Proposed Itinerary

Day 1 — USA – Beirut

Departure for Lebanon

Departure from your selected U.S. airport for our international journey to Beirut, Lebanon, with connection according to the selected airline.

Our pilgrimage to the Christian heart of the Middle East begins.

Overnight flight.

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Day 2 — Arrival in Beirut

Welcome to Lebanon

Upon arrival at Beirut International Airport, we will complete immigration and baggage procedures before meeting our local representative and accompanying guide.

Transfer to our hotel and time to rest following the international journey.

Depending on arrival schedules, an introductory prayer, Holy Mass or short orientation may be arranged.

Dinner and overnight in Beirut.

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Day 3 — Beirut – Baalbek – Ksara – Anjar – Beirut

Roman Lebanon & the Bekaa Valley

After breakfast, we travel across Mount Lebanon toward the fertile Bekaa Valley.

Our first major destination will be Baalbek, home to one of the most spectacular Roman archaeological complexes in the world.

We will explore the monumental temples traditionally associated with Jupiter, Bacchus and Venus, discovering the extraordinary scale of Roman architecture in ancient Phoenicia.

We then continue to the historic Ksara area, where an optional cultural experience may include a visit to its famous wine cellars and tasting for interested groups.

Later, we visit Anjar, the remarkable remains of an Umayyad city whose urban plan, palaces, baths and commercial streets provide a fascinating glimpse into another chapter of Lebanon’s history.

Return to Beirut.

Full board. Overnight in Beirut.

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Day 4 — Beirut – Deir el-Qamar – Beiteddine – Beirut

Beirut & the Religious Mosaic of Lebanon

Today we begin with the National Museum of Beirut, whose collections tell the extraordinary story of the civilizations that have inhabited Lebanon from antiquity through later periods.

We then explore central Beirut, discovering a city where different religious traditions have lived side by side.

Our panoramic and walking tour may include Martyrs’ Square, St. George Maronite Cathedral, St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Parliament Square, Roman remains, mosques and other important landmarks.

Later, we travel into the Chouf Mountains.

We visit Deir el-Qamar — the Monastery of the Moon —, once an important political center of Mount Lebanon, before continuing to the magnificent Beiteddine Palace.

The day offers a fascinating introduction to Lebanon’s complex religious, cultural and political history.

Full board. Overnight in Beirut.

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Day 5 — Beirut – Byblos – Tripoli – Beirut

Ancient Phoenicia & Northern Lebanon

After breakfast, we travel north toward Byblos, one of the most celebrated ancient cities of the Mediterranean.

Its history stretches back thousands of years, and its relationship with ancient trade, writing and the Phoenician world makes it one of Lebanon’s most important archaeological destinations.

We will explore the old harbor, archaeological areas, historic souks and the Crusader Castle, together with churches and other monuments according to the final program.

We then continue north to Tripoli, Lebanon’s second-largest city.

Its extraordinary historic center preserves mosques, madrasas, caravanserais, hammams and traditional souks dating principally from the Mamluk and Ottoman periods.

Return to Beirut.

Full board. Overnight in Beirut.

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Day 6 — Beirut – Cedars of Lebanon – Qozhaya – Bsharri – Beirut

The Holy Valley & the Maronite Monastic Tradition

Today is one of the spiritual highlights of the pilgrimage.

We travel into the mountains of northern Lebanon toward the celebrated Cedars of Lebanon, trees that have become inseparable from the country’s identity and appear repeatedly throughout the imagery of the Bible.

We then enter the extraordinary region of the Qadisha Valley — the Holy Valley.

For centuries, this remote landscape became a refuge for monks, hermits and Christian communities seeking a life of prayer.

Here we visit the historic Monastery of St. Anthony of Qozhaya, one of the great centers of Maronite monastic tradition.

This is an ideal place for parish groups to incorporate Holy Mass, silence and spiritual reflection.

We then continue to Bsharri, birthplace of the Lebanese poet and artist Khalil Gibran, where we may visit the museum dedicated to his life and work.

Return to Beirut.

Full board. Overnight in Beirut.

Day 7 — Beirut – Sidon – Tyre – Beirut

Biblical Cities of the Phoenician Coast

After breakfast, we travel south along the Mediterranean toward two cities whose names appear throughout ancient and biblical history.

Our first stop is Sidon, one of the great cities of ancient Phoenicia.

We will visit its historic center and Sea Castle, built during the Crusader period, together with other monuments from the medieval and Ottoman eras.

We then continue to Tyre, one of the most famous cities of the ancient Mediterranean.

Tyre is particularly fascinating for Christian pilgrims because the cities of Tyre and Sidon appear repeatedly in Scripture, including in the ministry of Jesus and the journeys of the early Christian community.

We will visit the important archaeological area of Al-Bass, with its ancient necropolis, monumental arch and impressive Roman hippodrome.

Return to Beirut.

Full board. Overnight in Beirut.

Day 8 — Beirut – Harissa – Jeita – Annaya

Our Lady of Lebanon & St. Charbel

Today is the principal devotional day of our pilgrimage.

We begin at Harissa, where the great white statue of Our Lady of Lebanon extends her arms over the Mediterranean.

The sanctuary has become one of the most recognizable Catholic landmarks in Lebanon and an important gathering place for Christians from throughout the country.

There will be time for prayer and, subject to arrangements, the celebration of Holy Mass.

We then continue to the spectacular Jeita Grotto, one of Lebanon’s great natural wonders, with its underground caves, stalactites and subterranean waterways.

In the afternoon, we travel to Annaya, one of Lebanon’s most important pilgrimage destinations.

Here we enter the world of St. Charbel Makhlouf.

A Maronite monk, priest and hermit, St. Charbel dedicated his life to prayer, asceticism and the Eucharist. After his death, devotion to him spread far beyond Lebanon, and countless pilgrims continue to come to Annaya seeking his intercession.

We will visit the monastery and places associated with his life and burial, with substantial time for prayer and personal devotion.

Return to Beirut.

Full board. Overnight in Beirut.

Day 9 — St. Rafqa – St. Nimatullah Al-Hardini – Our Lady of Nourieh

The Saints of Lebanon

Our final full pilgrimage day is dedicated to three powerful expressions of Lebanese Catholic spirituality.

We begin with St. Rafqa, one of the most beloved female saints of the Maronite Church.

Her life was marked by profound faith, religious consecration and extraordinary acceptance of suffering united with Christ.

We then continue to places associated with St. Nimatullah Kassab Al-Hardini, Maronite monk, theologian and spiritual teacher who profoundly influenced the monastic tradition in which St. Charbel was formed.

Finally, we visit the beautiful Marian sanctuary of Our Lady of Nourieh — Saydet El Nourieh.

The name is associated with light, and the sanctuary occupies a spectacular position above the Mediterranean coast.

It provides a fitting place to conclude our pilgrimage with prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary and thanksgiving for the Christian witness we have encountered throughout Lebanon.

According to flight schedules, return to Beirut and transfer to the airport later in the evening.

Full board through dinner.

Day 10 — Beirut – USA

Return Home

International departure from Beirut and connection for our return flight to the United States.

We return home after encountering a Christianity that may be unfamiliar to many Western pilgrims but whose roots reach back to the earliest centuries of the Church.

We have prayed with the Maronite saints, entered ancient monasteries, stood before Our Lady of Lebanon, traveled through biblical cities and discovered how Christianity continues to live in one of the most fascinating lands of the Middle East.

Arrival and end of our pilgrimage services.