This diary has been compiled from various people’s personal diaries and gives a brief idea of what we saw and did in the Holy Land

10.45a.m. Checked in for Dublin for Tel Aviv. Lots of Security questions but no searching of bags. Father Connor, Peter Rooke, Irene and Anne were all about in case of any problems. It is necessary to check in advance by 3 hours due to all the security questions they have to ask people.

2.00p.m. Flight delayed by 30 minutes

2.30p.m. Flight takes off 5 hours 5 minutes flying time and we arrived at Tel Aviv airport. There is a 2 hour time difference so it was now 21.45 local time. Passport control took a while. We boarded our coach and headed to our Hotel the Bali Hotel in Tiberius a 2 hour drive away. We also met our Guide at the airport Nabil and our driver Ahab.  When we got to the Hotel we got our keys and there was a cold meal waiting for us in our rooms and we headed to be d art 2a.m.

8.00am We rose for a buffet breakfast and coach left at 10.30am

10.30a.m. We drove to Cana and our first stop was the wedding Church in Cana which is built over the ruins of the house in Cana where the wedding feast took place and our Lord changed water into wine.

12.00p.m. We headed on to Mary’s Well, then onto the Synagogue in Nazareth where we visited the site of the Synagogue where Jesus would have gone to church every Sabbath with his mother and father, Mary and Joseph.

1.00p.m. We visited the Basilica of the Annunciation. Many Catholic Communities around the world donated their artefacts Ireland included. We also saw the cave of the annunciation where the Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and told her she was going to bear the Son of God.

1.30p.m. We visited the Church of St. Joseph and then we went for lunch in a Kibbutz restaurant

2.30p.m. After Lunch we boarded the coach to travel back to Tiberius. Some people visited the diamond factory there, some went for a walk along the seashore and some went shopping.

5.00p.m. it was dark and time to head back to the hotel

6.00p.m. Arrived back at hotel

7.30p.m. Buffet Dinner, free time and then bed

8.00a.m Breakfast and coach leaves for the Sea of Galilee. The intention of today was to circumnavigate the Sea of Galilee interspersed with various stops en route. We drove as far as the boat and the sailors welcomed us on board by hosting the Irish flag and playing the national anthem as we climbed on board the boat. It was very beautiful and serene to be on the Sea of Galilee.

Then the sailors said they would toss their nets and see if they could catch any fish which would have been the way Jesus and his disciples went fishing. The sailors caught five fish and we tossed them back in. The sailors sang for us ‘Shalom’ in Hebrew and they showed us their treasure chest which consisted of various things for sale.

Then after we had disembarked from the boat we visited ‘The Ancient Galilee Boat Museum’ where we saw a boat from the time of Jesus over 2,000 years old. We had time for Tea/coffee and a visit to the Souvenir shop.

11.30a.m. We got back on the bus with our driver Ahab and went to Tabgha which is generally considered to be the most beautiful of all Christian holy places and the site of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes. We saw men with masks beating the olive trees and collecting the olives in sheets on the ground. Then we went in to the Church of the Multiplication of the loaves and fishes. We saw 4^th and 5^th century foundations of the church and the rock that Jesus stood on to multiply the loaves and the fishes.

1.00p.m. We had lunch in a lovely restaurant outside by the Sea of Galilee and one could choose between eating St Peter’s Fish or Chicken with salad/chips.

1.45p.m. Back on Bus and drove to the site of The Beatitudes and visited a natural amphitheatre where our Lord would have addressed three thousand people so his voice would have carried in this setting.

3.00p.m. we visited the Church of the Beatitudes which is an octagonal church built on the mountain where the eight beatitudes were listed one on each wall.

3.30p.m. Then we drove to the Church of St. Peter and en route we said the beatitudes on the bus. St Peter’s Church is a little black Church where Christ said ‘On this rock I will build my Church’.

4.00p.m. Then on to the city of Capernaum. We visited the ruins of the village and the Synagogue and when Archaeologists uncovered the foundations of the Synagogue they found the black stone which is volcanic stone from the area which St peter’s Church is built from because all of the rest of the Synagogue is built from white rock. We also saw stone ruins which were the original instruments they used in the time of Jesus to press and destine the olives. Capernum was the central, village where Jesus performed many miracles. We drove on the bus towards the river Jordan and on our way the guide pointed pout various sites including the ruins of a Byzantium Church  while looking towards the Golan Heights.

4.45p.m. We arrived at the River Jordan having driven round two and half side of the Sea we paid $10 for robe and towel and changed into swim suits. Anne and Denis did most of the baptising.

6.00p.m. Back on the bus and those who were baptised got their certificates,

6.30p.m. Back at Hotel dinner at 7.30p.m.

4.45a.m. Sunrise trip Departed the hotel and made our way to a spot opposite St Peter’s Church overlooking the Sea of Galilee. It was lovely to be able to watch the sun come up over the Golan Heights.

Back to Hotel for breakfast and get ready for trip to Jericho

8.30a.m. Departed Bali Hotel

10.00a.m. We arrived in Caesarea by the Sea. We visited the amphitheatre, ruins of the roman capital from 6A.D. We had a shared prayer and group photo in the amphitheatre. Those who had brought togs were able to go swimming others paddled and then some went for coffee.

12.30p.m. Back on Bus and passed and viewed the Water Aqueduct, then on for Lunch. On the way we passed the Mount Carmel and the Carmelite Order was established on top of this mountain and they built their monastery long before the Carmelites spread throughout the world. The place we had lunch in was a Druze Restaurant where there was a choice of local falafel which is a mixture of chick peas and oil and salad in pitta bread or skewered chicken.

2.00p.m. After lunch we continued on the bus around Mt. Carmel. We drove up Mount Carmel to a Carmelite Church at top of it which is one of the supposed sites of the transfiguration but it also could have been on top of mount Tabor. However it is difficult to access the top of Mount Tabor so we chose this site because the Carmelite Monastery is at the top of Mt Tabor but the Carmelite Church is where we went up. There were some fantastic views of the surrounding landscape from the rooftop of the church. We were able to see where we were heading across the valley and taking a right turn and heading towards Jericho.  There was also a big statue of Elijah in front of the Church.

4.00p.m. Back to the bus and onwards towards Jericho. This journey took about two hours but we managed to see some magnificent scenery on the way. During the drive we travelled through the Jordan Valley passing some date trees and again like the banana trees we saw the fruit was covered up to help it ripen. We started the day with the sunrise and we finished it with sunset. We had to pass through the Israeli Check point to get in to the West Bank. Outside the towns of the West Bank the Israelis are in control. Jericho, Bethlehem and Jerusalem and a number of other towns are under Palestinian rule.

7.30p.m. Dinner and Bed, and stayed one night in Jericho.

8.00am Rose and went for Breakfast. Checked out of Hotel and on bus for 9.00a.m.

9.00a.m. Our Guide explained when we were leaving Jericho how the first civilisations came and lived in Jericho as told in the old testament. The natural spring for water was one reason they came. In the new Testament we hear of Jesus curing the blind man and we also hear of Zachaus who climbed a sycamore tree, he was the local tax collector and he invited Jesus to spend the night with him in his house. We saw the site of the oldest sycamore tree in Jericho. Then Jesus had to leave Jericho to walk to Jerusalem for his Passion. We went over the old road that Jesus walked and we saw the remains of Herod the Great’s Winter Palace

10.00a.m. We had a stop at pottery shop and we could purchase pottery, creams, soaps and locally produced fruit.

11.00 a.m. Back on bus, we were given the choice of walking up to Monastery of Temptations or taking a cable car up to the site or going for a camel ride. I took the cable car and it was lovely to see the views from up on the Mountain of Temptations. The monastery was carved out of the rock and you could leave petitions in the little chapel.

1.00 p.m. Back down by cable car, buffet lunch and a chance to buy some souvenirs

2.15p.m. Back on the bus we headed for the Dead Sea and Kaila Beach

4.00p.m. Then back on the bus after showering off the mud and the salt from the dead sea and headed towards Bethlehem. We passed the ruins of the Army Barracks of the west bank during the war. We drove up in altitude then towards Jerusalem as the dead Sea is below sea level and Jerusalem is above sea level.

Driving through the Judean Hills we saw settlements of nomads’ temporary towns where they keep goats and make white cheese that they sell in nearby villages and towns. We also passed the Mount of Olives and stopped off at a shop to buy souvenirs made out of the olive wood before passing through the wall into Bethlehem to check into our hotel.

7.30p.m Dinner

7.00a.m. We rose and had breakfast.

9.00 a.m. We went onto the Basilica of the Nativity. In the Basilica we had to queue for one ane and half hours to get into the cave to see the spot where Jesus was born. It is marked by a STAR on the floor of the cave. We were all allowed to kiss the star and opposite the star was the place where the entrance to the stable would have been.

11.00a.m. We walked a short distance from the Basilica to the Milk Grotto where when Mary was breast feeding Jesus a few of the drops feel on to the ground and turned the cave white. The Milk Grotto is now a Franciscan Church where our guide’s family have donated to the ornate arch leading into the church and because of his parents contributed to the building of this arch there is a plaque on the wall with their names on it carved in stone and dated 1935.

12.30 p.m. Back on the bus and went for lunch in a restaurant in Bethlehem

2.30p.m. In the afternoon we headed for a place called the Sheppard’s Fields and visited a cave which would have resembled the cave where our Lord was born in, where at the opening of the cave there is light so that it is where the people lived and at the back where it is dark the animals lived. The cave in the Sheppard’s Field is a church. Then we walked through a lovely garden/field with a fountain and cacti and a lovely oasis away from the traffic in Bethlehem.

3.30p.m. We visited Bethlehem University and saw a small movie about the University and we also went to the Palestinian Heritage and Cultural Centre which was a millennium gift from Ireland. There was a fantastic view from the rooftop over Bethlehem. We also saw the place where the A shell ha d hit the university. We also learned from the brothers and Priests there a bit more about the political situation in this part of the world.

7.30 a.m. Rose and had breakfast and on the b us by 8.30a.m. to go to Mass

9.00a.m. Our guide had invited us to attend mass at his local church this was the Church of Nativity we especially wanted to worship with local Christians. After mass we went back to the hotel and picked up those who didn’t want to attend mass and went onto the Cathedral of ST. George, The Martyr in Jerusalem. We were made feel very welcome by the people and pastor of this church and afterwards we were invited to share some refreshments with the locals.

12.30 We went to Lunch to the only Kibbutz in Jerusalem called Ramat Rachel Hotel where there was a buffet lunch and salads and a great choice to suit everyone

1.45p.m. We went back on the b us and headed for the Mount of Olives where Jesus wept over the city of Jerusalem. We saw the Hebrew University on top of the mount of Olives. The bus climbed up the West side of the Mount of Olives and we also saw the Mormon University on the slopes of the hill. We then walked from the coach down the mount of olives towards Jerusalem. We saw the tombs where they bury people in the caves and then when the body is decomposed they bury the bones in these small boxes. We saw a very ornate Church of the White Russian Orthodox nuns and gates around Jerusalem. We could also see the Golden Gate which will next be opened when Christ returns and re-enters Jerusalem. We went pass the Church of All Nations built by sixteen countries around the world and it is situated in the garden of Gethsemane.

4.00p.m. We had to go through a security gate to the see the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem. The men are ion the left side and women on the right side as you look at the wall. WE had to back away backwards from the wall as a sign of respect. There was a bridal party there as Jews come to pray at the wall before getting married

4.45p.m. Back to the bus and back to hotel for early dinner as we were returning to the Garden of Getrsamane after dinner for quiet time

6.00p.m. Dinner

8.00p.m. Garden of Getsmanane was a very spiritual place to visit and we also visited the Church of All Nations and saw the mosaic that Ireland donated. It was dark at this time and was a period of reflection for most people

6.00a.m. Early start as we were going to Jerusalem early to get into queue to see Our Lord’s Tomb

7.30a.m. We made a stop at St Anne’s Church where the acoustics are exceptional and some of the group sang hymns. WE visited the birthplace of the virgin Mary in the crypt of ST. Anne’s Church

10a.m. We started to walk the Via Delarosa, the Way of the Cross and the fourteen stations. We had to climb up the Via Delarosa with its narrow streets with shops, cars and busy streets until we got out onto the rooftop of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. When the early Christians started to venerate the rock of Calvary a church was built on the rock of Calvary. We queue to kiss the rock of Calvary under the altar in the Orthodox Church and got a chance to touch the slab where our lord was laid when he was taken down from the cross to be washed by the women. Then we had to queue for one and half hours as there were many pilgrims there and having got this far we wanted to get into the tomb. Some of us were wondering was all the pushing and shoving worth it but it was very moving when you do get in. Only four people our allowed in at any time.

1.00p.m. We returned to the Kibbutz where we had had lunch before for lunch today.

2.00p.m. We went on a walking tour of Jerusalem and passed the Damascus Gate. Then we went to the Garden Tomb where we had a talk from a guide who showed the shape of a skull in the rock face just outside the city walls. The bible tells us that the crucification took place just outside the city walls. It might be Golgotha but it’s more important to worship the person and not the place. We learned that the Christians started wondering if this was the place one hundred and fifty years ago and the site was excavated and a tomb found which was thought to be that of our Lord. The Holy Sepulchre dates to 350 a.d. They don’t say this is the site and the Holy Sepulchre is not the site so we don’t know for sure which site is real one but we are sure that the tombs are empty today and that HE rose again. Then we had a reading in the garden and a visit to the tomb

4.30p.m. We visited the shop and headed back to the bus to return to our hotel

9.00a.m. We board the coach and head out for the Emmaus Road. We eventually reach the Emmaus Church where Jesus Opened the eyes of the two strangers he was walking with. On the way back we were stopped by an Army Patrol which was situated in the middle of nowhere but we had crossed into the West Bank again.

1.00p.m. Lunch at the Kibbutz in Jerusalem Ramat Rachel Hotel

2.00p.m. We headed for the Yad Vasbem Holocaust museum which was very interesting but very graphic in detail not for the faint hearted. The grounds were much more pleasant and there was A Hall of Mirrors which remembers all the children killed in the Holocaust and various statues as well.

4.00p.m. We headed back to the Hotel for Dinner and Bed as tomorrow was a very early start

7.30p.m. As Father Connor had lived and worked in Bethlehem he invited Sister Patricia a local nun working with Christians in Bethlehem to join us for dinner. We had all decided as a group to donate the refund we were all offered by celebration travel to the Christian Families in Bethlehem so we able to present Sister Patricia with a cheque. As we were all leaving the next day to return home to Ireland we asked would any of our clothes be use full to the families Sister Patricia works with. The answer was of course yes and then everyone ran to their rooms and got bags of clothes, towels etc and the gesture made all the bags lighter for travelling and we filled the back of Sister Patricia’s car within fifteen minutes. It is like a miracle that all these families will receive these clothes from Ireland this Christmas. We all felt great that we had been able to give something back to the people of this land on the last night before we left.

3.00a.m. Got up and checked out of Hotel

9.40a.m. Flight left Tel Aviv, 5 hours and 5 minutes flying time

2.40p.m. arrived Dublin Airport but really 12.40p.m

What a great trip and definitely want to go back and see more.