Pilgrimage: DT10011

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Day 1, Sunday, January 10, 2010 - Depart from JFK International Airport in New York on Royal Jordanian Airlines for your non-stop transatlantic flight.  Meals on the aircraft. D

Day 2, Monday, January 11, 2010 - We will arrive in Amman, Jordan where we will clear immigration and meet our driver and guide and transfer to our Amman hotel for a “welcome to Jordan” dinner and overnight. D

Day 3, Tuesday, January 12, 2010 - This morning we will visit the site where archaeological evidence is mounting that John baptized Jesus on the eastern side of the Jordan River at Bethany Beyond the Jordan.  We will renew our baptismal vows at this peaceful site. We will visit Jerash, a close second to Petra on the list of favorite destinations in Jordan.  The ancient city boasts an unbroken chain of human occupation dating back more than 6,500 years and fantastic ruins from the Christian era.  We will walk the ancient marble streets where ruts remain from the carts which were used on these streets thousands of years ago.  We will return to Amman for dinner and overnight. BLD

Day 4, Wednesday, January 13, 2010 - We depart Amman and drive south along the Kings Highway and stop at Madaba to see the remains of the mosaic map of the Middle East and Jerusalem.  The Madaba Mosaic Map is a unique piece of art made in the 6th century A.D. as a decoration for the pavement of a church in the town of Madaba.  At that time Madaba was part of the so called Provincia Arabia, and was inhabited by Aramaic speaking Christians descendant from the ancient biblical people of the Moabites.  The mosaic was discovered accidentally about one hundred years ago (in 1897) while constructing a new church for the Greek-Orthodox Arab community, which was then settling on the very ruins of the ancient town of Madaba.  Now on to Mt. Nebo where Moses viewed the Promised Land and from the mountain top, you will see the Jordan Valley, Jericho and the Judean Hills beyond.  We will continue to Kerak to visit the impressive crusader castle before our journey finally ends in Petra where we will have dinner and overnight. BLD

Day 5, Thursday, January 14, 2010 - A day to explore the Red Rose City of Petra which some historians equate with Sela, a town in which the Israelites had a famous victory over the local Edomites.  We will have the choice to walk to the site or to take a carriage ride through the dramatic “siq” or canyon.  We will see the Treasury, carved in pink stone, and continue past the Roman Theatre, the Corinthian Tomb and Palace Tomb.  As we continue we see the theatre, the Roman Soldier Tomb, the Columbarium and much more as we make our way to the High Place of Sacrifice located at the top of Jabal Mount.  The High Place of Sacrifice is considered to be the oldest major cultic facility in Petra.  We visit the museum and, for those who take the 60 minute walk to the Monastery, they will be rewarded with the best sites in Petra. BLD

Day 6, Friday, January 15, 2010 - Leaving Petra this morning we drive north and visit some of the resorts that are so popular along the Dead Sea.  When you return to Jordan with your own parish, a few nights at one of these resorts will afford you and your group time to enjoy the surrounding deserts and the Sea. We will see Wadi Mujib, called the Grand Canyon of Jordan.  We will continue our travels north back to Amman where we will have a “farewell to Jordan” dinner and overnight. BLD

Day 7, Saturday, January 16, 2010 - We will transfer to the Amman airport where we will bid our guide and driver goodbye and board our Royal Jordanian Airlines flight for our nonstop flight back to the USA arriving at JFK this afternoon.  B and meals on the aircraft. B