From Jaffa to the Sea of Galilee
Jaffa – where St. Peter had his vision on the rooftop of the House of Simon the tanner (Acts 10:32), raised Tabitha from the dead (Acts 9:36); Jonah set sail to Tarshish (Jonah 1:3) and King Solomon built his port (2 Chron. 2:16) on the Mediterranean.
Caesarea – the magnificent ruins of Herod’s showcase port city continue the story of St. Peter, with his conversion of Cornelius’ household (Acts 10:24). Caesarea is also the scene of St. Paul’s imprisonment (Acts 23:35), his appearance before King Agrippa and his departure for Rome (Acts 25:13-26:32). It figures centrally in the history of early Christianity as home to the Church father Eusebius.
The Carmelite Monastery of Mukhraka – where Elijah called down fire from Heaven (1 Kings 18:19-39). After this miracle, a great drought ended with the appearance of a small cloud over the sea (1 Kings 18:44), a pre-figuring of St. Mary.
Acre – called Ptolemais when St. Paul visited it (Acts 21:7), a gem of the medieval world, with its Knights Halls, fishermen’s port, Turkish Bath Museum, bazaar and ramparts overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.
Possible venues for Mass: Church of St. Peter in Jaffa, Carmelite Monastery of Mukhraka; Franciscan Church in Acre.