"A preview of the Pope's pilgrimage to the Holy Land"

From "rcesq" -- a longtime contributor of our Pope Benedict Forum:

A pilgrimage to the Holy Land is a life-changing experience for those who believe in Christ. Even though the sites we revere today we may not be the precise spots mentioned in the Gospels, when you visit Galilee, Nazareth, Bethlehem, Jerusalem and other ancient places in modern-day Israel, the presence of Jesus , Mary and Joseph, the Apostles and the disciples -as well as the "villains" in the story of our salvation-becomes palpable. Galilee and Jerusalem, especially, make indelible impressions on the heart and soul.

"The walls of the old City of Jerusalem from Mount Zion."

When I first visited Israel I had only a point and shoot 36mm film camera. On my second, I had better digital equipment. In anticipation of Pope Benedict's visit, I thought I would share with the forum some of my impressions of the places where he is scheduled to go.

• A tour of Yad Vashem; the Notre Dame Center; The Dome of the Rock; The Western ("Wailing") Wall; The Upper Room
• The Mount of Olives, Gethsemane, Kidron Valley
• Bethlehem: Basilica of the Nativity
• Nazareth and Church of the Holy Sepulchre