LINCOLN (SNR) – Father Christopher Eckrich, a priest of the Diocese of Lincoln, will lead a diocesan pilgrimage to Israel and Jordan Oct. 23-Nov. 3.
An in-person presentation about the trip will be held May 1 at 1 p.m. at St John Church’s social hall, 7601 Vine St., Lincoln.
Father Eckrich was ordained in 2016. While in the seminary, he said, he was afforded the opportunity to spend three weeks in the Holy Land.
“It changed my entire perspective of the Bible, and in particular, the person of Jesus Christ,” he said. “No longer was this just a literary figure, who I knew to be real… now it was tangible. I had seen His home country, encountered vistas similar to His, and been privileged to spend time in the place He gave His life for us. It was a truly life-changing experience.”
The fall trip to the Holy Land will include visits to the place of Christ’s birth in Bethlehem; the home of Mary in Nazareth where the Angel announced her role in God’s plan; the town of Capernaum where Peter lived and which became the epicenter of Christ’s public ministry. Participants will also see the Jordan River, the place of Christ’s baptism.
“We will spend several days in Jerusalem,” Father Eckrich said. “There we will walk the Palm Sunday pathway, stop at the Garden of Gethsemane and the upper room. We will walk in His final footsteps along the Via Dolorosa and end at the Holy Sepulchre Church which houses his final resting place prior to His Resurrection.”
The final step of the journey will be Madaba, Mt. Zion and Petra – identified as the number-two man-made “Wonder of the World.”
“It is my great joy to accompany you on this pilgrimage to the Holy Land, so you too can encounter our Risen Savior, in a profound and tangible way, Father Eckrich said.”
With more immediate questions about the trip, contact Barb Wallingford at 402-430-5811 or Beth at Executive Travel at 402-435-8888.
