RTOC Holy Land Pilgrimage 2027: Details & Registration Open

Following our initial announcement for the upcoming pilgrimage organized by the Western European Diocese of the Russian True Orthodox Church, we are pleased to share complete program details and confirm that pricing has now been finalised.

Walking the ground trodden by our Saviour Jesus Christ, the Most Holy Theotokos, and the Holy Apostles is an unforgettable, grace-filled experience. Under the archpastoral guidance of His Grace Bishop Philaretos, this journey is arranged not as a commercial holiday, but as a true spiritual pilgrimage: an opportunity to kneel at the most venerable shrines of Christendom and travel in a warm atmosphere of True Orthodox Christian unity.

Cost, Accommodation & Inclusions

Total Price: €1,250 per person (based on double or triple room occupancy).
Payment Terms: Payable in cash, in person upon our arrival at the guest house on the first day.
Prime Location in the Old City: We are exceptionally fortunate to have secured lodging at a guest house situated right in the Old City of Jerusalem. Accommodations in the Old City are among the most sought-after and expensive in the world; our location allows pilgrims to step straight into the sacred fabric of Jerusalem without lengthy daily bus commutes.
What is Included:
- 8 nights accommodation at our guest house in the Old City.
- Daily breakfast and evening meals.
- All group bus transportation to pilgrimage sites and scheduled airport transfers.
- Special local transport, including private taxis to the summit of Mount Tabor and into the desert canyon to the Lavra of St. Sabbas.
- All entrance fees and guided tour fees throughout the program.
What is Not Included:
- Airfare to and from Tel Aviv (Ben Gurion Airport).
- Travel insurance.
- Lunches, snacks, and personal purchases/souvenirs.

A Blessed Opportunity for Orthodox Fellowship & Families

A pilgrimage among brethren who share the same confession of Faith is an exceedingly rare and edifying joy. Over the years, these diocesan journeys have deepened lasting friendships across our parishes and have even, under God’s Providence, resulted in several pious Orthodox marriages.

While we make no promises, we warmly encourage families with pious, marriageable adult children seeking a spouse within the Church to attend. Experiencing the holy places together in prayer, reverence, and simplicity is one of the most natural, wholesome settings for young adults to meet fellow believers who share their spiritual values and love for the Church.

Our Pilgrimage Program

(Note: Because our upcoming pilgrimage is structured over 9 days and 8 nights, the schedule is presented below by region and spiritual theme rather than by numbered days. The exact sequence will be coordinated locally to make the most prayerful use of our time.)

Arrival & Fellowship

Gathering at Tel Aviv (Ben Gurion) Airport with pilgrims arriving from around the world.
Group transfer to our guest house in the Old City of Jerusalem; welcome and orientation on the bus ride, followed by dinner together at the guest house.

The Old City of Jerusalem & the Passion of the Lord

Prostrating before the All-Holy and Life-Giving Tomb of Christ in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Kneeling at Golgotha, the Stone of Anointing, and the Chapel of the Finding of the Precious Cross.
Walking the Via Dolorosa and venerating the Praetorium, the Apostle Peter’s Prison, and the Birthplace of the Most Holy Theotokos.
The Sheep’s Pool of Bethesda, the Convent of the Great Theotokos, and kneeling at the Tomb of the Most Holy Theotokos in Gethsemane.

Mount Sion, the Mount of Olives & the Environs of Jerusalem

Ascending the Mount of Olives to venerate the site of the Lord’s Holy Ascension (where Christ left His sacred footprint upon departing to sit at the right hand of the Father).
Visiting the Monastery of “Little Galilee”, where the risen Saviour twice appeared to His Disciples.
Ascending Mount Sion to venerate the site of the Mystical Supper, the Descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, and the place of the House of St. John the Theologian where the Theotokos fell asleep.
Pilgrimage to the Monastery of the Holy Cross, the Gorny Convent, and Katamonas (the sanctuary and Tomb of the Righteous St. Symeon the God-bearer).

The Judaean Wilderness, Jericho & the Jordan

Journeying to the Jordan River for the traditional blessing of the waters at the site of Christ’s Baptism.
Praying at the ancient Monastery of St. Gerasimos of the Jordan.
Early morning excursion to the cliff-hanging Monastery of St. George of Hozeva in the Wadi Qelt.
Visiting Sarantarion (the Mount of Temptation), the site associated with the Prophet Elisha, and the Sycamore Tree of Zacchaeus.
The Convent of Martha and Mary and the veneration of the Tomb of the Righteous, Four-Days-Dead St. Lazarus in Bethany.

Bethlehem & the Desert Lavras

Kneeling in the Holy Cave of the Nativity within the ancient Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem.
The Monastery of the Shepherds’ Field, where the angels proclaimed the birth of the Saviour.
Journeying into the Judaean desert to venerate the great coenobitic foundation of the Monastery of St. Theodosius the Coenobite.
Continuing by local desert taxis into the wilderness gorge to the ancient, unbroken bastion of Orthodox monasticism: the Great Lavra of St. Sabbas the Sanctified.

Galilee & the North

Ascending by taxi to the summit of Mount Tabor, the sacred peak of the Holy Transfiguration.
Journeying to Nazareth to venerate the site of the Archangel Gabriel’s Annunciation to the Mother of God.
Visiting Cana of Galilee, where our Lord worked His first public miracle by turning water into wine.
Traveling to the shores of the Sea of Galilee to venerate at the Monastery of the Holy Apostles in Capernaum, where the Lord spent much of His earthly ministry.

Hebron, Samaria & Lydda

Excursion to Hebron and the Monastery of the Holy Trinity at the Oak of Mamre, where the Righteous Patriarch Abraham showed hospitality to the Three Angels.
Journeying into Samaria to pray at Jacob’s Well, the site of Christ’s conversation with the Samaritan woman (St. Photini).
En route to the airport on our return journey, venerating the Tomb of the Holy Great-Martyr George the Trophy-Bearer in Lydda.

Important Travel Logistics & Flight Coordination

Flight Timing Guidelines:
- Arrival (January 8, 2027): Please look for flights landing at Tel Aviv (Ben Gurion) in the early afternoon or earlier, so our group bus transfer can depart together for Jerusalem.
- Departure (January 16, 2027): Please look for return flights departing no earlier than midday (12:00 PM) to allow sufficient time for group transport from Jerusalem and airport security.
MANDATORY Flight Clearance: Do not book your flights before consulting us. You must run your proposed itinerary past our brotherhood first so we can ensure your arrival and departure fit cleanly within the group airport transfer schedule.
Passport Requirement: Your passport must have at least six months of validity remaining beyond our arrival date (i.e., valid through mid-July 2027 or later).
Shrine Access Disclaimer: When travelling in the Holy Land, civil, security, or monastic regulations can change without warning. Certain shrines or chapels may unexpectedly be closed, restricted, or inaccessible on the day or hour we arrive. While our organizers do everything possible to complete the full itinerary, we cannot legally guarantee entry to every single site listed. Pilgrims are asked to undertake this holy journey with patience, flexibility, and a humble Christian disposition.

Act Quickly — Reserve Your Place

Because our lodging is situated right in the Old City, our guest house requires us to finalize room allotments and passenger lists immediately. Space on the bus and in the guest house is strictly limited, and reservations will close as soon as capacity is met.

To register your place or submit an inquiry, please: