The Holy Land Franciscans have been in the Holy Land for 800 years.
That’s a lot of experience!
It is the express duty of the Holy Land Franciscans to maintain a Christian presence, and to care for the Holy Land, especially the people who live there. We care for the shrines, serve the pilgrims, and minister to the local Christian community. As a result, Franciscan Holy Land Pilgrimages is a non-profit pilgrimage group.
The Holy Land is our Home
When pilgrims travel with us, we are ready to welcome them to our home. We know the places to be: the hotels you want to be in, the holy sites you want to visit, and all with Franciscan access to the shrines, many of which are under the sole responsibility of the Holy Land Franciscans.
Father David Wathen, OFM, accompanies most of the pilgrimages operated by the Franciscan Monastery Pilgrimage Office. As a certified Franciscan guide and as someone who’s lived in the Holy Land, Fr. David offers pilgrims a genuine experience of the Holy Land.
Your Pilgrimage Benefits Christians Struggling to Survive in the Holy Land
While Christians used to make up 90% of the population in places like Bethlehem, today they represent only 2% of the population. Supporting their way of life, helps ensure that that number does not shrink even more. When you travel with us, your pilgrimage benefits the Christians who live in the Holy Land in a couple of ways. First, you can support their livelihood because we’re able to direct you to Christian-owned businesses and restaurants. And secondly, any support to the Holy Land Friars supports the work they do in the Holy Land, work in providing education, healthcare, care for children and the elderly, and maintenance of the holy shrines themselves.
Customizing Based on Your Needs
We can customize a pilgrimage to fit the needs of your group. If you’re a Priest, we’d love to have you! Do you have a group who would like to travel to the Holy Land, but you’re unsure how to set up a well executed trip? Or maybe you want to bring a group, but you are daunted by the huge undertaking of planning a group trip, not to mention the hassle of international travel. We can take care of meals, schedules, transportation, and worship, but give your group some options personalized options. If you plan to bring a large group, see our page on Group Pilgrimages for more info. For smaller groups, please contact the Holy Land Pilgrimage office.