The pilgrimage I found to be a profoundly spiritual experience, from the awe inspiring Chuch of the Nativity where we queued for a long time to view the place where Christ was born, to the peace and calm of a boat trip on the sea of Galilee.  Also I was profoundly moved by the beauty and panorama at the Church of the Beatitudes and at Capernaum where the archaelogical remains of St Peter’s house have been revealed, and the ancient synagogue, foundations of which we told by our learned guide Yacob would have been of the synagogue where Jesus preached.

Cana had a beautiful Church  and it was wonderful to be included by Father Reg in prayer there.  The Mount of Olives was also very moving because the ancient Olive trees believed to have been present at the time of the agony in the garden.   The highlight of the pilgrimage for me was the way of the cross where everyone resolutely followed in the last footsteps of Christ to Golgotha accompanied by prayer and singing.  Even some pilgrims bore large wooden crosses which made Christ’s final journey more real somehow.  Our guide was very knowledg- eable and we witnessed through him the ongoing suffering of the Palestinian people which seems like another holocaust.  I am eternally grateful to Father Reg for having had a chance to go to the land of Jesus and I was humbled by the suffering of many of it’s peoples there…

Jane Rethinasamy writes..