3-Day Religious Tour of Jerusalem and Bethlehem via Samaria

Make your first stop in the town of Sebastia and see its Israelite and Roman ruins. Reflect on how Jesus dealt with the relationship between Jews and Samaritans.

Continue through Shechem (Nablus of today), located between the two biblical mountains: Ebal and Gerizim.

Then stop at the Church of Jacob's Well to read and reflect on the Gospel. Grab a unique chance to drink from the same well that Jesus drank from and take some of its holy water home.

Stand in front of the same church to reflect on the Blessing (Gerizim) and the Curse (Ebal) mountains. This is where the people of Israel made their oath to follow the commandments of God.

Proceed to descend through the same valley of Bathan, used by the Patriarchs Abraham and Jacob as they made their way in the opposite direction to the Promised Land and reached the Jordan Valley and Jericho.

Visit Jericho, pass near its sycamore tree, remember Zacchaeus, and view the Mt. of Temptation, where Jesus fasted for 40 days and 40 nights.

If time permits, we will also make a short stop by the Jordan River, where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist.

Make your way up to Jerusalem and stay overnight.

Start your day by driving up to Mt. of Olives to visit its highly spiritual sites, including the Ascension Chapel and the Pater Noster Church.

Stand at the panoramic viewpoint of the mountain to see the city stretched out before you and listen to its long, vibrant history.

Make your way down through the same route that the Lord took when He entered the city on Palm Sunday, but do not forget to stop by the Dominus Flevit Chapel, which reminds us of the Lord's weeping as He prophesied the destruction of the city.

From there, continue down to the Church of All Nations (Church of Gethsemane) and reflect on His agony prayer and the story of the betrayal by Judas Iscariot.

In the afternoon, make your way to the Bethlehem area and start the visit with a stop at Shepherds' Field. It is where the angels of the Most High appeared before the humble shepherds to invite them to visit the newborn King - Jesus Christ (Luke 2).

Then make your way up to the city of Bethlehem and surely not miss the ancient Church of the Nativity from the 6th century. Kneel in front of the place where Jesus was born - the Nativity Grotto. Also see the manger's place, and if possible, you might be lucky enough to see a small piece of the authentic manger of Jesus in the nearby Church of St. Catherine.

Spend your day in the Old City of Jerusalem. If it is not Friday or Saturday, we will ascend the Temple Mount (also called Al Aqsa Mosque according to Muslims) via the Dung Gate and walk through its courtyards to remind ourselves of the many events that took place in that exact location when Jesus visited Jerusalem, mainly during the Jewish feasts.

We will exit through the northern gate of the Temple Mount and pass next to the Sheep Gate (today called the Lions Gate) to enter St. Anne's Church and visit the nearby Bethesda Pools (John 5). We will reflect on how Jesus interpreted the scriptures. There will also be an opportunity to visit the traditional birthplace of the Virgin Mary.

Continue to the Via Dolorosa and pass through the 14 Stations of the Passion until we reach the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

We will make a tour within the various sections of the church, including Golgotha (Calvary), the Empty Tomb of Jesus, and other parts of the church.

After a short break with the possibility of a quick lunch, proceed to the Jewish Quarter to see the Roman Cardo and exit the Old City through Zion Gate to visit the Upper Room.

It is the same place where the first church was established when Jesus offered the first communion to His disciples, symbolizing His Flesh and Blood offered as a sacrifice to wipe humankind's sins. It is also where the Holy Spirit ascended upon the disciples and the believers to continue the ministry of the Lord.

We may stop by the Church of Mary's Dormition - the traditional site where Mary fell asleep, and her soul was assumed by the Lord.

Another short walk down the hill will take us to the house of Caiaphas (Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu). This is where Jesus stood in front of the Jewish leaders for judgment. You will also see the pit where He was kept during Thursday night before being taken to Pontius Pilate the next day and sentenced to death.

In the late afternoon, make your last walk to the Western Wall. This is the closest place to the Temple where the Jews of today can reach and pray. You may reflect on a young boy who was there for a Bar Mitzvah ceremony around 2,000 years ago and decided not to make the way back home with His parents.

By the end of this intensive day, we will drive back to Galilee, possibly tired but full of joy and faith.