2018 Holy Land Pilgrimage Recap - Day #7

Today was a scheduled FREE day - we chose the option to continue our pilgrimage by traveling to Masada - Qumran - the Dead Sea.

 Free Day Bus Trip - Our Daily Ride

 Israel Countryside

 Light Traffic - One Car & Camel

 Masada

 Cable Car Ride Up To Masada

 Cable Car Option - 45 Minute Walk Up To Masada

Masada  because of its height - standing well above the surrounding terrain - made it an excellent location for a fortress and winter home for Herod.  At this elevation - plenty of sunshine in the cold winter months - in 2012 at end of July - temperatures were between 115F - 120F - not where you would spend your summer - winter another story.  It was here that Herod built his winter escape.  It was also here when Jews escaping Roman soldiers - rather than be captured - turned into slaves - killed - committed a mass suicide - refusing to allow their wives to be tortured - raped - agreed to kill off the entire community.  Today - Masada - regarded by Jews as a very holy site - a symbol of the strength of commitment.

 The Snake Path Gate

  Everything Below Black LIne Original - Above Is Restoration Works

Ruins 

 Listening About Herod's Palace

Early Sauna Room 

 Ruins Being Restored 

Leaving Masada we next went to Qumran - the desert community location where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered.

 Qumran

 Ritual Bath 

 Cistern 

Mountain Region of Qumran

 Cave Where Scrolls Were Found

Leaving Qumran - heading to the Dead Sea - to float on the water - bath in the mud which has healing properties - not your run of the mill beach - finding camels to ride 

 Hector - Camel Ride

 Kathy - Camel Ride 

 The Dead Sea 

 Floating in Dead Sea & Applying Mud

 $5 For One Minute - No Waiting 

From the Dead Sea we headed back towards Jerusalem - stopping briefly on the way

where we met a boy offering camel rides 

 Ten Year Old Boy Offering Camel Rides

Next stop - the Church of the Good Shepherd - Daily Mass

 Church Of The Good Shepherd

Holy Mass

Another very full day - we ended the day by stopping at a local vendor to look at some pottery and honey dates - tired - we headed back to the hotel for dinner and sleep.

Praying Our Way Through Israel

Deacon Dale 

2018 Holy Land Pilgrimage Recap - Day #6

Today our pilgrimage continues in Jerusalem - The Old City.  Since the time of Jesus - Jerusalem has grown tremendously - now a very busy bustling city - filled with modern structures - public transportation - businesses - apartments and homes.  While in Jerusalem - we only drive past those neighborhoods - instead focusing only on the Old City - sites of historical and religious importance.

 The View Outside Our Hotel Window

Modern Building on the Edge of the Old City 

You always start your pilgrimage day with a decent breakfast to sustain yourself as you walk your way through history.

Breakfast Time

Our pilgrimage today takes us to the Church of the Pater Noster - built on the site where Jesus taught His disciples the Lord's Prayer - the name of the site refers to the "Our Father".

 The Cave Where Jesus Taught The "Our Father"

 The Lords Prayer In Hundreds of Languages In and Around The Church

 Listening & Learning To Billy's Presentation

We then continued on to the Mount of Olives and the place where Jesus wept over the city now known as Dominus Flevit. Afterwards we visited the Church of All Nations built over the rock on which Our Lord prayed the night before He was arrested and crucified. Our journey continued to the Garden of Gethsemane - the site of Judas' betrayal.  

 The Dome of The Rock

Kidron Valley -  Cemetery Thousands of Buried

 The Dome As Seen From Gethsemane

 Shepherd with Peter the Donkey - Mount of Olives

 Palm Sunday Path - Steep Downhill Walk 

 Lower Kidron Valley 

 Dominus Flevit Church

 Our Team - Chaplain Arlene - Father Matt - Deacon Dale - Guide Billy

 Garden at Gethsemane 

Garden of Gethsemane Olive Trees 

 The Golden Gate viewed from Gethsemane

 Church of All Nations 

 Rock Inside Church of All Nations Where Jesus Wept 

 Carving in Garden of Gethsemane

 Church of All Nations 

From the Garden at Gethesame we walked to Herod's Gate and the site of King David's Tomb and the Upper Room in the Jewish Quarter. 

 Herod's Gate  

 Heading To Upper Room & King David's Tomb 

 The Upper Room - Site of the Last Supper

 Group Posing by Tree Donated by St. Pope John Paul II 

 King David's Tomb 

Lunch time again - this afternoon heading back towards Shepherds Field to Shepherds Tent

 Shepherds Tent Restaurant at Shepherds Field

 Lunch - Refueling 

Recharged - we then headed towards Ein Karem to visit the Church of St. John the Baptist - built over the Grotto of his birthplace where we celebrated Holy Mass - then walked up the "hill" to the Church of the Visitation where Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth. 

Church of St John the Baptist 

 Holy Mass at St. John the Baptist 

 Ein Karem - top of the hill where Mary walked to visit Elizabeth

 Church of The Visitation

Church of the Visitation 

 Tons of cats roaming here 

Downhill trek to the bus and the end of another full day. 

End of day dinner 

Every day of our pilgrimage is filled with so much that one has to stop and mentally review all that has been seen and learned in the day.  Half way through our pilgrimage. Tomorrow an optional day of sights.

Praying Our Way Through Israel
Deacon Dale