Top Holy Land Sites For Christian Travelers to Israel

Tour Sites Every Christian Traveler Will Not Want to Miss When Visiting Israel

Christian travelers to Israel will want to visit these top holy-land sites. When speaking about Catholic Israel tours, the first thing we have to understand is that many places and historic sites in the Holy Land are equally important for all three major monotheistic religions – Christianity, Judaism and Islam. It is not something that should confuse you because this country is a true meeting point of different cultures, traditions and religions. And that’s why it is not unusual to see people from different creeds going to pilgrimage and visiting the exact same places.

The situation might be a bit confusing if we mention that there are three major Christian denominations – Catholicism, Protestantism and Eastern Orthodoxy. Most of the time, the difference is not in the sites and historic places, but in the interpretation of certain things and their significance for each denomination.

After this short intro, it’s time to talk about top Catholic Israel tours that will definitely stay in your heart forever.

Bethlehem – Jesus Birthplace

We can hardly imagine better place for the beginning of your pilgrimage than Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus Christ. Today, it is one of the most popular Catholic Israel tours and a place where you can enjoy the peace and beauty of this region. This ancient town is located near Jerusalem (approximately five miles), so you can reach it on foot if you enjoy a good walk. You will be surprised with the appearance of the town, because there are many houses that look exactly the same as they looked more than 2.000 years ago. These primitive houses were built on the top of the caves, because lower part was used as some kind of rudimentary fridges and storage rooms for keeping food and other seasonal groceries. Besides the city itself, you should also visit other historical places, such as Church of the Nativity, The Milk Grotto and Shepherd Filed. All these places are mentioned in the Bible and they are extremely important to all Catholics.

Cana

After Jesus’s birthplace, we recommend you to go to Cana, a place where Jesus did his first miracle, announcing who he really was. As you probably know from the Bible, it is the place where Jesus turned water into wine during a wedding feast, helping poor newlyweds. If you are searching for ideal wedding gift, local wine from Cana will be an ideal present, that‘ s for sure.

The Mount of Temptation

A beautiful, magnificent location and truly one of the most significant Catholic Israel tours. Make sure you have it written down in your trip schedule. It is the mountain where Messiah fasted and where he was tempted by the devil. This holy place is located in the heart of the Judean Desert. From here, you can enjoy the spectacular view of the desert and ancient Orthodox monastery.

Bethany

Bethany is a small town that is mentioned many times in the Bible. It is the place where lived Lazarus, Martha and Mary and the place where Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. Unfortunately, you will not be able to visit the exact location of this miracle, because of a mosque that was built over the place of the Lazarus’s resurrection.

**********************************