 2014 invasion of Ukraine intensified Ukrainians’ demands that their church be granted independence from the Moscow Patriarchate. When Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew did so, the Russian church broke communion with him and other church leaders, including Patriarch Theodore of Alexandria and All Africa, who supported that decision. Longtime Russian affairs scholar Paul Goble notes that Moscow’s subsequent expansion into the Alexandria patriarchate’s jurisdiction has raised divisions in the Orthodox world.

The Russian church reported in April baptizing about 1,000 people in Malawi . Its website tells of opening a mission in Togo ; printing prayer books in local languages in seven African countries; and receiving official registration in Tanzania, the Central African Republic, Zambia, Uganda and Nigeria. The church underscores its humanitarian aid, from winter clothes for Moroccan earthquake victims to a stove for a Burundi orphanage to a chicken house for a village’s flock in Kenya .

Two Russian Targets: Authoritarian Elites, Public Opinion

Russia is building influence in Africa largely through mercenary or military aid and corruption to support and coopt autocratic elites, including military governments and armed factions. This strategy heightens violence and human rights abuses, and complicates any prospect of moving these governments toward peaceful democracy. To build public support for its roles in Africa, Moscow uses diplomacy, disinformation campaigns and soft-power instruments such as the church.

To governments or factions at war, Russia has sold weapons, military training or support from mercenary companies, typically in exchange for corrupt business opportunities. A primary case is the Central African Republic, where the Kremlin-linked Wagner mercenary force (now evolved as the state-controlled Africa Corps ) protects the government in exchange for rights to extract diamonds ,  gold  and  high-value timber , according to investigations by journalists and anticorruption groups. In Libya’s civil war and in military-ruled Sudan , Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, Russian forces have pursued similar roles, heightening violence and human rights abuses , independent monitors report.

While Russia markets its partnership to authoritarian and corrupt elites by helping them sustain their power and wealth, it sells itself to African polities as a more caring ally of marginalized peoples than the United States, France or other Western powers. Across 33 countries, Africans’ overall favorability toward Russia declined after Putin’s 2022 all-out invasion of Ukraine, but now has regained its previous levels as support for the United States has eroded, Gallup opinion surveys show. The Russian church’s expansion in Africa makes it a promising instrument of this soft-power campaign, alongside state diplomacy and disinformation efforts. Russia’s appeal benefits from at least six factors:

• Africa’s colonial scars. Russia is able to sell itself publicly as more respectful of Africans than Western powers partly because — while it built its own empire in Europe and Asia — it was never part of the West’s centuries-long colonization , exploitation and enslavement of Africans.
• Calls for a multipolar world. Moscow also wins an audience with Putin’s narrative that he is fighting “unipolar” U.S. domination to establish a fairer “multipolar” world. For example, Russia’s expressed support for fuller African representation on the U.N. Security Council accords with Africans’ demands for a greater voice in international institutions.
• Moscow’s vow of “non-interference.” Russia’s subversion and disinformation campaigns, from its “near abroad” to Africa and elsewhere , belies its formal vow of principled “non-interference in [nations’] internal affairs.” But it offers an attractive form of non-interference, notably to authoritarian and military regimes, by providing security assistance without stipulations about protecting human rights or democracy.
• Africans’ sense of dismissal by the West. Many Africans describe what USIP’s Joseph Sany has called a “tone-deaf … hypocrisy” from the West on the value of Africans’ voices — and indeed their lives. Western powers voice urgency over Gaza and seek African support in defending Ukraine, but give less attention to warfare in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo or Sudan.
• Conservative and religious values. In contrast to the West’s secular and progressive approach (including supporting LGBTQ rights in Africa), Russia and its church declare “immutable moral values ,” including patriotism, tradition-bound roles for men and women, and religious traditions friendly to state authority. Some of Russia’s declared “traditional values” appeal to Africa’s rapidly growing Christian (and Muslim ) populations. 
• Religious actor engagement. Although the West recognizes the importance of engaging religious communities, state promotion of religious values is generally off its agenda. The Kremlin, by contrast, prioritizes support for religious leaders and groups that can bolster its broad, hybrid campaigns for power at home and influence abroad.

In Africa, as in Russia or Ukraine, the Russian church’s partnership with violent authoritarianism makes it a soft-power tool with a sharp, jagged edge. African governments and civil societies will do well to recognize the church’s role (in a corollary to Clausewitz’ description of war) as Russian policy continued by other means. For their part, U.S. and allied policymakers would do well to recognize the deep roots of many Africans’ receptivity to Russia’s narrative: their experiences of unjust realities, past and present. Supporting peace and democracy in Africa means responding to those realities, regardless of Russia’s presence.

Andrew Hoyle is a U.S. Navy chaplain and scholar on religion and peacebuilding; he has served as a visiting scholar with USIP’s Religion and Inclusive Societies team.

The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s).

PUBLICATION TYPE: Analysis