ITINERARY
Thursday October 26 Depart USA
Depart from the U.S. for a transatlantic flight to Athens.
Friday, October 27 Athens-Piraeus
Arrive in Athens and be met and greeted at the airport. We begin our tour of Athens (1), the Acropolis, Agora, and Mars Hill. We will visit the Acropolis to see the ruins of the Parthenon, Erectheum and Propylae. We shall ascend to Mars Hill and view the Agora (the ancient market place where Paul spoke to the ancient Athenians). We will also see the House of Parliament, the tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Presidential Palace, Hadrian’s Arch, and the Panathenaic Stadium. Continue to Piraeus Port and embark our cruise ship, enjoying the fellowship of other Christians and excellent teaching. Enjoy the first of many wonderful meals on board.
Saturday, October 28 Thesaloniki-Veria
Thessaloniki (2)—The second largest city in Greece, and the capital of Macedonia, Thessaloniki was named after Alexander the Great’s sister. Paul preached here and founded a church. The New Testament books of Thessalonians are his correspondence with the people of this church. Paul preached in Thessaloniki during the winters of AD 49-50 and wrote two epistles to the ancient Thessalonians. See the ramparts of the city, the triumphal Arch of Galerius which is the beginning of the Via Egnatia—once a strategic artery of the Roman Empire, the House of Jason, and the Roman Agora where Paul preached. We shall also see St. Demetrios Church with its valuable mosaics and frescoes and will drive to the upper town offering a marvelous view of the city. The site where the monastery of Vlatadon was built is believed to be the location where Jason’s house once stood and where Paul was accommodated during his visit to Thessaloniki. Journey to Veria (3)—ancient Berea—to the memorial commemorating Paul’s preaching to the local Jews in AD 54. Still visible today in Veria, is part of the Roman road— the Egnatia Way—its remains a silent witness to Rome’s greatness.
Sunday, October 29 Kavala-Philippi
We call at Kavala (4) (ancient Neapolis) where Paul, Timothy and Silas landed on the coast of Thrace. From there, visit Philippi (5), named after Philip II, father of Alexander. It was here that Paul won his first European convert, a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira. Visit the Baptistery of Lydia (6), the market place (where Paul and Silas were brought before the rulers,) and the cistern which tradition identifies as the place where Paul was imprisoned.
Monday, October 30 Dikili-Pergamon
A tour from Dikili (our port) is to Pergamon (7), the great city of Bergama and a city named in the Book of Revelation. It is one of the best-preserved ancient sites in Turkey. The letter in Revelation “to an angel of the church at Pergamum” was from “the One who has the sharp, two-edged sword.” He spoke of the place where Satan has his throne. This might be the altar of Zeus in the citadel; it is more likely that it refers to the fact that the city was center of the Roman authority for the area and therefore the place of persecution for those who refused to worship Caesar.
Tuesday, October 31 Kusadasi-Sardis-Miletus
We arrive at Kusadasi, a beautiful town where we will remain docked for the next two days. From here we will make our excursions. Today, we visit Sardis (8), the most picturesque of the Seven Churches. John told the Christians of Sardis that the letter in Revelation was from “the One who holds the seven spirits of God, the seven stars.” He admonished them to “wake-up, and put some strength into what is left.” We will view the ruins which included the famous temple of Artemis lying along the Pactolus River and dates from the Fourth Century BC. Continue for a tour of Miletus (9). Paul and his companions traveled via Mytilene, Chios and Samos to Miletus where Paul delivered his touching farewell address to the elders of Ephesus and predicted his death.
Wednesday, November 1 Ephesus-Smyrna
Our tour today takes us to Ephesus (10), the most impressive archaeological site in Turkey. Extensive excavations have facilitated the restoration of old Ephesus. From the harbor a thirty-five foot wide marble-paved and pillar-lined street led into the interior of the city. The Apostle Paul would have approached the city through this street, entering it through the northern gate, called the Magnesian Gate. Paul suffered many trials and tribulations in Ephesus, leading finally to his imprisonment. We then proceed to Biblical Smyrna (11), birthplace of the famous epic poet, Homer.
Thursday, November 2 Patmos
The island of Patmos (12) is considered an “Holy Island” for the Christian faith since this is the site of the apocalyptic Revelation of John, written here during exile from the Roman Empire. The cave where he lived is near the site of the Monastery of the Apocalypse. The Monastery of St. John, built on one of the island’s highest points, houses priceless icons and manuscripts in its treasury.
Friday, November 3 Athens-Corinth
Disembark the cruise ship and begin the tour of ancient Corinth (13). Here, under the shadow of the towering Acropolis, Paul preached and lived for two years. The vigorous and mostly Gentile church he founded here in AD 50 caused him much grief and prompted him to write at least four letters to them. Visit the ruins of the ancient city where Paul worked with Aquila and Priscilla. See the remains of first century shops, the agora where Paul was on trial at the Bema, the Fountain of Peirene, Temple of Apollo, and visit the museum filled with treasures from the ancient sites. We continue to the port city of Patras and board our overnight ferry to Bari, Italy.
Saturday, November 4 Bari-Pompeii-Rome
This morning we wake up in Italy. A full day of touring is ahead as our motorcoach drives to Pompeii, a site that lay buried and forgotten for hundreds of years. The town is high on the list of the Wonders of the World and the excavations begun in the 18th Century are still being carried out today. Our guide will take you slowly through some of the ancient streets of Pompeii where you can see Baths, Forums and Villas built by the prosperous Romans in the year 80 BC. Marvel at the fabulously preserved Frescos which adorned the walls and floors of the villas. Even if your interests do not lie in history, this is an archeological site that cannot fail to impress you. Mount Vesuvius dominates the Bay of Naples. It is the only active volcano on the mainland of Europe. After this amazing visit we drive to Rome and overnight in the Eternal city for two nights. Dinner will be at our hotel.
Sunday, November 5 Rome
Visit the main streets of Rome, where you will marvel at the famous monuments of this great capital; such as the Colosseum, symbolizing the eternity of the Roman civilization; the Roman Forum, including the Arch of Titus with its relief of objects plundered from the Jerusalem Temple in AD 70; and the Piazza Venezia, dominated by the imposing monument to Vittorio Emanuele II. A stop near the Fontana di Trevi allows you to follow tradition and toss a coin into the fountain and make your promise to return to Rome. We visit the Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel, the celebrated Chapel of the Popes, and the venue of the Conclaves for Papal elections. It is one of the most splendid masterpieces in the history of world art, and is well known around the world for its magnificent ceiling, beautifully decorated by Michelangelo. From here, your next visit will be to the Basilica of St. Peter, the largest church in the world, which overlooks the enormous Piazza San Pietro. Dinner and overnight in Rome.
Monday, November 6 USA
This morning we leave Rome and the marvelous sites of the New Testament that we enjoyed in Greece, Turkey and Italy. After returning to the U.S., as we read our Bibles or hear our pastors teach on the Books of the New Testament, we will feel the Bible come alive and enjoy vivid memories of our wonderful Footsteps of Paul cruise.
|
(1)Athens Acts 17:22–23
Then Paul stood in the midst
of Mars’ hill, and said, “Ye
men of Athens, I perceive that
in all things ye are too
superstitious. For as I passed
by, and beheld your devotions,
I found an altar with this
inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN
GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly
worship, him declare I unto you.”
(2)Thessaloniki Acts 17:1–2
Now when they had passed
through Amphipolis and
Apollonia, they came to
Thessalonica, where was a
synagogue of the Jews:And
Paul, as his manner was,
went in unto them, and three
sabbath days reasoned with
them out of the scriptures.
I Thessalonians 1:1 Paul, and
Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto
the church of the
Thessalonians, which is in
God the Father, and in the
Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be
unto you, and peace, from
God our Father, and the Lord
Jesus Christ.
(3)Veria (Beroea) Acts
17:10–11 And the brethren
immediately sent away Paul
and Silas by night unto
Berea:who coming thither
went into the synagogue of
the Jews. These were more
noble than those in
Thessalonica, in that they
received the word with all
readiness of mind, and
searched the scriptures daily,
whether those things were
so.
(4)Kavala (Neapolis) Acts
16:11 Therefore loosing from
Troas, we came with a
straight course to
Samothracia, and the next
day to Neapolis.
(5)Philippi Thessalonians 2:2
But even after that we had
suffered before, and were
shamefully entreated, as ye
know, at Philippi, we were
bold in our God to speak unto
you the gospel of God with
much contention.
(6)Baptistery of Lydia Acts
16:14–15 And a certain
woman named Lydia, a seller
of purple, of the city of
Thyatira, which worshipped
God, heard us:whose heart
the Lord opened, that she
attended unto the things
which were spoken of Paul.
And when she was baptized,
and her household, she
besought us, saying, “If ye
have judged me to be faithful
to the Lord, come into my
house, and abide there.” And
she constrained us.
(7)Pergamon Rev 2:13–14
The one with the sharp twoedged
sword says this: “I
know that you live where
Satan’s throne is, and yet you
hold fast to my name and
have not denied your faith in
me, not even in the days of
Antipas…Yet I have a few
things against you…”
(8) Sardis—Rev 3: 1-2 “I
know your works; you have
the name of being alive, and
you are dead. Awake, and
strengthen what remains and
is on the point of death, for I
have not found your works
perfect in the sight of my
God.”
(9)Miletus—Acts 20:15,17
And we sailed thence, and
came the next day over
against Chios; and the next
day we arrived at Samos,
and tarried at Trogyllium; and
the next day we came to
Miletus. And from Miletus he
sent to Ephesus, and called
the elders of the church.
(10)Ephesus—Rev 2:3-4
“Moreover, you have
endurance and have
suffered for my name, and
you have not grown weary.
Yet I hold this against you:
you have lost the love you
had at first.”
(11)Smyrna—Rev 2: 9-10 “I
know your tribulation and
your poverty and the slander
of those who say that they
are Jews and are not, be
faithful unto death, and I will
give you the crown of life.”
(12)Patmos—Rev 1:9 I John,
who also am your brother,
and companion in tribulation,
and in the kingdom and
patience of Jesus Christ,
was in the isle that is called
Patmos, for the word of God,
and for the testimony of
Jesus Christ.
(13)Corinth—Acts 18:1,8 &
19:1 After these things Paul
departed from Athens, and
came to Corinth; And Crispus,
the chief ruler of the
synagogue, believed on the
Lord with all his house; and
many of the Corinthians
hearing believed, and were
baptized. And it came to
pass, that, while Apollos was
at Corinth, Paul having
passed through the upper
coasts came to Ephesus: and
finding certain disciples…”
|
|
