Tuesday morning, our pilgrims traveled to Bethlehem to see the birthplace of Christ and participate in Divine Liturgy at the Church of the Nativity. After the services, the group had an opportunity to tour the church, including the Armenian section. The group then enjoyed a delicious lunch - and soon as Armenian music started to play, Aracse jumped up and led the group in Armenian dancing for a wonderful time!
On Wednesday, the group continued their journey through Christ’s early years with a visit to Nazareth and the Church of the Annunciation, which was built upon Mary's house where the Archangel Gabriel appeared to Mary to deliver the good news. A visit to the Church of the Transfiguration followed, where the group sang the Lord’s Prayer (Hayr Mer) together and read from Scripture, followed by a meditation led by Fr. Arakel on the meaning of the Transfiguration.
Later on, the pilgrims traveled to Galilee, enjoying a delicious lunch of the traditional St. Peter's fish, followed by a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. The boat stopped in the middle of the Sea, as the group read from the Scriptures, recounting the story of Christ walking on water at the Sea of Galilee.
The group is enjoying a free day in Jerusalem today, with more travels to come tomorrow. Stay tuned for more! Updates are also posted on our Facebook page.
View our pilgrimage photo album.