Let me just start by saying that there is no way a blog can do the Holy Land justice. I’m not a good enough writer to fully capture the emotions, feels, and overall experience into words. Traveling to the Holy Land is the cream of the crop of all pilgrimages because it’s where Our Lord lived His earthly life. Nothing can compare to laying eyes on the places He walked upon. It overwhelms. It brings you to tears. It’s hard to wrap your mind around.
My first piece of advice for traveling to the Holy Land is to do it with a pilgrimage group–at least for the first time. Israel needs a guide and, I think, for you to fully enjoy the experience you need someone who knows the lay of the land. You could go it on your own, but I wouldn’t recommend it. The amount of research that would need to go into planning would be daunting. Plus, I think a guide really brings the Bible to life. Our guide, George, was amazing. He is from Israel and his knowledge of the country was incredibly beneficial and efficient. He knows where to go and where not to, he knows the languages of the area, and he’s an expert. The biblical and historical knowledge he fed us daily was like taking a crash college course. To put it mildly, most days our minds were blown with all the information he gave us.
With all that being said, I’m going to have to try to scale this blog back somewhat. There is so much to see in the Holy Land that a blog on everything we saw would leave you reading for days. So, I’m going to organize this blog by region. I’ll give you three things in each region that are a must-see. In my mind, everything is a must-see, but I gotta limit myself. The three regions are: The Sea of Galilee, Bethlehem/Jericho area, and Jerusalem.
The Sea of Galilee Region
Sea of Galilee Boat Tour
We first stayed in Tiberias which is right on the Sea of Galilee. It was all more beautiful than I imagined it could be. The sunrises in the morning were breathtaking as they broke over the Golen Heights on the eastern side. One of the things to do in this area is to take a boat cruise out on the Sea of Galilee. Our guide was able to totally open up the Bible for us as we looked at the geography from out on the water.
Mount of Beatitudes
This is the place of the Sermon on the Mount. The church and grounds up there are maintained by Franciscan Missionary Sisters and it is gorgeous. The day we were there it was sunny, the sea was in our view, the flowers were in full color, and the aired smelled sweet. We had Mass upon the mount at an outdoor chapel. It is the perfect place to sit, be still, and just meditate on Christ being there.
Capernaum
Jesus did a lot of teaching in this town and lived here for a while. Peter’s house is here. The greatest part of this area is seeing the ruins of the synagogue where Christ would teach. I strolled around Capernaum (it’s not big) and tried to imagine Jesus there with Peter and the other Apostles.
Bethlehem/Jericho Region
Church of the Nativity
To get into this church you must bend low and go through the Door of Humility. Then you enter into a large open church that is full of Orthodox decorations. There is so much to see and take in. To get to the exact spot of Christ’s birth, you must descend some steps down into a cave. We often depict Christ born in a wooden stable, but he was actually born in a cave. Right at the place of His birth, there is a star on the ground. On the star, in Latin, it says, “Here Jesus Christ was born to the Virgin Mary.” My husband and I got to touch and kiss it together. I was so overwhelmed with wonderful emotions. I don’t have a picture of the star as I wanted to just be present at that moment, but here is part of the inside of the church.
Jordan River
This is where Christ was baptized by St. John the Baptist. It was so special to be by those waters and renew our baptismal promises. Our priest sprinkled each of us with the waters and then we were free to get in if we wanted. It was a chilly, wet day so I settled for just getting my feet in. However, my husband and his cousin-in-law braved the cold waters and went for full immersion.
The Dead Sea
The Dead Sea is the lowest place on earth. The area has a very other-worldly feel. No plants grow around it as they can’t soak up the incredibly salty water, so it feels very lonely and stark. It’s so salty that you don’t need to try to float–you have no choice in the matter. It was too cold for my blood to get all the way in, but I did get my feet in. My husband and his cousin-in-law again were the brave adventures and went out for a relaxing float.
Jerusalem Region
Dominus Flevit Church
This is the best view of Jerusalem. You can see it all laid out in front of you and it’s a great way to get your bearings. This is also the location where Jesus wept over the city. The church here is tiny, but it’s got a spectacular view. The newer church is built upon the ruins of an old Byzantine church and you can still see the mosaic flooring and a stone slab in the floor with the Helena Cross on it. What is also interesting is that you can see the type of trees that were used to make Christ’s crown of thorns near the church. The trees have huge thorns all over them. From this church, you can walk down the mountain using the Palm Sunday path and end up at the Garden of Gethsemene.
Garden of Gethsemene
The Garden of Gethsemene is one of the spots I meditate on the most in my prayers, especially during Holy Week so it’s on my list. The garden is small, but the church right next to it is huge and stunning. I wanted to sit in the church for a very long time. It has a large stone oil press by the altar that the Lord wept upon and shed his bloody sweat.
Holy Sepulcher
If there is one thing you can’t miss, it’s the Holy Sepulcher. This church will be in my daydreams and memories forever and ever. Within this church are two of the holiest places on earth–Golgotha and Christ’s Tomb. Yes, you read that right, the hill Christ died on is encompassed with a church. I had no idea it was that way. Anything I can say about this holy place will never do it justice. It made me weep, it made me smile, I was in awe, I was inundated with emotions. It was everything and more. I laid my head on the slab of rock that Christ’s body laid on and I will never be the same. Never.
There are so many other places I could mention. I didn’t even touch all the Marian places which were all wonderful, as well. Maybe I’ll do a blog on those, one of these days. Truly, though, it is a trip of a lifetime. It will change you for the better and you will see the Bible with new eyes. I know that people are scared to go there, but I really felt fine the whole time. There are definitely places you shouldn’t go, but that’s the same here in the States. Just be smart and aware of your surroundings. Your guide will take good care of you.
I went with Amazing Grace Pilgrimages and Lori is just the best. If you’re interested, check her out. She goes to the Holy Land several times a year. Believe me, it’s worth every single penny. Should you have any questions, please feel free to ask. I love talking about my trip!
Till next time, Catholic Pilgrims, travel well!
