please join us
In the Footsteps of Jesus with the Pilgrim Ignatius
November 4 – 12, 2023
In September 1523, 500 years ago, St Ignatius’ came on pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Enamoured with Christ, after his powerful spiritual experience in Manresa, Ignatius wanted to visit the Holy Land, to get to know the Lord Jesus better, to love him more and follow him more faithfully. He strongly desired to stay there, and even years later the vow of the first companions in Montmartre was to come to Jerusalem. Divine providence had other ideas, however. The companions placed themselves at the disposal of the Holy Father, a mission that the Society of Jesus still lives today, and in a very specific way through the Gregorian University, Biblical Institute, Oriental Institute and other Roman institutions.
This pilgrimage is organized by the Gregorian University Foundation, in close collaboration with the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Jerusalem. Fr. Josef Mario Briffa, Director of the PBI in Jerusalem, will accompany the group throughout the pilgrimage. Fr. Josef teaches archaeology and geography of the Holy Land at the PBI in Rome and Jerusalem, and is currently writing a guide book on Ignatius’ pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
The trip includes visits to Nazareth, the Sea of Galilee, Capernaum, Mount Tabor, Jerusalem, the Holy Sepulcher, the Dead Sea and much more. We will stay in five star hotels; and most meals are included. We will also have the opportunity to visit the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Jerusalem and meet with its faculty and students. Transportation is included to and from the airport, as well as throughout our trip. There will also be ample opportunity to deepen our spiritual life. Daily Mass will take place in unique historic places. These will be grace-filled moments to experience the ever-renewing power of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
Walk in the steps of St Ignatius as he came 500 years ago to the Holy Land. With him, learn to know the Lord Jesus better in his own land, to love him more and to follow him more nearly. Discover how the archaeology and geography of the Holy Land can bring us even closer to the Lord Jesus.
Enjoy visits to the holy places in a tour especially crafted for the Gregorian Foundation. Your Israeli guide will be a Middle Eastern Christian and our group will be accompanied by the director of the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Jerusalem for an in depth spiritual understanding of the different sites.
Relax in the Magdala Hotel near the shore of the Sea of Galilee where we will evoke the figure of Christ and his disciples walking around this very region.
Enjoy five nights in the luxurious King David Hotel conveniently situated next door to the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Jerusalem. This historical landmark has hosted major political figures visiting the area since its building in 1931.
Meet with students and professors of the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Jerusalem and witness the transmission of knowledge that happens between the walls of the Institute to build up the next generation of Jesuits across the world.
Discover the diversity of the landscapes of the Holy Land for a better understanding of Scriptures. We will be able to read the Biblical texts in the very places they mention. Your personal reading of the Bible will be changed forever by this experience.