2025 Jerusalem Pilgrimage
Praying for the peace of Jerusalem across the city

Join Father David Peck and Prof. Randall Zachman for a unique one-week visit to Jerusalem. This will include an interfaith study of scriptures and holy sites, as well as encountering the faith communities, histories and politics that make Jerusalem the complex and conflicted city for whose peace we are bound to pray.
Our base will be the Tantur Ecumenical Institute, which serves as the University of Notre Dame’s beautiful suburban campus nestled on a hilltop setting on the outskirts of Jerusalem with Bethlehem in view. Daily introductory-level teaching on meditation practice, prayers for peace and reconciliation, site visits and brilliant seminars will connect the head and the heart. Convivial fellow pilgrims and evening reflections will make this a profound experience to deepen faith and make new friends.
The Pilgrimage and Mercy Seminar welcome people with diverse backgrounds and different levels of understanding. What matters is that all pilgrims possess a capacity for faith, hope, love, learning and humility. The number of pilgrims will determine cost estimates, flights and exact dates. Please scan the QR code (as soon as possible) to register your interest.
Archived Pilgrimages
2019 Pilgrimage to the Holy Land
November 3 - 15, 2019
This pilgrimage is a deep and profound adventure in faith, hope and love. And its qualities as a pilgrimage are truly special: it is a small group; it covers not just a wealth of biblical holy sites with profound spiritual and archeological insights into the life of Judaism, Jesus, and the Early Church, but also engages with issues of the Israel and Palestine conflict with great sensitivity and breadth of perspective. Fr. David
Pilgrimage Itinerary
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, DAY 2: ARRIVE BEN GURION AIRPORT / TRANSFER TO JERUSALEM Upon arrival in Tel Aviv, you will be met by your guide and transfer to our accommodations in Jerusalem. Dinner and overnight: St. George’s Cathedral Guest House
- TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, DAY 3: HORIZONS OF JERUSALEM / HERODIUM Introductions, walk down to Damascus Gate to get the feel for the distance and our surrounding, Mt. Scopus, view the Judean desert, Mt. of Olives, City of David, Lunch, visit Herodium some 12 km. south of Jerusalem. On a hill shaped like a truncated cone that rises 758 m. above sea level, stood Herodium, the palace-fortress built by King Herod. It had a breathtaking view, overlooking the Judean Desert and the mountains of Moab to the east, and the Judean Hills to the west.Dinner and overnight: St. George’s Cathedral Guest HouseGuest Speaker: Contemporary Issues – A Palestinian Perspective
- WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, DAY 4: OLD CITY / CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE GROUP PHOTO, Walk the Cardo to the Constantinian Entrance to the Church of the Resurrection to the Holy Sepulchre, Lunch, afternoon Holy Sepulchre, walk to the Armenian quarter where we will be able to observe Armenian Vespers.Dinner and overnight: St. George’s Cathedral Guest HouseSpeaker: Lecture on Islam
- THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, DAY 5: WESTERN WALL / DOME OF THE ROCK / ISRAEL MUSEUM We depart for the Western Wall near Elharam Esh Sharif (The Dome of The Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque), St. Anne’s Church and the pools of Bethesda. Lunch. Israel Museum and the Shrine of the Book, where the Dead Sea Scrolls are housed. We will also visit a scale model of the Old City of Jerusalem, portraying the city as it would have been during Jesus’ time.Dinner and overnight: St. George’s Cathedral Guest House
- FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8, DAY 6: JERICHO / NAZARETH (Eid Al Adha) Wadi Qelt early morning to watch the sunrise in the desert, depart for Jericho to hike up Mt. of Temptation and view Tell Jericho. Lunch in Nazareth, we will visit Mary’s Well, the site of the only spring-fed fountain in the city, and most likely the place where Mary would have gone to draw water. We then visit the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation where we will have an opportunity to have an introduction to the Icon, we then follow on foot the path to the Latin Church of the Annunciation, the traditional site of the Angel Gabriel’s appearance to Mary, telling her she would conceive Jesus, the Emmanuel. Dinner and Overnight: Sisters of Nazareth Convent
- SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9, DAY 7: SEA OF GALILEE / JORDAN RIVER / CAPERNAUM & BEATITUDES
Today we depart for the Sea of Galilee-Lake Kinnereth. Stop at the Jordan River from the northern side for the renewal of baptismal vows. We then visit Capernaum where we see the Ancient Synagogue and St. Peter’s House. We continue to the Mount of Beatitudes, Lunch is by the Sea of Galilee, followed by a visit to Tabgha (Heptapegon), The Loaves and Fishes Church and the Chapel of St. Peter’s Primacy. Boat ride on the Sea of Galilee.Dinner and Overnight: Sisters of Nazareth Convent
- SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10, DAY 8: CHRIST CHURCH / SEPPHORIS
Sunday Eucharist at Saint George’s Cathedral, the liturgy will be celebrated in English and Arabic, the language of our Arabic Palestinian Christians in the Holy Land and the whole Middle East. Meet with Fr. Nael Abu Rahmoun at Christ Church in Nazareth Lunch. We depart for Sepphoris, where we explore the excavations of the Roman / Byzantine city the capital of Galilee at the time of Jesus.
Dinner and Overnight: Sisters of Nazareth Convent
- MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, DAY 9: BURQIN / NABLUS / TAYBEH
Depart for Burqin. Jesus had passed through Burqin on his way to Jerusalem from Nazareth, and as he was passing by the village, he heard cries for help from ten lepers who were isolated in quarantine in a cave. Next we travel to Nablus to visit St. Photini the Greek Orthodox Monastery. St. Photini lived in first century Palestine, she was the Samaritan woman whom Christ visited at the well asking her for water, the church built over Jacob’s well where we will tour the church and drink from the well. Lunch and visit Taybeh, the only 100% Christian town in the Palestinian Authority, in the fourth century the Emperor Constantine and his mother St. Helen built the church of St. George in the village. Taybeh is also the home of the only Palestinian brewery in the Middle East.Dinner and overnight: St. George’s Cathedral Guest House
- TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, DAY 10: SHEPHERD’S FIELD / BETHLEHEM
We depart Jerusalem for Bethlehem and the Shepherds’ Field, visit a 1st century cave dwelling, lunch is in Beit Sahour (Shepherds’ Field), ‘ And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night,’ Church of the Nativity located in Manger Square. It is the Oldest Church in Christendom, constructed by Constantine in AD 326 and the traditional site of the Nativity. Next we visit Sunbula. Founded in 1996, its mission is to support Palestinian women’s cooperatives and disabled peoples' self-help groups by providing marketing and sales opportunities for their products.Dinner and overnight: St. George’s Cathedral Guest House
- WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, DAY 11: FREE DAY
A free day to shop, revisit favorite sites in Jerusalem or to visit Masada, a fortified palace of Herod the Great which saw heavy fighting between Jewish rebels and Roman soldier’s in 73 A.D. You may also wish to visit Yad Vashem, site of the Holocaust Memorial, David’s Citadel and David’s Tower.Dinner and overnight: St. George’s Cathedral Guest House
- THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, DAY 12: BETHPAGE / DOMINUS FLEVIT / GETHSEMANE
Walk the Palm Sunday Procession. We will stop at Pater Noster and Dominus Flevit (Latin for “The Lord wept”) where Jesus wept over the city. Afterward, we will walk to the Garden of Gethsemane and the Church of All Nations, Lunch/Dinner in Jericho at the Qumris.Dinner and overnight: St. George’s Cathedral Guest House
- FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, DAY 13: WAY OF THE CROSS & EMMAUS
Early this morning we walk and pray the Way of the Cross. Later we depart for Emmaus Nicopolis. We celebrate the Eucharist at the ruins of the Byzantine Church.Dinner and overnight: St. George’s Cathedral Guest HouseTransfer to the Tel Aviv airport for return flight to the U.S.
Jordon Extension
- FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15: Allenby- Salt-Petra
Arrival Jordanian checkpoint. Entry formalities. Drive to Salt. Visit and have lunch at the Holy Land Institute for the Deaf. Drive to Petra, check-in at hotel, dinner and 2-night stay. - SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16: Full day visit of Petra.
Lunch inside Petra site (Basin). Petra This erosion-hewn masterpiece was rediscovered by a Swiss explorer in 1812. It can be accessed on a walk through a penetrative, narrow siq, is the hidden valley where the Rose City of Petra lies. Here you’ll come across the spectacular Treasury of Petra. One can enjoy an Indiana Jones moment as it was this building where the Holy Grail’s much coveted by Indy rested. Petra is full of ancient tombs and ruins. An incredible place, it’s like an eighth wonder. Dinner at hotel. - SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17: Mt. Nebo, Madaba and Amman
At Mt. Nebo, excellent views are offered of the Jordan River Valley, the Dead Sea and (on clear days) Jerusalem. A 6th century church marks the spot where Moses at the end of his life is said to have seen the Land of Canaan (he too enjoyed the view).
Madaba the prime attractions of the venerable city of Madaba (it’s mentioned in the Old Testament) are its many 6th-century Byzantine mosaics. Perhaps the most impressive of these is an enormous 6th-century map of Palestine and Egypt that is located in St. George’s Greek Orthodox Church. A few blocks from the church is the town’s museum, which contains mosaics found in other parts of the region, as well as other ancient artifacts. The city of Amman offers a number of historical attractions including a 2,000-year-old Roman amphitheater, the Museum of Popular Traditions and the National Archaeological Museum. If you visit the Forum and Citadel Hill, you’ll see the few remaining Roman ruins of Amman (including a temple of Hercules). For newer attractions, the Jordan National Gallery displays modern Middle Eastern art. Don’t miss the enormous King Abdullah Mosque, completed in the late 1980s. - MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18: Departure Amman airport for return home.
2018 Journey to the Holy Land Itinerary
The 2018 pilgrimage to the Holy Land included the following stops:- Ramallah and horizons of Jerusalem: Saint Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Ramallah with liturgy in English and Arabic, walk down to Damascus Gate, view the Judean desert, Mt. of Olives and the City of David.
- Western Wall and Dome of the Rock: St. Anne’s Church, the pools of Bethesda and Sunbula an organization whose mission is to support Palestinian women’s cooperatives and disabled people’s self-help groups.
- Tekoa and Bethlehem: Church of the Nativity located in Manger Square—the oldest church in Christendom, constructed by Constantine in AD 326 and the traditional site of the Nativity.
- Jericho and Nazareth: Latin Church of the Annunciation, the traditional site of the Angel Gabriel’s appearance to Mary telling her she would conceive Jesus.
- Sea of Galilee, Jordan River, Capernaum and Beatitudes: A visit to the ancient synagogue and St. Peter’s House, Mount of Beatitudes, lunch by the Sea of Galilee, visit to Tabgha (Heptapegon), The Loaves and Fishes Church and the Chapel of St. Peter’s Primacy.
- Sepphoris and Caesarea Philippi: Exploration of the excavations of the Roman / Byzantine city and villages of Caesarea Philippi.
- Burqin, Nablus and Taybeh: Stops at places where Jesus ministered to lepers and spoke to the Samaritan woman at the well, visit Taybeh, the only 100% Christian town in the Palestinian authority in the fourth century under the Emperor Constantine
- St. George’s Cathedral, Israel Museum: Sunday Eucharist with the liturgy celebrated in English and Arabic, Israel Museum and the Shrine of the Book, where the Dead Sea Scrolls are housed. Visit to a scale model of the Old City of Jerusalem, describing the city as it would have been during Jesus’ time.
- Church of the Resurrection: Walk the Cardo to the Constantinian entrance to the Church of the Resurrection to the Holy Sepulcher.
- Beth-Phage, Dominus Flevit, Gethsemane: Bethphage, Mount of Olives and a walk down the Palm Sunday Road ending at the Garden of Gethsemane. Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu built over the palace of the High Priest Caiaphas, where Peter denied Jesus three times.
- Way of The Cross, Emmaus: Way of the Cross, Emmaus Nicopolis. We celebrate the Eucharist at the ruins of the Byzantine Church.
2016 PILGRIMAGE TO ENGLAND
In 2016, 26 parishioners traveled to England to explore our Anglican heritage through the lens of witness and reconciliation.2015 PILGRIMAGE TO THE HOLY LAND
In the summer of 2015, a group of pilgrims traveled to the Holy Land to participate in a pilgrimage through Saint George’s College, an Anglican continuing education center in Jerusalem.Pilgrimage Itinerary
DAY 1: DEPART U.S.A
On our way to the Holy Land
DAY 2: ARRIVE BEN GURION AIRPORT / TRANSFER TO JERUSALEM
Arrival to Tel Aviv you will be met by your guide, Canon Iyad Qumri, transfer to our accommodation in Jerusalem. Dinner and overnight at Saint George’s Guest House
DAY 3: WESTERN WALL / DOME OF THE ROCK / WORSHIP AT SAINT ANDREW’S CHURCH / HORIZONS OF JERUSALEM
We depart for the Western Wall near Elharam Esh Sharif (The Dome of The Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque). St. Anne’s Church and the pools of Bethesda. Sunday Eucharist at Saint Andrew’s Church in Ramallah, the liturgy will be celebrated in English and Arabic. Lunch. Drive to Mt. Scopus where we will look at the different dramatic settings of the Scripture. Dinner and overnight at Saint George’s Guest House Guest Speaker: Lecture of Islam
DAY 4: SHEPHERD’S FIELD / BETHLEHEM
We depart Jerusalem for Bethlehem and the Shepherds’ Field, visit a 1st century cave dwelling, Lunch is in Beit Sahour (Shepherds’ Field), ‘And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night’. Lunch, Church of the Nativity located in Manger Square. It is the Oldest Church in Christendom, constructed by Constantine in AD 326 and the traditional site of the Nativity. Dinner and overnight at Saint George’s Guest House Guest Speaker: Contemporary Issues – A Palestinian Perspective
DAY 5: JERICHO / NAZARETH
Wadi Qelt early morning to watch the sunrise also get the feel for the desert, depart for Jericho to hike up Mt. of Temptation and view Tell Jericho, Lunch, in Jericho before we begin our trip up the Rift Valley to Nazareth. In Nazareth we will visit Mary’s Well, the site of the only spring-fed fountain in the city, and most likely the place where Mary would have gone to draw water. We then visit the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation where we will have an opportunity to have an introduction to the Icon, we then follow on foot the path to the Latin Church of the Annunciation, the traditional site of the Angel Gabriel’s appearance to Mary, telling her she would conceive Jesus, the Emmanuel. Dinner and Overnight at the Sisters of Nazareth Tel: 972-4-6554304
DAY 6: SEA OF GALILEE / JORDAN RIVER / CAPERNAUM & BEATITUDES
Today we depart for the Sea of Galilee-Lake Kinnereth. Stop at the Jordan River for the renewal of Baptismal vows. We then visit Capernaum where we see the Ancient Synagogue and St. Peter’s House. We continue to the Mount of Beatitudes, Lunch is by the Sea of Galilee, followed by a visit to Tabgha (Heptapegon), The Loaves and Fishes Church and the Chapel of St. Peter’s Primacy. Boat ride on the Sea of Galilee Dinner and overnight at Sisters of Nazareth
DAY 7: CAESAREA PHILIPPI
Depart for Caesarea Philippi (Banias) ‘And Jesus went on with his disciples, to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am? “ Dinner and Overnight at the Sisters of Nazareth A treat you will not want to miss!!!
DAY 8: BURQIN / NABLUS / TAYBEH
Depart for Burqin. Jesus had passed through Burqin on his way to Jerusalem from Nazareth, and as he was passing by the village he heard cries for help from ten lepers who were isolated in quarantine in a cave, Nablus to visit (St. Photini the Greek Orthodox Monastery), St. Photini lived in first century Palestine, she was the Samaritan woman who Christ visited at the well asking her for water, the church built over Jacob’s well where will tour the church and drink from the Well, Lunch in Taybeh, visit the Brewery and the ruins of the 4th century church. Dinner and overnight at Saint George’s Guest House Guest Speaker: Contemporary Issues- An Israeli Perspective
DAY 9: OLD CITY / CHURCH OF THE RESURRECTION
Group Photo. Briefing for the Holy Sepulcher. We then walk the Cardo to the Constantinian Entrance of the Holy Sepulcher. Lunch, continue our visit to the Holy Sepulcher. Dinner and overnight at Saint George’s Guest House
DAY 10: WORSHIP AT SAINT GEORGE’S CATHEDRAL ISRAEL MUSEUM
Sunday Eucharist at Saint George’s Cathedral, the liturgy will be celebrated in English and Arabic. Lunch, Israel Museum and the Shrine of the Book, where the Dead Sea Scrolls are housed. We will also visit a scale model of the Old City of Jerusalem, describing the city as it would have been during Jesus’ time. Dinner and overnight at Saint George’s Guest House
DAY 11: BETH-PHAGE / DOMINUS FLEVIT / GETHSEMANE
Depart for Beth-phage and Mt. of Olives walk down the Palm Sunday Road ending at the Garden of Gethsemane. Lunch, Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu, this church was built over the palace of the High Priest Caiaphas, where Peter denied Jesus three times). Dinner at the Qumris Overnight at Saint George’s Guest House
DAY 12: WAY OF THE CROSS & EMMAUS
Early this morning we walk and pray the Way of the Cross. Later we depart for Emmaus Nicopolis. We celebrate the Eucharist at the ruins of the Byzantine Church. Afternoon at leisure Transfer to the Tel Aviv airport for our return flight to the USA
Cost
The cost for the pilgrimage is:
Double occupancy: $2,600
Single occupancy: $3,200
Included in this price:
- Accommodations and breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Transportation in comfortable deluxe coach
- Guide fee
- All entrance fees on the itinerary Israeli and Palestinian speakers
- Portage at all hotels
- Tips for restaurant and hotel staff
- Bus driver tips
- Farewell dinner at the home of the pilgrimage guide
Approximate Costs
(Subject to change)
Trip (including ground transportation): $4,000/person, double occupancy
Airfare: $1,200/person
Insurance (trip cancellation and health): $300 (to be purchased separately by individual)
Passport: valid through 2024
Click here to view the pilgrimage proposed itinerary and download the brochure.
Airfare
Air transportation is not included in the pilgrimage price. Currently roundtrip nonstop flights to Tel Aviv from regional international airports are running roughly $1,500 per person. On previous pilgrimages, we have attempted to have as many as care to fly on the same flight. In such a case, we can arrange for ground transportation as a group to and from the airport at an additional shared cost. Contact Karen King in the parish office at 717-397-4858 for information on the group flight.
If flying on your own, you will need to leave the United States on Sunday, November 3rd to arrive at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv on Monday, November 4th. If at all possible, each pilgrim should be present at the Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv between 1:00 pm and 5:00 PM on Nov. 4. Your departure flight from Ben Gurion must be scheduled for Friday, November 15th.
Passports
Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after your arrival date. If it is not, you will not be allowed into Israel.
Payment
You do not need to pay to register. You may pay in full now, at a later date or by installment payments. You can pay by credit or debit card or deduction from a bank account through Realm over the coming months. You can also pay by check (either in a lump sum or in installments). If you are paying in full later or by installment, please adhere to the following minimum deadlines:
- July 1 - $500 trip deposit ($400 if you made a prior $100 deposit)
- September 15 - any remaining balance*
*If you are unable to pay the full cost of the trip before the final payment deadline of September 15, Saint James is able to help a limited number of individuals finance a portion of the cost of their trip over a longer period. Please contact Nicolette Norris before registering if interested in this option.
Registration in Realm
We will be using Realm to register all travelers. Saint James parishioners must have an activated Realm account. If you are not a Saint James parishioner, we can easily set up a Realm account for your pilgrimage registration.
If you have never activated your account or have forgotten your password, please contact Nicolette Norris, Minister of Giving & Communications, for an activation link or password reset. While Realm will allow you to register as a guest, for the purposes of this trip, you must have an activated account for us to serve you best. Without an activated account, you will not be able to make installment payments, check your balance due, payment deadlines or receive important trip communications.