HOLY LAND PILGRIM OFFICE United Roman-Ruthenian Church An Office of the Pontifical Curia Our Mission The Holy Land has often been called the “Fifth Gospel,” the place where the Scriptures rise from the page and become stone, water, and breath. The United Roman-Ruthenian Church maintains this Pilgrimage Office to guide the faithful in approaching these sacred places not as tourists, but as pilgrims seeking encounter, repentance, and renewal.   Our purpose is to offer spiritual guidance, historical context, pastoral support, and general orientation for those discerning a personal journey to the lands once walked by Our Lord, His Apostles, and the saints. We help you prepare to travel not only with your feet, but with your heart. How We Can Help Spiritual Preparation Guidance for prayer, fasting, and reflection before, during, and after a pilgrimage Advice on entering holy sites with reverence and interior stillness Instruction on the Orthodox-Catholic understanding of pilgrimage Pastoral Support Clarifications on the meaning of particular shrines, monasteries, and sacred traditions Reflections from the Roman-Ruthenian Pope and other clergy Assistance for groups seeking clergy accompaniment Practical Orientation General information on customs, attire, and respectful conduct Notes on safety, local Christian communities, and travel considerations Consultation for individuals, parishes, or groups discerning whether a pilgrimage is right for them Please Note: The URRC Holy Land Pilgrimage Office is a spiritual advisory office only. We are not a travel agency, do not provide bookings, and do not arrange official URRC-sponsored tours.   Members of the office may, in their personal capacity and independent of the URRC, recommend or privately organize pilgrimage opportunities through outside tour operators for those who desire structured travel. These activities are not conducted under the official banner, authority, or responsibility of the URRC or its Pilgrimage Office. What We Do Not Do To ensure clarity and avoid any misunderstanding, the URRC Holy Land Pilgrimage Office: Does not sell travel packages Does not book flights, hotels, or transportation Does not act as a commercial tour operator Does not sponsor or run pilgrimages as official URRC events Does not assume any legal, financial, or logistical responsibility for travel arrangements made by pilgrims, private groups, or external providers All travel planning, contracts, payments, and logistical choices are the sole responsibility of each pilgrim or group. Our role is exclusively spiritual and pastoral. Walking Where Christ Walked The Christians of the Holy Land form an ancient and venerable community. To visit them is to strengthen the living stones of the Church — the people who continue to bear witness in the land of Christ’s Passion and Resurrection.   The Roman-Ruthenian Pope encourages all the faithful of the URRC, and all Christians of good will, to make pilgrimage as they are able:  “A journey to the Holy Places is not for curiosity, but conversion. There you can walk where Christ walked so that He may renew your heart.”   Contact For spiritual guidance or to inquire about pilgrimage opportunities recommended through independent, non-URRC tour providers, please contact the  URRC Holy Land Pilgrim Office. Legal Notice: The URRC Holy Land Pilgrimage Office provides spiritual and pastoral guidance only. It does not arrange, sponsor, or operate travel services. Any tours recommended or privately organized by anyone affiliated with the Office are conducted solely in their personal capacity and are not official URRC activities. All travel arrangements are the sole responsibility of each pilgrim and the independent provider. The URRC and its organizations assume no responsibility or liability. [Curia] [Main Page] [Church]     DISCLAIMER, LEGAL, AND COPYRIGHT NOTICES