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Churches you must see in Holy Land

Published on June 24, 2019 by IBMT

Churches you must visit in the Holy Land

Some of the best tours to the Holy Land revolve around visits to some of the major churches that represent the faiths that define the origins of religion in Israel. Pilgrimages for Christians and Catholics have long been a staple of the trips we have developed at IBMT Tours and our network of consultants and travel personnel across Israel make your trip an easy one to enjoy. We deal with all the details that come with a vacation and let you enjoy what you are paying for. A visit to one of the most beautiful countries in the world that showcases some of the best in culture, cuisine and historical attractions that the world has to offer. When we talk about the best tours to the Holy Land, the religious significance of the churches of the major faiths will be on everyone’s to-do list and the Catholic Holy Land tours we provide are unsurpassed. At IBMT Tours we will make certain that your Christian Israel tours will be a spiritual journey that will renew your faith or strengthen it in a way that will become apparent when you visit one of the many churches that were built over the ages. 

Christian Israel tours, must-see churches

While most of the churches that we will send you to are located in Jerusalem – easy to get to – there are others that are scattered around the country and it can make for great day trips to visit the churches across the land. Certainly, peak holiday visits are sandwiched into two important dates, Christmas and Easter when thousands of visitors descend upon the Holy Land to celebrate the holidays. Bear in mind that the attractions are worth the visit any time of year, and the ancient history you will experience will be like taking a trip back in time.

  • In the beautiful Garden of Gethsemane is where the Church of All Nations is located. The church is a Catholic one and it contains many artistic mosaics that are religion personified in art. Originally, the area was said to be home to olive tree garden during the time of Christ, and eight olive trees (approximately 2000 years old) stand as a reminder to bygone days. 
  • In Bethlehem, you will go directly to the Church of the Nativity – one of the oldest and continuously used churches in modern times. Constantine built the church after his conversion to Christianity and the location is said to have been the location of Christ’s birth more than 2000 years ago.
  • In the Old City of Jerusalem sits the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and is a site revered for an important event, the resurrection of Christ on the third day after his crucifixion. Attendees have visited the church since the fourth century and Christians of all denominations hold it sacred to their faith.
  • In Galilee, the largest Catholic basilica awaits your visit. The Basilica of the Annunciation is the largest Catholic Church in the Middle East and it was constructed in 1969 on top of the Byzantine and Crusader churches that we built and leveled. Beautiful mosaics are on the walls all over the church – some of the finest artwork in Christendom is present in this location. The best is set for last – you travel up to a staircase and you will marvel at the dome that is the crown atop this precious jewel.
  • Also in Galilee, is St. Gabriel’s Church and is also known as the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation. In downtown Nazareth is where you find this testament to Greek architecture and according to Greek Orthodox religion, it was here that Mary was said to be informed of her pregnancy.
  • St. Peter’s Catholic Church in the Old City of Jaffa is where a miracle is said to have transpired. Here, St. Peter raised Tabitha from the dead according to Catholic history and the church commemorates the miracle. 
  • When you travel to the Sea of Galilee, the Church of the Beatitudes there will be stunning artwork that highlights the eight beatitudes. It is here that Christ said, “Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the Earth,” as the most famous of the eight beatitudes. When you visit the location and recite the eight beatitudes, it will be an uplifting experience and inspires a social awaking that you will take home with you long after your holiday has finished.
  • When you visit the Church of the Transfiguration, you will get to see two churches in one visit. One church is a Catholic one (Church of Transfiguration) and the other is a Greek Orthodox Church known as the Church of St. Elias. Both churches offer a great deal to the practitioners of their respective faiths.
  • Another beautiful church on the Sea of Galilee is the Church of the Multiplication of Loaves and Fishes. It is here that Christ performed a miracle for over 5000 people who came to hear him preach. He took a few fish and a couple of loaves of bread and created a banquet for his disciples. There are mosaics from the fifth century that depict the event and the artwork is some of the finest in Israel. 

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The churches mentioned here are some of the most famous in the world and we at IBMT Tours will be able to provide all the support you need to visit them in comfort in pursuit of your religious adventure. At IBMT Tours we have more than three decades experience crafting vacation experiences for travelers and all the trips come with happy endings. We have excellent travel consultants that not only listen to your vacation desires, but also hear what you want and strive to deliver on the promise of the best vacation money can buy. Start making your religious travel plans today when you call our office at IBMT Tours at 1.877.977.4268 for your spiritual renewal.
 

TestimonialsTestimonials

We went on a church group to the Holyland with IBMT Tours and had a great trip, everything was planned for us perfectly. There was over 123 people in four different bus groups and things went smoothly, I thought it was going to be hectic with that many people in the group but IBMT did a wonderful job and made sure the buses did not go convoy, every bus had its own time table and itinerary for the day, our guide Dani was so knowledgeable and loving. We love you IBMT and we will recommend you guys. Thanks for everything you have done for us.

For years, it had been a deep desire of mine to lead a group of pilgrims to the Holy Land.  I’m not sure how it happened (perhaps the grace of God), but I ended up working with Israel Biblical Mission Tours (IBMT) and specifically Ornan Sharaby.   Because I had never led a group like this before, I needed guidance.  Ornan and his team were wonderfully helpful.  They answered all my questions, and never seemed irritated when I called or emailed with what some might have considered a “Silly question.”  Then, when it was close to departure time, I had some apprehensions.  Ornan assured me that he had taken care of everything.  On the day of our departure, we (a group of 27) had no issues whatsoever.  As predicted, everything was “Taken care of.”  The flight experience was good.

Upon our arrival in Israel, the bus and the guide were waiting for us, took us to our Hotel, and we slept well.  We departed on our experience the next morning. 

As we progressed day by day, my wife and I were extremely pleased (as was the entire group).  Every detail of our trip was laid out, and we were treated so very well by everyone.  We experienced no difficulties at all.  It was truly better than we had anticipated.  My compliments to IBMT, and to Ornan and his team.  I simply cannot imagine things going any better.  Our itinerary was wonderful, our bus, and driver were phenomenal, and our guide was friendly, fun, and extremely knowledgeable.  They all made sure that we had an incredible Holy Experience…and we DID!

Every single member of our trip was overwhelmed with the experience, and went out of their way to tell me that their Holy Land Pilgrimage exceeded their expectations. 

Finally, on our last day in Israel, our driver and our guide, expressed their appreciation to us, and made sure that we arrived at the airport on time, and then our guide took up to the right place and helped us get checked in. 

I therefore, with no trepidation whatsoever, very highly recommend IBMT and Mr. Ornan Sharaby when you plan your Holy Land experience.  You could not be in better hands.

Sincerely,
Pastor Stan Patterson
Church 213  Covington, Georgia

This was an incredible tour of Israel with IBMT Tours and I loved the additional trip to Petra as well. We had a very knowledgeable guide from Israel who gave us an extensive explanation of everything we saw in Israel. All of the hotels I stayed in were great with comfortable beds and wonderful buffet breakfasts!!

Dear Brother Ornan and Brother Thomas,

We, KBCUSA had a wonderful time with IBMT Holy Land Tour in November 2014. It was really great joy for our group, the members of Karen Baptist Churches USA. You have fulfilled our great expectation to visit the Holy Land. We all appreciate for your well arrangement for excellent hotels, Tours and the tour guide and the drivers as well. Especially we appreciate for your kind arrangement from Canada even we were on the Tour in Israel and the warmly and kind assists of Mr. Thomas Portmann who taking care of us as his family. We really enjoy the trip with IBMT. And this year, we will be going to Israel with your Tour again. I would like to invite you to visit and present about the upcoming tour at our KBCUSA annual meeting which will be held in Buffalo in July 23-15, 2015. We expect about 500 people at the conference. 

Thanks and God bless you.

My trip to the Holy Land Israel

It is a dream trip is a desired journey, but God is the one who knows when your turn is and when is your time. Since I was at a young age I always wanted to know the world. I thought where Jesus was born, my love for God and my faith; it grew and grew inside of me and with it to know the steps of Jesus. I dreamed about knowing of what I have always heard where Jesus was born, where the Angel Gabriel came to the Virgin Mary and to know where Jesus was born and suffered so much on his way with the cross. Well my dream came true and even more because I received a wonderful grace of the Lord that I know that everyone that visit those distant and blessed lands of the lord receive with open arms and those who seeks him receive his blessing if you come with open heart. It happened I went in the search of my heart to have an encounter with the Lord and I found it, I meet where he walked, where he suffer, where he celebrated his last dinner even where he was born and was happy healing the poor and those who knew of him.

One day my daughter Paloma tells me Mom go to Holy Land, go to Israel she said because she knows that in my heart I knew that I had this thirst the one that it will not heal with any water only with the water that only the Lord knows how to take away. I stared at her and I said to her ok Paloma I want to go, she stood up like guided by the Holy Spirit and immediately started to make arrangements. I still did not understand that God used her so that I can go in search of him, that he had plans for me.

She like the Sheppard contacted Mr. Ornan at Holyland Tours and it was the best decision since we wanted to find the right person to do a religious tour, but I turn up short because it was not only a religious tour with the content discipline and knowledge of the history that our tour guide made this experience masterly

I know that everything was prepared by this gentleman, the attention, the good service offered by Mr. Ornan, and after arriving to my first destination Tel Aviv I was to be reunited with my group and to begin our crossing it was something wonderful a trip that I will never forget and without being afraid of being wrong with my age 47 years old it was the best trip I ever had.

1. The places we visit like Caesaria, Haifa Acre, Tiberías. Capernaum, Banias, Nazareth, Beit Shean, Jerusalém and Massada. These where places that where impregnated in my heart and specially the Old City where I had the divine experience with the lord, where I felt that God touched my heart where I felt that I was not there by accident that I was in this place because God had a plan for me.

I invite everyone that have not yet been to visit these holy places and the land of God to go, to give yourself this wonderful gift because this will change your life and heart, we know how we arrive but we do not know how we will leave. It is so that I assure you that if you arrive with your hearts open and are willing to let god fill you with love you will receive his blessing not only for yourself but for your family as well, give yourself this gift and let god heal you and blessed your heart and give yourself the opportunity to Walk in the Footsteps of Jesus

Dear Thomas:

It was my intention to write to you upon returning from Israel, to tell you how awesome and wonderful the tour turned out to be.

Thomas, I am still in awe of the modernity and beauty of Israel , even though I know that my level of enjoyment and excitement there could have been much less were my cousin and I not fortunate enough to have the intelligence, knowledgeable and dedicated tour guide that Doron Kaufman was / is. I took a total of 1,750 photos; I will be making a photobook from them.

About our guide Doron — He was always pleasant (smiling) and caring, the best tour guide I have ever experienced. His impartation of what he knows about Israel is in its own ilk and he made every trip seem special.

It will interest you to know that I’ve been selling Israel to all my friends, work colleagues and family, telling all how safe I felt under the guidance of your representative and for them to be sure to book a trip there at some time via IBMT Tours’ Thomas Portman. I also encouraged each to ensure t that their tour guide be none other than Doron Kaufman.

So, until my next trip to Israel and with warmest wishes and kindest regards.

5/5
Call: 1.877.977.4268

IBMT Holyland Tours

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