Back from the Holy Land

Our Footsteps of Jesus (Promo for Priests) Pilgrimage is back with exciting news of the Holyland, Jordan and Egypt! We left with Fr. Rafael Giron and Sis. Sonia Arao of Cebu, Fr. Bernabe Tutana of Iloilo, Frs. Glenn Corsiga and Gamaliel Tulabing of Dumaguete and Fr. Hector Canon of Manila. It was a dream come true for organizers Delmar Travel and Land & Sky to have brought five (5) priests and one (1) Nun for FREE to trace the Footsteps of Jesus in the Holyland and to visit the holy places where the Angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she was chosen to be the Mother of God up to the site of Jesus' death on the cross in Golgotha and the Holy Sepulchre, where Jesus was buried and the site of His resurrection. Prior to the Holyland, we visited Madaba and Mt. Nebo in Jordan. After the Holyland, we crossed the border to Mt. Sinai and then to Cairo in Egypt.

At St. Catherine in the Sinai Peninsula, the group opted to visit St. Catherine's Monastery instead of climbing the 700 steps to Mt. Sinai where Moses received the 10 commandments from our Lord. In Cairo, we had a taste of ancient Egyptian history as we visited the Pyramids and the Sphinx in Giza, as well as the Egyptian Museum which brought us back to 3000/2000 years B. C. Souvenir shopping was unstoppable as the souvenir shops and sidewalk vendors offered us all kinds of souvenirs which were just too much to resist. Highlights of the tour in the Holyland:

• Renewal of Baptismal Vows at the River Jordan
• Renewal of Marriage Vows at the Church in Cana for Ten couples in the group
• Mass at the Church of the Transfiguration and the Holy Sepulchre
• Visits to the Church of the Annunciation, the Church at Mount Beatitude, the Multiplication of the Loaves and fishes, and the Primacy of Peter, Capernaum and the Church of the Visitation in Ein Karem.
• A cruise in the Sea of Galilee and a view of the ancient boat which dates back to the time of Jesus
• A visit to the memorial to Moses in Mt. Nebo in Jordan
• A visit to the Church of the Virgin Mary where we viewed the site where the Holy Family lived in Egypt during the time of King Herod
• A visit to the Church of the Virgin Mary in Zeitum where Mama Mary appeared in a Coptic Orthodox Church in 1998.
• A visit to the Hanging Church where our Blessed Mother appeared in one of the Columns inside the Church. The group, led by our five (5) priests, experienced healing of relationships and physical healing as we prayed for the members of the group who needed healing as well as our loved ones left at home who also needed our prayers. The pilgrimage was led by Beth Reyes who traveled with hubby Federico "Boy" Reyes of Land & Sky Travel and yours truly of Delmar Travel & Tours, Inc..The members of the group responsible for making the FREE travel of the five priests and a nun are the following: Elena Jarantilla and Dulce Cabrera, Hoppy & Carmen Sto. Domingo, Ramonito & Linda Tudtud, Dr. Vicky Ybañez and Asuncion Arguelles, Della Jarantilla and Olivia Gonzalez, Dr. Fautino & Zenaida Froilan, Mr. Lope Mollenido & wife Merle, Judy Castillo and Melinda Cabunilas, the Medici Family, Willian and Naomi, Druce and Homer; Clodoveo & Jeremi Nacorda, Federico Reyes, Elvira Yu, Henry and Edith Chua, Christiane Mendoza, Benjamin "the best in the west" & Bernardita Pepito, Janelle Marie Sevilla, Katherine & Therisita Tiu, Glenda Castañeda, Lucrecio and Marcelina Catubig, Braulia Cababasay and Consejo Pedalizo & Maria Editha Leung and Asteria Wee. It is our groups desire that we will do all we can to become Christ's worthy disciples, so that by the life we live, we can be a source of conversion, healing and reconciliation to all those whom we come in contact with. For your comments, you can reach me at Delmar Travel & Tours, Inc. Tel. (32) 2536561 & 2536571 and by email at: marilou_ordonez2000@yahoo.com.