1020TK6 - In the Footsteps of St. Paul 10 days from New York, JFK

We depart the USA on our transatlantic flight aboard a wide-bodied jet via connection to Athens. Our arrival is expected in the morning. We enjoy in-flight movies, dinner and breakfast aloft.

We arrive in Athens and are met and enjoy a short orientation tour of the city and celebrate Mass at the Cathedral of St. Dionysius before we continue to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

This morning we visit the legendary Acropolis. We see the chief jewel of the Acropolis - the Parthenon, the Temple of Winged Victory, the Propylea and the Erechteum with its peerless Porch of Maidens. Beneath the Acropolis is the Areopagus or Mars Hill. This is where St. Paul made his famous "Men of Athens" speech revealing a considerable knowledge of the Greek philosophy and character. Afterwards, we drive along the coastal highway to Corinth, with a splendid view of the Aegean Sea. After a short stop at the Corinth Canal which connects the Aegean and Ionian Seas, we arrive in Ancient Corinth. We visit the ruins of Corinth, where St. Paul worked with Aquila and Priscilla. Included are the 1st century shops, the Agora, Temple of Apollo and the Bema Seat. Conditions permitting, we celebrate Mass on the very site where St. Paul preached. We return to Athens and check in to our hotel. We have the opportunity to explore the culinary delights of Athens tonight, as dinner will be on our own. Overnight at the hotel.

We are transferred from our hotel to the seaport of LAVRIO where we board our cruise ship for our three-day cruise to the Greek Islands and Turkey. That same afternoon, we arrive at the island of Mykonos with its whitewashed houses and winding streets. We are free to explore this picturesque island, startling white against the multi-hued sunset. Dinner and overnight aboard our ship. During our time at Mykonos, we celebrate our Mass at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary.

This morning our ship docks in Kusadasi where our excursion takes us first to “Mary’s House. Early Christian tradition believes that before His crucifixion, Jesus entrusted the Virgin Mary to St. John the Evangelist. St. John moved Mary to Ephesus for safety where she lived with him. We celebrate Mass here. Some of the most spectacular ruins in the world are to be found in Ephesus, the city of the early Christian community to whom St. Paul addressed his famous epistle. Traces of the Hellenistic, Roman and Early Christian period are scattered everywhere: the Magnesian Gate, the Agora, the Odeon, the Library of Celsus, the marble-paved main Street of the Kouretes, the Thermal Baths of Scholastica, Trajan’s Fountain, the Public Latrines, and the Houses of the Patricians, the Prytaneum, Hadrian’s Temple, and the Great Theatre. We return to our ship for lunch where our cruise continues to Patmos, which was considered sacred and is often referred to as the "Jerusalem of the Aegean." It was here that the Evangelist St. John received the inspiration for the Apocalypse. Our excursion visits the Monastery of St. John, a huge fortress-like building dating from the 11th century. We also visit the grotto, where tradition says that St. John wrote the Book of Revelation. We return to our ship and overnight.

This morning we arrive Santorini, the island thought by many to be the lost continent of Atlantis. Here we visit Oia Village, admiring the panoramic view of the Aegean Sea and neighboring islands en route. Built on the Caldera rim, Oia Village is an excellent example of Cycladic architecture. We explore by walking along the cobble-stone streets and the white-washed houses with blue shutters which appear as a beautiful travel poster. We celebrate our Mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. Our excursion ends in Fira where our guide will show us the way to the cable car back to the ship.

This morning we arrive in Lavrio where we disembark our ship. We board our bus and travel past Mt. Olympus and proceed through the towns of Lamia and Larissa. We arrive in Kalambaka and continue to nearby Meteora, whose pillar-like rocks provide an amazing site. The Meteora (meaning “suspended rocks,” “suspended in the air,” “in the heavens above”) is one of the largest and one of the most important complexes of Eastern Orthodox Monasteries in Greece. The six Monasteries are built on natural sandstone rock pillars at the northwestern edge of the Plain of Thessaly. After visiting two of the monasteries, we continue to our hotel for Mass, dinner and overnight.

This morning we depart Kalambaka and follow a meaningful route through Macedonia, a land where ancient kingdoms, early Christianity and the mission of Paul intersect. We continue to Veria (Biblical Beroea) one of the most important locations connected to Apostle Paul’s second missionary journey. According to the Acts of the Apostles, Paul preached here after leaving Thessaloniki and the people of Beroea were praised for receiving the Word with openness and examining the Scriptures with eagerness. During the visit there is time for reflection and prayers, allowing pilgrims to spiritually connect with one of the most receptive Christian communities of the early church. The day concludes in Thessaloniki where Apostle Paul preached, taught, and later addressed his famous Epistles to the Thessalonias. Thessaloniki stands as one of the earliest and most important Christian cities in Europe deeply rooted in Pauline tradition. This evening Mass offers a moment of contemplation and completion of a day rich in spiritual meaning. We continue to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

This day begins with a visit to Pella, the birthplace of Alexander the Great and a key city of ancient Macedonia. While Pella predates Christianity, it’s importance lies in helping visitors understand the Hellenistic world in which Apostle Paul lived, traveled and preached. The spread of Greek language and culture made it possible for Paul’s message to reach diverse populations, and Pella symbolizes this cultural foundation upon which early Christianity expanded. We return to Thessaloniki where the experience continues with a panoramic exploration of the city. Thessaloniki is inseparably linked to Apostle Paul who established one of the earliest Christian communities here. The city remains a living testimony of faith with its churches, traditions and spiritual continuity reflecting centuries of Christian devotion. This day emphasizes Thessaloniki not only as a historical city, but as a living Church, carrying forward the message first preached by Paul nearly two thousand years ago. These two days together offer pilgrims a deep spiritual journey combining biblical history, early Christian communities and meaningful moments of reflection faithfully following the steps of Apostle Paul in Macedonia. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.

This morning we transfer to the airport for our return flight home arriving later today with memories of a lifetime.