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LEBANON
& SYRIA & JORDAN BIBLICAL PROGRAM 14 days /
13 nights
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ARRIVE
BEIRUT AIRPORT Arrival
at Beirut Airport, meeting and
assistance. transfer to hotel for dinner & overnight. |
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BEIRUT / CEDaRS
(I kings 4:33 – 5 - 6:18 – 6:34) / BECHARRE /
QADISHA VALLEY / batroun / byblos / beirut
Breakfast
at hotel. Transfer to the North of Lebanon driving up to 6000 ft.
above the sea level to visit the famous Cedars’ forest. Some of these
Cedars
could date back to 2000 years ago, and also, could be the same that are
mentioned in the Bible (Isa 60:13) and (Ezek 27:24). Next, proceed to the
village of Becharre, birthplace of the national Lebanese poet Jubran
Khalil
Jubran. Visit St. Sarkis Monastery which encompasses the tomb and a
museum dedicated to the universally known poet. Proceed to the Sacred
Valley known in Arabic as “Qadisha”. Coming to the medieval compound of
“Eden”, we visit the three churches dedicated to St. Sarkis, St. Mamas
and
Our Lady of the Citadel. Then, visit the Maronite monastry of St. Anthony
Qozhaya. Later on, visit St. Joseph Ad-Daher Convent in Khrabta (Batroun)
where St. Rafka spent the last 17 years of her life in which she attained
through suffering great spiritual glory. Next, proceed to Byblos. Visit
the
Citadel, St. John Church, the old Souk and the port. Back to hotel in
Beirut
for dinner and overnight. |
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BEIRUT / TYRE /
SIDON / BEIRUT Breakfast
at hotel. Full day visit Tyre
and Sidon in South Lebanon.
According to the Gospel, Jesus used to
retreat at the region of Tyre and
Sidon, away from the Pharisees. He could
not ignore the gentile Canaanite
woman who cried out, “Have mercy on me!
My daughter has a demon and is
in a terrible condition”. Jesus praising her
faith answered, “You are a
woman
of great faith! What you want will be
done.” She showed a spontaneous
repentance. Tyre and Sidon contrary to
all the villages around the Sea of
Gailee like Corazin, Betsaida and
Cafarnaum did not have to witness so
many miracles in order to have faith
(Marco:8 y Mateo:15). Drive along the
coastal road to visit Sidon, with its
Sea Castle and old covered souks.
Originally Sidon was situated over a
huge rocky platform right in front of
an
island. The straight which seperated
this platform from the island was
naturally sealed to form later on the actual
city with the two ports.
Passing
by Sarepta, the cross road between Tyre
and Sidon, we could recall the
Gospel according to Luke which relates the
episode of the life of prophet
Elijah (Luke 4:26). Next, we run a short visit to
the archaeological
remains of
the Cananite and Phoenician temples, and
the Roman port. Later, we visit
the archaeological ruins in Tyre, another
important phoenician town, which
consists of three parts: the south side of
the old Phoenician island-city
that
includes a large site of colonnades,
public baths, mosaic streets and a
rectangular arena; the northern site ruins
observed from the road; and the
third area on the landward side east that
consists of the most impressive
archaeological remains, such as the
Roman hippodrome. Back to hotel in
Beirut for dinner and overnight
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BEIRUT / ANNAYA / HARISSA
/ DAMASCUS Breakfast at hotel. Drive to
Annaya. Visit the convent where St. Charbel
is buried and St. Maroon
Convent. Proceed to Jounieh to take the Cable
up toward the outstretched
arms of the Virgin of Lebanon in Harissa – a
breathtaking view of the bay.
Return to Beirut to see hundreds of old
structures that have been restored
and renovated to its original shapes,
including Beirut’s souks and historical
mosques and churches. Proceed to Corniche road and stop for a short walk
along the favorite promenade of
many Beirutis. Further along, the road
climbs steeply to a cliff edge,
which is the headland of Beirut, with an array
of cliff-top restaurants
and cafes, a panoramic view of the bay and famous
Pigeon’s Rock. The
road then leads down, stretching out a beautiful sandy
beach and a
prestigious residential area of Ramlet El-Baida. The tour of
Beirut ends
with a visit to the National Museum. Depart toward the Syrian
border,
meet and assist for the visa formalities, and continue to hotel in
Damascus for dinner and overnight. |
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DAMASCUS / SEDNAYA / MAALULA / CRAC DES
chevaliers /
ALEPPO
Breakfast.
Depart to Sednaya which was probably constructed during the
reign of
Emperor Justinian. It was the emperor himself who ordered to build a
monastery in this place as being inspired to him by a vision in which
the
Virgin Mary appeared to him. The monastery emerges majestically
between
the rocks on which it was built. It conserves a unique and
precious icon
painted by St. Luke. Proceed to Maaloula, the only place
where Aramaic,
popular language at the time of Jesus, is still spoken
today. Visit the
monasteries of St. Thecla, disciple of St. Paul, and
the Syrian martyr St.
Sergius. Next, visit of Crac des Chevalier, a
fortress built by the Crusaders,
XII century, in a very strategic
position probably to ensure authority over the
interior of Syria.
Proceed to hotel in Aleppo for dinner and overnight.
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ALEPPO / ST. SIMEON
/ ALEPPO Breakfast, full day sightseeing of Aleppo
including the Arabian
citadel, Old souks, The Great Mosque, Archeological
museum, old barriers
and houses from the 17th century. Drive to visit the
imposing
cathedral of St. Simeon, the Stylist which was the grandest of all
5th
century Christian monuments. Dinner and overnight in Aleppo. |
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ALEPPO / church of QALB LAWZI (IDLEB) / hama /
HOMS / PALMYRA
Breakfast at
hotel. Depart from Aleppo toward Hama visiting on road a 5th
century Byzantine church of Qalb-Lawzi (Idleb). Hama is famous by its 20
meter diameter wood Norias on the Orontes used since so many centuries
ago for field irrigation. Proceed to Homs. Visit Khalid Ibn al-Walid
mosque
where the leader, who brought Islam to Syria in 636, was buried.
Transfer to
Palmyra. Dinner and overnight. |
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PALMYRA AND DAMASCUS
Breakfast. Sightseeing tour of Palmyra,
Syria’s prime attraction and
one of the world’s greatest historical sites
where the magnificent
remains: the Temple of Bel, the Arch of Triumph,
Zenobia Bath and more
tell stories of the reign of Queen Zenobia.
Afternoon
drive back to Damascus for dinner and overnight.
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DAMASCUS
/AMMAN
Breakfast at hotel.
Sightseeing of Damascus. the
oldest continuously inhabited city in the
world. It was the centre of the
Aramaic Kingdom
under the name ‘Dar-misiq”. Many
villages around
Damascus are still known by their Aramaic names.
It was the scene of St.
Paul’s conversion. Its historical centre
is considered a monument for
Humanity. Actually, Damascus is one
of the most important ecumenical
centers of approach between Catholics,
Orthodox and all Christian
Churches of the East. The
City Tour is initiated with a Visit to the Great
Omayed Mosque where the
head of John the Baptist is buried. It is the first
mosque ever visited
by a Pope. Later, visit the National Museum, Azem
Palace, the Straight
Road (Acts 9:11), Ananias Church built over his original
house where St.
Paul took refuge, St. Paul’s Church (Acts 9 23-25), the
Tomb of
Salahiddin and finally The Souk area. Afternoon, visit Notre Dame
Church
where the Virgin Mary appeared to Mirna Nazzour in Soufanieh
quarters.
Drive to the Jordanian Border, meet and assist for visa formalities,
Proceed to Amman for dinner and overnight.
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AMMAN / BETHANY / DEAD SEA / AMMAN
Breakfast at
hotel. City Tour
of Amman (Philadelphia), also known as Amon. Visit the
Citadel, Temple of
Hercules, Omeyad Palace, the Byzantine Church,
Archaeological Museum,
Roman Theatre and the Jordan Folklore Museum.
Proceed to Bethany
beyond the Jordan where John was baptizing (Mt
3:13-17/Mk 1:9-11/Lk
3:21-22). Visit the original site of Baptism and
the place from where Elijah
was taken up to heaven with a chariot and
horses of fire. (II Kings 2). Later
on, visit to the Dead Sea,
biblically known as the Sea of Lot, the lowest
place on earth. Return to
Amman for dinner & overnight. |
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AMMAN
/ Jerash / yabok valley (Genesis 32:22)
/ TISHBE (Ajloun) (I
kings 17:1)
/ GADARA (UMM QUEIS) (Mt 8:28) /
PELLA / AMMAN
Breakfast
at hotel. Drive through the land of Galaad, the Yabok Valley
where Jacob
wrestled at Paniel the whole night until just before the
daybreak with
the Lord who took a form of a man. Then the Lord blessed him
by giving
him the name of Israel (Genesis 32: 2-30). Proceed to Gerasa
(Jerash)
one of the important cities of the Decapolis in the time of Jesus. A
complete visit to the ruins and sites of this historical Roman city, the
Walls,
South Gate, Forum, Cardo, Macellum (market place), Tetrapilon,
South
Bridge, Omeyad houses, Cathedral, St. Theodore’s Church, Nympheum,
Roman Baths, Theatre, Isaia’s Church, Propylaeum, Temple of Artemis,
Church of St. Genesius, Triple Church, Odeum, Temple of Zeus, Hypodrome
and Hadrian’s Arch. The Gospel according to Mark 5: 1-20 and Luke 8:
26-
39 refers to Gerasa as the place where Jesus healed the Gadarene man
with
demons.
Proceed to Ajlun the biblical site of Tishbe where Elijah obeying the
Lord,
stayed by the Cherityh Brook (I Kings 17:1-24). Then we visit
Gadara (Umm-
Qais) where Jesus, according to Mathew 8: 26-34, healed the
two men with
demons. From there a nice panoramic view of the lake of Tiberias. Proceed
to Pella, the town that was named after Alexander the Great’s birthplace. It
has been a theatre to so many civilizations back
from the Paleolithic,
Neolithic, Chalcolithic. Early Christians running
from the Roman Persecution
during the Jewish Revolt 66-70 A.C, took
refuge there in this town after they
fled from Jerusalem. Proceed to
hotel in Amman for dinner and
overnight.
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HISBAN
(HESHBON)
(Num 21:27) /
MADABA (Num 21:30) /
MOUNT
NEBO/PISGA (Num 21:20)
/ MUKAWIR (MAQUERONTE)
(Mt 14:1-12 / Mk 5:14-29)
/ KERAK / PETRA
Breakfast Leaving
Amman driving South along
the “Kings’ Highway”, the
ancient
“Silk Road”, visiting on road:
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The
ruins of ancient Heshbon (I Kings, II Kings, Deuteronomy,
Numbers)
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Mount
Nebo with a fantastic view of the Holy Land and the Dead Sea.
It is
believed that from there Moses viewed the Promised Land before he
died. There is
no evidence as to where he was buried but a 4th. Century
Byzantine Church has a
memorial to witness the event.
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Madaba,
home of the famous Byzantine Mosaics, most of all a 6th.
Century map showing the main biblical sites of Palestine, the Holy Land
and Lower Egypt.
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Mukawir
(Maqueronte), a fortress comprising the palace of Herod
Antipas on top
of a strategic hill. Mathew 14:1-12 while narrating the
Death of
the Baptist in this same site tells us how Salome, pushed by her
mother Herodia who hated John for
criticizing her affair with Herod,
asked for the head of the Baptist after she danced in the
presence of a
festive top government Roman officials celebrating Herod’s birthday.
Over a
century before Herod the site was also chosen used by
Alexander Janneus, the Hashmonian King, who
took it as fortress and
palace.
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Kerak
to visit the Crusaders’ Castle from the 12th Century
Then
proceed to PETRA for dinner and overnight.
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PETRA
/ AMMAN Breakfast
at hotel. Full day sightseeing tour of the unique
“rose-red” city of Petra, built by the Arab Nabateans and
which was their
capital from early second century BC till early third AC. The
whole site was
excavated into the desert sandstone rock, the monumental tombs,
palaces,
temples and treasury. During the IV century Petra welcomed the
Byzantines
where Christianity prospered and few churches were erected. It is
believed
that the Three Kings from the East on their way to Bethlehem
stopped at
Petra. Petra was considered the 8th wonder of the world
for its magnificent
artistic style and its incredible irrigation system. On one of its
high peaks,
one could see at a distance the monument comprising the tomb of
Aaron
(Exodus 7). Late afternoon drive to Amman via desert highway,
dinner and
overnight in Amman.
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TRASFER
TO AMMAN AIRPORT FOR DEPARTURE
Breakfast Transfer to Amman Airport
including our assistance during
departure formalities.
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