The Israel Ministry of Tourism officially announced the upcoming itinerary for Pope Benedict's trip to the Holy Land. The Papal delegation with is to include 40 representatives from the Vatican and approximately 70 representatives of th foreign media, will arrive on May 11th. The Pope will meet with the Mayor of Jerusalem, Nir Barakat, local leaders, President Shimon Peres as well as the Council of Religious Community Leaders in Israel (the Chief Rabbis, the President of the Moslem Religious Court of Appeals, Christian religious leaders and the heads of the Druze Community). The Pope will also meet with leaders of the Palestinian Authority Mohammed Abbas during his visit to Bethlehem on May 13, 2009. The official itinerary is posted below: •

May 11, 2009 - Pope to arrive in Israel; official ceremony with President Shimon Peres and visit to Yad Vashem Martyrs' and Heroes' Memorial of the Holocaust. Pope Bernedct XVI will also meet with the Council of Religious Commuity Leaders in Israel. In the evening there will be an Interfaith Dialogue meeting at Notre Dame Center.•

May 12th, 2009 - Visit to the Temple Mount and meeting with the Grand Mufti. He will also visit the Western Wall, Mt. Zion and the Cenacle (the Site of the Last Supper), Heichal Shlomo Synagogue (the Great Synagague) as well as a visit to Gethsemane Church. A mass will be held at the Kidron Valley. •

May 13th - Visit to Bethlehem and meeting with Palestinian Authority Leader Mohammed Abbas. A mass at Mangar Square, outside the Church of the Nativity, will be held. •

ay 14th - Visit to Nazareth and meeting with local leaders. A Holy Mass in Nazareth at the Mount of Precipace overlooking the Jezreel Valley will be held. A prayer at the Church of the Annunciation is also planned as well as a meeting with local religious leaders in the Galilee. •

May 15th - Meetings with local religious leaders at local Churches in Jerusalem. A farewell ceremony at Ben Gurion International Airport will be held. Pope Benedict XVI will return to Rome on a special EL AL flight at the conclusion of the ceremony. If you wish to plan a tour following in the footsteps of this memorable Papal visit, please let us know. We have arranged special priced tours for groups of 15 people or more.

There is clearly one very special place to celebrate Christmas and that's here in the Holy Land. Should you be fortunate to be spending Christmas in this region, you will likely want to attend one of the very many special masses and other Christmas festivities planned during this holiday season.

Below is the schedule of major Christmas Events happening in Bethlehem this year!

Book Now - Special  Christmas Tour: 4 Day/3 Nights or 5 Day/4 Nights

2009

DECEMBER 24 (Thursday)

1.00 pm at the Tomb of Rachel:
His Beatitude, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Fouad Twall, is welcomed by,
Latin Parish Priest of Bethlehem and representatives of Bethlehem, Beit Jala and
Beit Sahour.
1.30 pm at the Manger Square:
Solemn Entry of His Beatitude into the Basilica of the Nativity and
St. Catherine Church followed by Pontifical Vespers.
4.00 pm at St. Catherine Church:
Daily Procession to the Nativity Grotto.
10.00 pm at St. Catherine Church:
is opened. Tickets, free of charge, required.
11.10 pm at St. Catherine Church:
Solemn "Office of Readings".

DECEMBER 25 (Friday)

Midnight: at St. Catherine Church:
Pontifical Eucharistic Concelebration.
Midnight: at the Grotto:
Low Masses till 5.15 pm with interruption at 1.30 am
for one hour approximately, and at 5.30 am till 7.00 am approximately.
1.30 am at St. Catherine Church:
Solemn traditional Procession to the Grotto.
10.00 am at St. Catherine Church:
Chanting of Terce and Pontifical Mass.
2.00 pm Pilgrimage to the Orthodox Grotto:
of the Shepherds and the Latin Chapel of Shepherds' Field.

DECEMBER 26 (Saturday)

10.00 am at St. Catherine Church: Mass.

DECEMBER 27 (Sunday)

5.15 pm at St. Catherine Church:
Procession to the Grotto of the Holy Innocents and Sung Vespers.

DECEMBER 28 (Monday, Feast of the Holy Innocents)

6.30 am at St. Catherine:
Masses at 6.30, 7.30 am, 9.00 am, 11.00 am and 4.30 pm.
10.00 am in the Grotto of the Holy Innocents Sung Mass
3.00 pm in the Grotto of the Holy Innocents: Vespers

DECEMBER 31 (Thursday)

4.30 pm at St. Catherine Church:
Mass and Benediction with the Holy Sacrament.

2010

JANUARY 1 (Friday)

10.00 am at St. Catherine Church:
Low Masses followed by Procession to the Milk Grotto.
4.30 pm at St. Catherine Church: Mass.

JANUARY 4 (Monday)

6.30 am at St. Catherine:
Masses at 6.30, 7.30 am, 9.00 am, 11.00 am.
3:00 pm at the Latin Chapel of Shepherds' Field:
High Mass

JANUARY 5 (Tuesday)

11.00 am at the Tomb of Rachel:
His Paternity the Custos of the Holy Land is welcomed by Latin Parish Priest
and other representatives of Bethlehem.
11.30 am at the Manger Square:
Solemn Entry of his Paternity the Custos of the Holy Land into the
Basilica of the Nativity and St. Catherine Church.
1.30 pm at St. Catherine Church:
Pontifical Vespers and Procession to the Grotto.
3.30 pm at St. Catherine Church:
Procession to the Grotto.

JANUARY 6 (Thursday)

Midnight at the Grotto:
Masses till 9.00 am with an interruption
between 1.00 and 2.00 am approximately.
10.00 am at St. Catherine Church:
Pontifical Eucharistic Concelebration.
3.30 pm at St. Catherine Church:
Sung Vespers and Solemn traditional Procession to the Grotto.