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0526TK4 - Journey of St Paul Pilgrimage to Greece and Turkey 12 days from New York, JFK


Trip Flyer
Airline Name Baggage Information
Turkish Airlines http://bit.ly/1O6Gbng

Special Package with this Trip :
International departure taxes of $141 plus current fuel surcharges of $480 are included

Tour Code Departure Date Cost per person
TK0526BF 05/26/2024 $5999.00
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Trip Details

This afternoon, we depart from JFK Airport on board our overnight flight to Athens. We enjoy in-flight movies, dinner and breakfast aloft.
We arrive in Athens this morning, change planes and continue to Thessaloniki. We are met by our tour manager, for a panoramic tour of the city which includes treasures of the ancient Byzantine and medieval eras such as the famous Byzantine St. Dimitri Church, Vlatadon Monastery and the Citadel. We pass by the Arch of Galerius, then continue to our hotel for dinner and overnight.
We begin the day by following the massive battlement Byzantine wall to the citadel for a panoramic view of the city. Next, we visit Philippi where we celebrate Mass. Then on to Kavala. Greece's prettiest mainland port with a most elegant harbor. Paul landed here with his disciples, Timothy, and Silas. Luke, the Evangelist, also came here from Troas. This ancient city of Neapolis was later renamed Christoupolis. We see the Roman Aqueduct and the Ruins of the Acropolis in this beautifully located city, known since the 5th century, as Kavala. We continue to Philippi where Paul preached the Good News of our Savior and baptized the first Christians on European soil. We view the baptismal site where Lydia surrendered her life to Christ and visit a crypt dating from the Roman period that is thought to have served as a prison for Paul. We return to our hotel in Thessaloniki for dinner and overnight.
This morning, we depart Thessaloniki for our short flight to Athens. On arrival, we enjoy a sightseeing tour of this most ancient cradle of democracy. We visit the legendary Acropolis and see the Parthenon, the foremost jewel of the Acropolis. At the foot of the Acropolis is the Areopagus or Mars Hill. Here Paul made his famous "Men of Athens" speech revealing a considerable knowledge of the Greek philosophy and character. Conditions permitting, we celebrate Mass on this very site. Driving through the city, we will pass the National Library, the Academy, University, presidential palace, the stadium, the Temple of Zeus, Hadrian’s Arch, House of Parliament, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.
After breakfast, we drive along the coastal highway to Corinth, with a splendid view of the Aegean Sea. After crossing the canal which connects the Ionian and Aegean seas, we reach ancient Corinth. We visit the ancient ruins of the city, where St. Paul worked with Aquila and Priscilla. Included are the first century shops, the Agora, Temple of Apollo, the bema seat, ending with a visit to Acrocorinth. Conditions permitting, we celebrate Mass near the foundations of a Byzantine period Church in Cenchrae This afternoon is at leisure in Athens. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.
This morning, we leave Athens by Turkish Airlines to Izmir, via Istanbul. On arrival we drive one hour to Kusadasi for dinner and overnight.
In the morning we head to Ephesus, modern day Selchuk. We tour the ancient city where Paul lived for 27 months and then we visit the place where a later Christian tradition believes that Mary, the Mother of Our Lord lived with St. John. Dinner and overnight at our hotel in Kusadasi. We visit the Basilica of St. John where the Council of Ephesus took place proclaiming Mary to be the Mother of God.
This morning, we drive 35 miles south to Miletus for a brief visit and celebrate The Eucharist there. We then head to our thermal hotel in Pamukkale. Before checking in, we relax in the thermal waterpools of Pamukkale and enjoy a brief visit to the ruins of Hierapolis, a city which hosted a Christian-Community in St. Paul's day and is referred to in his Colossian Epistle. Here we visit the tomb which once held the remains of Philip the Apostle in the well-preserved Necropolis. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.
In the morning we head south to Laodicea and Colossae to visit these outstanding historical sites. Dinner and overnight in Konya (Iconium in the time of Paul) at our hotel.
We visit the museum in Konya this morning, where Paul and Barnabas preached the Gospel, and then continue south to Perge where Paul visited twice during his missionary journeys. Dinner and overnight in Antalya.
Today we visit Myra, where Paul and Luke had changed ships to Rome during his last journey. Myra was also the episcopal see of St. Nicholas who lived in his life as a bishop the qualities that caused his fame and popularity to spread throughout the Christian world. His cathedral and tomb are there. We return to Antalya for dinner and overnight.
We transfer to Antalya International Airport for our flight to Istanbul, then board our flight to JFK. We arrive in New York with memories to last a lifetime.
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