DIOCESE OF EASTERN AMERICA AND NEW YORK : March 16, 2006

The Rector and Parishioners of St John the Baptist Cathedral Schedule a Pilgrimage to the Holy Land

With the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, the Rector and parishioners of St John the Baptist Cathedral in Washington DC are organizing a pilgrimage to the holy sites in our Savior's earthly native land.

Price: $2,300.

Tentative schedule:

14 July . Friday. Arrival, check-in at the hotel.

15 July . Saturday. Holy Sepulcher. Veneration of the Lord's Tomb. Tour of the Church of the Resurrection. Vigil Service on the Mount of Olives [Convent of the Ascension].

16 July. Sunday. Divine Liturgy on the Mount of Olives . Following breakfast there, tour of the Monastery, Little Galilee, Footprint of our Lord [site of the Ascension], Venerable St. Pelagia's cell, Greek Monastery.

17 July . Monday. Liturgy on the Mount of Olives . Way of the Cross. Reception at the Greek Patriarchate. Vigil at Russian Gethsemane .

18 July . Tuesday. Commemoration of New Venerable Martyrs Grand Duchess Elizabeth and Nun Barbara. Liturgy at Russian Gethsemane . Breakfast and tour of the Monastery. Veneration of the Tomb of the Mother of God. Monastery of St. George of Joziba.

19 July . Wednesday. 6:00 AM. Departure to Bethlehem for Divine Liturgy. Breakfast. Shepherds' Field. Monastery of Ven. St. Theodosios. Lavra of St. Sabbas the Sanctified. Cave of St. Nicholas in Beit Jalla.

20 July . Thursday. Night liturgy in the Holy Sepulcher. Morning at leisure. After lunch, trip to the Russian Gorny Convent for Vigil on the eve of the Feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. Holy Cross Monastery. Katamon (tomb of St. Symeon the God-receiver).

21 July . Friday. Feast of the Appearance of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. Liturgy in the Tomb of the Mother of God. Breakfast at Russian Gethsemane . The Upper Room on Mt. Zion . Church in Gali Cantu (the site of Apostle Peter's renunciation.). Wailing Wall.

22 July . Saturday. Galilee . Jordan River (Blessing of the Waters, Immersion in the Jordan ), Nazareth , Cana of Galilee, Mt. Tabor .

23 July. Sunday. Liturgy on Mt. Tabor . Breakfast on Mt. Tabor . Sea of Galilee: Tabgha, Capernaum , Mount of the Beatitudes. Lunch near the Sea. Return along the Mediterranean coast to Jerusalem : Caesarea, Jaffa , Lydda (veneration of the tomb of Great Martyr St. George).

24 July . Monday. Morning at leisure. After lunch: Monastery of the Lord's Prayer, Bethpage, Bethany .

25 July . Jericho: Forty-day Mountain [Mount of Temptations], Prophet Elisha's Stream, Jericho, Monastery of St. Gerasimos, Dead Sea.

26, 27 and 28 July . Choice between Holy Trinity Monastery in Jerusalem and the Russian Quarter and Hebron, or three day excursion to the Monastery of St. Katherine at Mt. Sinai.

For further information, please call the pilgrimage organizer, Archpriest Victor Potapov at 301-565-0848 (evenings); 202-203-4725 (daytime).