Page 18 - Holyland Magazine - 2016 Edition

The Cenacle. Photo: Flickr israeltourism’s photo stream

A Visit to the Holy Land

A Life-Changing
Experience

Making the stories of the Bible tangible

By Nick Mancino – President of Journeys Unlimited

My first trip to the Holy Land was Our guide, Theo, asked each of us to name Harry said that Caesarea Philippi is one
45 years ago. I was 22 years old our favorite place. The list included the of the northernmost sites Christians visit.
and working for Wholesale Tours boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, the Mount This remarkable location is where we read
International (WTI), one of the first of the Beatitudes, Capernaum, Mt. Carmel, in Matthew 16:13-16 that Jesus asked his
disciples, “Who do men say that the Son
American companies to focus on Megiddo, Bethlehem, Mount of Olives, the of man is?” they said, “Some say John
the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others
faith-based travel to Israel. I was asked to Old City, Via Dolorosa, the Garden Tomb, the Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said
to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
escort Colonel Sanders with his church Holy Sepulchre, and the Upper Room. Some Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the
Son of the living God.”
group of 82 passengers on a tour that would people, like me, could not specify a single
This is familiar scripture to all Christians, but
include the Soviet Union, Egypt and Israel. site, yet everyone was moved and said that do you know how significant this site, where
Jesus chose to ask his disciples this most
The Colonel accepted Jesus Christ as his their lives would never be the same. I knew important question, was? This was a site
that was littered with as many as 14 temples
savior late in his life, so he was overjoyed to that my career path was set, and that I would of idol worship built over centuries under
numerous empires. The respected Bible
visit many of the places where Jesus taught return to Israel again and again. commentator William Barclay wrote:
“Here indeed is a dramatic picture. Here is a
and walked. homeless, penniless Galilean carpenter, with
twelve very ordinary men around him. At the
During the 45 years that I traveled to the Holy

The members of the group were rightly Land, archaeologists have discovered and
impressed with the onion-domed churches developed many new biblical sites, but I still
of Moscow and the Pyramids of Giza, but for cannot name a favorite place. Each place
everyone, Israel was the highlight of the tour. holds special memories for me. However,
On our final night in Jerusalem, everyone many pastors and parishioners have sent
us wonderful letters telling us of their favorite

gave testimony on the impact of the tour. Of places. Recently I asked the same question to

course, most of them stated that it was the Harry Welton, our representative in the Midwest

highlight of their lives. and his response was Caesarea Philippi.

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