JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel is inviting tourists to retrace the footsteps of the Virgin Mary — part of a growing campaign to bring Christian pilgrims to the Holy Land.
An itinerary developed by the Tourism Ministry helps tour operators plan pilgrimages to sites where the mother of Jesus lived and traveled. They include her birthplace near Nazareth, as well as Mary’s Spring and the Tomb of the Virgin near Jerusalem.
Officials said they hope to encourage return visits by Christians who have already made pilgrimages to sites traveled by Jesus. In 2010, 69 percent of Israel’s almost 3.5 million tourists were Christians.
The itinerary will be translated into Spanish, French, Italian, Polish and Portuguese.
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