The tradition of pilgrimage to Jerusalem to pay homage to holy sites started during the time of the Apostles. Pilgrims and worshipers began to visit Jerusalem very often in the 4th century after Empress Jelena found the Cross of the Lord. Jerusalem, which before that was only a provincial Roman garrison town, now gained new importance thanks to the architectural and spiritual character of its shrines, connected with the earthly life of the Lord Jesus Christ. Once upon a time, a pilgrimage took up to two years and required great physical effort.
Thus, by God’s providence and with the blessing of the His Grace Dositej, Bishop of Britain and Scandinavia, on September 29, 2022, our faithful from London, Birmingham, Corby, Stoke-on-Trent, Canada, Switzerland and Serbia set off. Our group was led by Proto-Presbyter Nenad Popović of the Church of Lazarica in Birmingham.
The pilgrims’ schedule was very intensive with the aim of visiting as many monasteries, churches and sites connected with the Old and New Testament as possible in nine days. We must mention that our group had a great honour, namely a reception with the Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III. In addition to the charter of the pilgrim to Jerusalem, we also received a blessing from the Patriarch himself.
In addition to visiting the shrines, we had the opportunity to gather for midnight Liturgy at Christ’s tomb, Liturgies at the church where the tomb of the Blessed Virgin Mary is located in Gethsemane as well as in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem in the cave itself.
Immersion into the River Jordan, where Saint John the Forerunner baptised the Lord Jesus Christ, was a unique event which brought joy to the whole group.
The schedule is listed below.
Day 1 – Friday 30th September
- Nazareth – Church of the Annunciation
- Cana of Galilee – Church of of St. George
- Mount Tabor – Monastery of St Elias
- Capernaum Old Town – Church of the Twelve Apostles
- Sea of Galilee – Boat ride
- Lunch
- Mount of Beatitudes
Day 2 – Saturday 1st October
- Gethsemane – Church of the Sepulchre of Saint Mary
- Church of St. Andrew the First-Called and all the Apostles – Small Galilee
- Church of the Annunciation of the Holy Mother of God – Small Galilee
- Church and the Site of the Ascension of Jesus Christ
- St Pelagia’s Monastery
- Church of Our Father
- A panoramic view of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives
- Monastery of St Mary Magdalene
- The Garden of Gethsemane… the site of Christ’s last prayer
Day 3 – Sunday 2nd October
- Monastery of the Holy Propher Elijah
- Monastery of the Nativity of St John the Baptist – Ein Karem
- Monastery of the Meeting of St. Elizabeth and Mother of God
- Monastery of St. Simeon the God-Receiver
Day 4 – Monday 3rd October
- Lion’s Gate
- Church of Saints Joachim and Anna
- Birthplace of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Pool of Bethesda
- Via Dolores
- The place where Simon of Cyrene helps Christ
- St Veronica
- Church of the Holy Sepulchre
- Golgotha
- Stone of Anointing
- Tomb and site of the Resurrection of Christ
- The Church where Empress Jelena found the Holy Cross
Day 5 – Tuesday 4th October
Day shortened due to Yon Kipura.
- Samarija – Nabblus
- Church of the Samaritan Woman
- Jacob’s spring
- Tomb of Lazarus – Bethany
- Monastery of the Resurrection of Lazarus and the House of Martha and Mary – Bethany
- And finally Palestinian delicacies….
Day 6 – Wednesday 5th October
- Holy Liturgy at the Cave of the Nativity of Christ
- Church of Saint Nicholas – Bayt Jala, the cave where St Nicholas lived
- Church of the Shepherds of Bethlehem
- Tour of the Church of the Nativity of Christ and the Church of the Children of Bethlehem killed by Herod
- Milk Grotto Church
Day 7 – Thursday 6th October
- Monastery of Saint George of Choziba
- The Monastery on the Mount of the Temptation
- Zacchaeus Monastery
- Immersion in the River Jordan
- Dead Sea
- Monastery of St. Gerasim of Jordan
- Dinner and traditional music
Day 8 – Friday 7th October
- Haifa – Cave of St. Prophet Elijah
- Bahai Gardens
- Monastery of the Holy Apostles
- Monastery of Archangel Michael
- The old city of Jaffa
- Swimming on the Mediterranean Sea
- Monastery of St. George – Lida Palestinska
Day 9 – Saturday 8th October
- Official visit to Jerusalem Patriarch Theophilos III and tour of the Patriarchate
- Monastery of St Sabbas the Sanctified
- Monastery of Saint Theodosius
- Zion
- House of St. John the Baptist, the site of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary
- The Room of the Last Supper
- Tomb of King David
- Wailing Wall
- Church of the Resurrection of Christ
If you want to go to Jerusalem and the Holy Land, Father Nenad is planning a new pilgrimage in October 2023. For all information, you can call Father Nenad on 07467 950 076.
Thank you to Ivana Tanaskovic for writing this article and publishing it originally in Britić.
Lazarica’s choir sings at Theophania