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The Holy Land Pilgrimage was part of the celebration of the twenty-fifth anniversary of Mount Argus Parish. It had sixty pilgrims led by Fr. Ralph Egan (Parish Priest) and Fr. Pat Rogers (Professor of Biblical Studies). Accommodation was for five nights in the Seven Arches Hotel high of the Mount of Olives overlooking Jerusalem. The other night were spent in the Jordan River Hotel near the shores of the Sea of Galilee. The weather was hot and sunny throughout the pilgrimage.
Thursday the ninth of September saw the pilgrims pray in the Garden of Gethsemane and visit the Cenacle the traditional place of the Last Supper of Jesus with the apostles. The day included a visit to the Dormition Abbey Church on Mount Zion, the traditional site of Our Lady's assumption into Heaven. Mass was celebrated in the underground cave where Jesus was imprisoned on Holy Thursday night.
Friday is the day to join in the procession along the Via Dolorosa - the Way along which Jesus carried the Cross - concluding in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. There was time to visit the Pool of Bethzatha where Jesus healed the man crippled for 38 years.
Saturday and the group set out for Bethlehem and there to kneel in prayer at the silver star marking the site of the Birth of Jesus. Sunday the group took the road to Jericho to the Dead Sea. On the way there was the spectular view of the monastery of St. George before they reached Masada by the Dead Sea. Many took the 'dip' into the salty waters.
Monday was a new round of visits, to the Wailing Wall of the temple, to Bethany to the Church of Martha, Mary and Lazarus and by afternoon they reached the foot of Mount Tabor - the place of the Transfiguration.
The scene changed on Tuesday to a boat trip on the Sea of Galilee with a pause to pray as the boat idled in the middle of the Sea. Before the day was out a visit was made to Capernaum. Wednesday saw the group in Cana and then on to Nazareth - the home of Jesus. The highlight was to see the traditional site of Joseph's carpenter's shop and the synagogue Church where Jesus preached his first sermon. That evening there was a Parish celebration Dinner in the Nof Ginnosar Kibbutz.
Thursday was the last day of sightseeing and the pilgrims went to the Jordan river. There standing in the waters they renewed their baptismal vows. They could not leave the Holy Land without a visit to Mount Carmel and into the Cave of the Prophet Elijah . Friday morning they began the journey home to Dublin , Ireland.
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