Shroud of Turin Exhibit - Notre Dame Center

A definite climactic highlight was this presentation entitled, "Who is the man of the shroud?" Johanna, a lay consecrated woman with Regnum Christi, gave a phenomenal presentation going through the history of the shroud and leaving everyone to answer the questions of Did Jesus rise from the dead?; What does that mean?; and Was this the burial cloth of Jesus? Of course, the answer was pretty clear. For more info click here.

Qumran - Dead Sea Scrolls

In 1947 a bedouin boy discovered the qumran cave where many scrolls containing parts of the Old Testament were discovered. These copies were made by scribes at the time of Jesus.

Jericho - the oldest city in the world

We enjoyed a look at the Temptation Monastary on the side of the mountain as well as a sycamore tree that was definitely not the one Zaccheaus climbed - fun to see and reflect on nevertheless.

Bethany

Jesus visited Bethany many times and knew Lazarus, Martha and Mary. Lazarus died and Jesus made him come back to life after 3 days. This may be the tomb in which he was buried.

Dead Sea - what a float

The dead sea is farther below sea level than any other body of water in the world. Therefore, nothing flows from it - water flows into it and stays or evaporates. No fish live in it - it is lifeless. This contasts the Sea of Galilee which is the source of water and fish for the people of the Holy Land. A good spiritual analogy can be made with these - if you only take but do not give, you will have no life in you. However, if you receive and give in return (like the Sea of Galilee) you will have life within you and be a source of life for others.
The Dead Sea

The Sea of Galilee

Gethsemane - Jesus' agony in the garden

We visited this garden with an olive tree (about 2,200 years old) and the Church of All Nations or Church of the Agony built over the rock where Jesus sweated blood in his agony. Fr. Justin celebrated Mass and many of us were moved to tears as we encountered Jesus who laid down His life for us.

Bethlehem - Shepherd's Field

The Angels appeared to the shepherds who were watching their flocks by night in these fields just outside the town.

Peter's Denial - St. Peter Gallicantu

This Church commemorates Peter's denial of knowing Jesus after Jesus was arrested and being held in prison.

Ascension

It is believed that Jesus ascended into Heaven from this place on the Mount of Olives, a place that is a Sabbath Days journey from the Jerusalem Temple. This shows the rock at the bottom of the chapel in which some believe Jesus left His footprint before ascending into Heaven. The outside of the chapel, built by the crusaders, had an open roof... which has been closed now that the chapel is in the custody of the Muslims.

Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land

We visited with Fr. Noel, a Friar from Malta who has been serving in the Holy Land for 7 years and is the director of the Franciscan Seminary in Jerusalem. He gave us a succinct and interesting overview of the history of the Holy Land and the work of the Franciscans there.

Holy Sepulchre - Jesus' Crucifixion and Resurrection

Under the roof of this Byzantine Church are the sites where Jesus was crucified and laid in the tomb... and rose from the dead. This crucifix hangs over the site of the crucifixion. This fissure in rock is just to its right and shows the effect of the earthquake that happened at the time of Jesus' death on the cross.

Dormition Church - Mary's Assumption into Heaven

Some believe Mary was Assumed into Heaven from Ephesus where she lived with St. John. However, the Catholic tradition is that she came back to Jerusalem where she died (went to sleep). When her tomb was opened, her body was not there. This Church is near the Cenacle or Last Supper/Pentecost room.

Cenacle or Upper Room - Last Supper and Pentecost

In the Upper Room Jesus gave us 4 sacraments, Eucharist, Holy Orders, Confession and Confirmation. The exact location of this building is not known although there is an "upper rooom" chapel which is controlled by the Muslims. Christians are welcome to come to pray there. Pope John Paul II visited there and left this brass olive tree. It has 33 branches sprouting from the sturdy trunk of the tree, a symbol of the new life of the new covenant in Jesus.

Church of Flagellation - Stations of the Cross begin

We began the Stations of the Cross here with some prayer as we prepared to walk with Jesus in His Passion on the road to Calvary.

Mount of Olives - Dominus Flevit

This chapel, built to look like a teardrop, commemorates the place where Jesus stopped as He entered Jerusalem and wept for her lack of conversion to Him.

Temple Mount - Golden Dome Mosque

One of the great ironies of Jerusalem is the this Golden Dome Mosque. This is the site of the 2 Jewish temples, the most sacred place on the Earth for the Jews and yet, this Mosque, the 3rd most holy site for Muslims, sits on their ruins.

Western Wall

Many Jews come here to pray and chant the Torah.

Notre Dame pilgrim center

A great place to rest our weary bodies! This center was built by the French over 100 years ago and is just outside the "New Gate". It was a great place to stay because the walk to the Franciscan gift shop as well as the Holy Sepulchre was short, about 5-10 minutes.

Church of St. Anne (& Joachim) - Mary's birthplace

Jerusalem - overlooking the city of peace

Lunch in Jericho

Nazareth - Annunciation to Mary of Jesus' Birth

This is the cave where Mary was standing when the angel appeared to Mary and told her she would be the mother of Jesus. "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according to your word.

Jordan River - Baptism of Jesus

We renewed our baptism promises and got wet, really wet!

The living Beatitudes - Fr. Chacour

Fr. Elias Chacour grew up in a Palestinian Christian family. His family was forcibly removed from their town in 1947 when Israel occupied their homeland and made about 1 million people refugees overnight. Through a series of incredible trials his father taught him how to live the Beatitudes, to be a man of peace. He discerned the priesthood as a young man and found his mission in bringing about reconciliation between Jews, Muslims, Christians and Druze.
Many of us on the pilgrimage read his book, BLOOD BROTHERS, and were so inspired that we asked our tour guide to arrange a side trip to I'billin where Fr. Chacour began his priestly ministry of reconciliation. For more on his story, click here.

Capernaum - The Hometown of Jesus

Mount of Beatitudes

Tabga - Multiplication of the Loaves & Fish

Sea of Galilee

Cana of Galilee

At the Cana, we visited the Church which is over the sight of a home in which Jesus changed the water into wine. We celebrated our first Mass in the Holy Land here, a fitting renewal of the marriage covenant Jesus came to form with his bride, the Church. Then married couples renewed their marriage vows as a renewal of their sacramental sharing in the covenant – and a joyous moment it was! Beneath the Church was a view of the excavations as well as a water jar used for the Jewish rites of purification or used to store wine.

Megiddo - Valley of Jezreel or Armageddon

We visited Megiddo, an ancient cite of more than 20 levels of cities. Revelation 20 says that this is where the final battle between good and evil will take place. From the top of the “tel” or dig we could see Cana, Mt. Tabor and south where Jacob’s well is.

Elija's Cave - Mt. Carmel

Elija went up Mt. Carmel and prayed for the end of a 7-year drought just after he slayed the prophets of baal. This is the cave in which he stayed. The Carmelites have had a monastary here for about 800 years where they contemplate God's love and pray for the Church through the intercession of Mary.

Roman Aquaduct

Just up the seashore we stopped to take pictures of this aquaduct built to supply Herod's new city with fresh water. It is old and quite impressive. It also a good reminder that we need fresh water to live and idicative of why people settled around the sea of Galilee rather than on the sea.

Cesarea on the Sea

Our first stop after a night's rest was Cesarea. This was a modern city at the time of Jesus, built by Herod the great. Paul visited here several times. Now there are ruins of the amphitheater, horse racing ring and Herod's palace in the middle.

We made it to Tel Aviv - Ben Gurion Airport - and received a welcome from the Israeli security who checked our Passports. Fr. Justin received a friendly questioning for a few minutes when we got off the plane.

Safe Arrival in Tel Aviv, night on Mediterranean Coast

Fr. Justin was happy to rejoin the group after his friendly welcome. We waited in the airport for a few minutes, met our bus driver, Fossi, and tour guide, Johnny, who took us to our hotel on the Mediteranean in Netanya. We had a great dinner, evening prayer and were happy to find our rorooms comfortable beds.

Mass in Austin - Step 1

Thirty-four pilgrims are anxious to walk in the steps of Jesus! We celebrated Mass at 10:30am at St. Peter's Parish in East Austin. A few pilgrims from the trip in Jan 2009 were there with us to pray with us and send us off. Then lunch and off to the airport. I'm writing from Newark where we are about to board a plane for Tel Aviv. There is a big college group from Pennsylvania and several families of Jews in their customary garb, a new cultural experience for some of us.