Today is Ash Wednesday and we’re navigating the special requirements during a pilgrimage. Mass at the Notre Dame Center with ashes, then a drive to the Israel Museum to see the model of the city in the 1st century and some of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Then we descend down 4,250 feet to the lowest place on the face of the Earth. That would be the Jordan River near the northern tip of the Dead Sea. We renewed our baptismal vows and prayed the 1st Luminous Mystery.
A visit to a Hebron glass shop in Jericho and we saw a sycamore tree (remember Zacchaeus?) We also saw the the Mountain of Temptations where the devil offer Jesus all the kingdoms of the world. Then touring and lunch at Qumran.
Then all the real fun begins with floating in the Dead Sea and the camel rides before coming back up to Jerusalem for the exquisite and elegant dinner on the roof of the Notre Dame at the cCheese & Wine Restaurant.