Archbishop’s pilgrimage to the holy land, 2026 edition

As many of you may remember, the Rev. Canon Vicars Hodge and I were planning a pilgrimage to the Holy Land before conflict broke out in the region in October 2023. 

We have been working on developing a tour for when it seemed possible for pilgrims to return. As you will see from his letter below, Vicars has been advised that people are now returning to the Land of the Holy One.

We have decided to offer the possibility of a pilgrimage with some additional options this fall. As yet, costs and other details are not finalized, but if you are interested, please let me know via my email, dedwards@diofton.ca or Vicars directly at www.trinitytour.org

This is an exciting prospect and I hope some people will feel able to register.
David

Update from Vicars Hodge:
Friends,
I am writing to share with you an exciting plan that has been quietly taking shape — a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in Fall 2026 — and to invite your expression of interest as I begin to discern the likely size of the group.

Tourism and pilgrimage in the Holy Land have now resumed. Many groups are already travelling there, with more planned in the coming year, particularly from the US and UK. Canadians, understandably, have been a little more cautious, which is why Fall 2026 feels like the right moment for us.

Carole and I will be leading this pilgrimage together with the Archbishop of Fredericton, David Edwards, and his wife Debbie. 

This will be my eighth pilgrimage tour, and while I continue to learn each time, I now have a well-tested sense of how to shape a journey like this — which sites matter most, how to pace our days, which hotels and restaurants to choose, and how to work with excellent local guides and hosts. 

We are anticipating a group of approximately 25–30 pilgrims from across Canada, and perhaps a few from the United States. I am arranging the itinerary details, and a professional travel agent will handle all airfare bookings.

Over the centuries, Christian teachers (starting with St. Jerome) have sometimes called the Holy Land “the Fifth Gospel.” The idea is simple but profound: when believers walk the places where the events of the Gospels unfolded — the hills, lakes, deserts, and cities where Jesus taught and healed — Scripture is heard differently. 

Distances make more sense. Parables gain texture. Familiar passages take on new depth and clarity. Many pilgrims have testified that after praying and worshipping in these places, they return home reading the same Bible — but with newly opened eyes.

This insight also includes love for the people of the land — the “living stones.” Pilgrimage is not only about ancient sites, but about meeting and praying alongside local Christian communities who continue to bear faithful witness. 

Part of our journey will include opportunities to worship and interact with local believers. Their presence reminds us that the Gospel is not only something that happened long ago, but something still lived today. 

Again and again, pilgrims say that encountering both the places and the people changes how they pray, how they read Scripture, and how they understand their own calling.

Here is the big picture of what is planned.
A. Primary Pilgrimage — The Holy Land
Oct. 21 – Nov. 2, 2026
An all-inclusive, expertly guided pilgrimage to the most significant biblical sites — from Nazareth to Bethlehem, Caesarea to Jerusalem, Galilee to Jericho — with rich opportunities for worship, reflection, and encounter with local Christians.

Our pilgrimages include virtually everything except personal items, beverages, and airfare. All meals, guides, drivers, entrance fees, and gratuities are included. We return to Toronto on Air Canada’s non-stop flight on Monday, Nov. 2.

Optional Extensions
B. Jerusalem-at-Leisure Extension — November 2–4
Remain two additional days in Jerusalem at the Golden Walls Hotel. By then you will have enough familiarity with the Old City to explore comfortably on your own, while also being welcome to accompany Bishop David and me as we revisit significant holy sites that cannot fit into the regular schedule.

C. Seven Churches of Asia Extension (Pre-Pilgrimage) — October 15–22
An optional pre-pilgrimage journey through western Turkey visiting the Seven Churches of Revelation and key early Christian sites, before continuing on to Israel to join the main group.

It will be a couple of weeks before final pricing is posted. When available, details will appear on www.trinitytour.org .

Photos are courtesy of Vicars Hodge and show scenes from his 2023 pilgrimage to the Holy Land.