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As the foreword of the programme book explains: “By coming to the land where Jesus was born, lived and taught, announced the Kingdom of God, was crucified and resurrected, you are invited to go with others to the very sources of Christian faith.”
Pilgrims are traveling throughout Bethlehem, Jerusalem, and Galilee, where they will experience daily prayers, workshops and meals with host families.
They will also visit sacred sites such as the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Old City of Jerusalem.
Reflection questions throughout the pilgrimage will invite a deeper dialogue. Some questions include: “How do you react when your plans are thwarted?” and “How can I let Jesus enter the secret of my heart and rekindle my hope?”
Many of the reflection questions speak to the lives of people in Palestine living under occupation: “Why does suffering sometimes destroy hope and lead to despair, and sometimes produce endurance and hope?” and “Have you ever experienced that hope can be made more firm in difficult times and situations?”
Through workshops, the pilgrims will explore the relationship between love and hope. Some workshop titles include “Reading and studying the Bible in the Land of the Bible,” “Hope is for the wounded,” and “If we lose hope, we lose the future of our children: A Muslim woman's perspective.”
There will also be time for local art appreciation, including Armenian ceramics, and traditional Middle Eastern music.
