In May of 2016 I was blessed to make my first pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The experience was far beyond my expectations. The living spiritual presence of Christ, the Holy Virgin and the saints that one can experience at the holy sites gives a depth to your faith that will last the rest of your life.
To enable you to journey on your own "virtual pilgrimage" I have posted these photos from my pilgrimage. I hope they inspire you to travel to the Holy Land to venerate these holy sites.
Brother Simeon Davis, iconographer
Displayed prominently in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, pilgrims queue up to offer their prayers to Our Lady of Bethlehem before descending into the Cave Shrine.
Indian Catholic pilgrims venerate the site of Christ's Nativity, which is marked by a silver star beneath the altar.
Clergy and pilgrims cluster around the altar during the Saturday morning Liturgy in the Cave Chapel, the site of Jesus' birth.
Also see Part Two of the Pilgrimage to the Holy Land: The Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Leaving the West Bank to enter Jerusalem, on the infamous Wall I saw an attempt at humor about a very sad situation.
Pilgrims from around the world prayerfully touch the Stone of Anointing in the Church of the Resurrection, on which Jesus' body was placed for preparation for burial.
The Shrine of Golgotha, ornamented with large silver icons by the Czar of Russia. In the floor beneath the small alter is a silver disk with a hole in the center, marking the place of the Crucifixion.
"The rocks were rent." Glass cases on either side of the Golgotha altarshow the rocks that split apart the moment Jesus gave up His spirit.
A pilgrim kneels in prayer before the Shrine of Golgotha in the Church of the Resurrection in Jerusalem.
