Pope Benedict XVI recently proclaimed June 28, 2008 to June 29, 2009 a year dedicated to St. Paul to mark the 2,000th anniversary of the Apostle's birth

Please join us in paying homage to St. Paul's legacy as we follow his trail to Greece and Turkey where he spent most of his ministry life crossing many thousand of miles by land and sea spreading the Gospel.

ITINERARY:

Day 1 Sunday/19 April (USA/Athens)

Overnight flight from New York to Athens. Meals on board.

Day 2 Monday/20 April (Athens/Thessaloniki

Arrive at Athens and connect on your flight to Thessaloniki, the 2nd largest city in Greece and the capital of the province of Macedonia. It was in Thessaloniki in a synagogue that St. Paul "...reasoned with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks..."

Acts 17:17 - So he reasoned and argued in the synagogue with the Jews and those who worshiped there, and in the marketplace - where assemblies are held - day after day with any who chanced to be there.

Remainder of the afternoon at leisure. Perhaps a good time to relax and/or start exploring the wonders of this city at your phase. Evening starts with a brief orientation, thanksgiving prayer followed by a welcome dinner.
(Welcome Dinner)

Day 3 Tuesday/21 april (Kayala/Philppi/Thessaloniki)

This morning we drive to Kavala (ancient Neapolis), the port where St. Paul first landed with Timothy and Silas; and the European land that St. Paul stepped on to preach the Gospel and to spread Christianity. It was for this reason, during the Byzantine time, that it was renamed Christoupolis.

Then on to Philppi (named after King Philip II, father of Alexander the Great), a city visited by St. Paul, where he was guided by a vision (Acts 16:9-10). It was in Philippi that St. Paul won his first European convert, a woman named Lydia. Visit the Baptistery of Lydia, the marketplace (where St, Paul and Silas were brought before rulers), and the cistern where St. Paul was imprisoned. His exorcism of a demon from a slave girl caused a great uproar in the city, which led to St. Paul and Silas' arrest and public hearing (Acts: 16-24).

We'll also visit the Amphipolis, a famous starting point of Alexander the Great, on his mission to "conquer the world".
(Breakfast/Dinner)

Day 4 Wednesday/22 April (Thessaloniki/Vergina/Kalambaka)

Thessaloniki was founded about 315 BC by Cassander, King of Macedonia and was named after his wife, the sister of Alexander the Great. Since then, it has become the chief city of Macedonia and its most important commercial port.

This morning we tour the >b>archeological museum and the Church of St. Sophia with its beautiful frescoes. The mosaic in the dome of the church now represents the Ascension of Jesus Christ with the inscription from Acts 1:11 "Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven".

We then drive to Vergina, a small town that became internationally famous in 1977 when the Greek archaeologist Manolis Andronikos unearthed what he claimed was the burial site of the kings of Macedon, including the tomb of Philip II, father of Alexander the Great. We'll visit the excavation site now under the UNESCO world Heritage.

We then journey to Kalambaka, lies at the western edge of Thessalian plain, where the great peaks of the Pindos range have their origin, and at the foot of the gigantic rocks of the Meteora, "The Rock of the Holy Spirit". These place has marvelously preserved amazing site of monasteries, hidden in and among the cliffs. We'll visit the greatest and most important of all "THE GREAT METEORON" the Holy Monastery of the Metamorphosis. Perfectly preserved frescoes of the 14th century, icons offered by Byzantine royal dynasties, ancient manuscripts belonging to royal collections and libraries are found here.


Day 5 Thursday/23 April (Kalambaka/Delphi/Athens)

Depart for Delphi via the Central Greece Plateau. Delphi is one of the most well-known spots in ancient Greece, made famous by the Delphic Oracle which was believed to have the power to tell the truth. We'll take a short climb to the Sanctuary of Apollo Pythion, home of the "Oracle" at a truly beautiful mountainous site. Further up is the theater where town council meetings were conducted, and a little farther is the amazingly preserved coliseum where games were held. Visit to the museum will be the day's wrap.

Continue our drive to Athens.
(Breakfast/Dinner)

Day 6 Firday/24 April (Athens/Cruise-sail to Mykanos)

Board our cruise ship in time for lunch to begin a 4-day Greek Island Cruise. Sail into the deep blue waters of the Aegean Sea to the lovely Island of Mykonos. Short time to wonder at whim through narrow paved streets lined with trendy boutiques.
(Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner)

Day 7 Saturday/25 April (Kusadasi-for Ephesus/Patmos/Rhodes)

Morning arrival at the popular Turkish Port of Kusadasi, the doorway to Ephesus and rich ancient history. Ephesus - a marvelous archeological site and base for much of St. Paul's missionary work (Acts 18:23-19:40). He labored and ministered here, laid the foundation for the strongest Christian Church of the 1st Century.

HIGHLIGHT: House of the Virgin Mary, where the apostle John cared for the Blessed Mother.

Afternoon sail to the Island of Patmos - the beautiful, rocky island where the exiled St. John the Divine received the mystical Revelation which form the last book of the New Testament (Note: Shore excursion to St. John's Monastery and Grotto of Apocalypse is optional)

Sail on to Rhodes.
(Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner)

Day 8 Sunday/26 April (Rhodes/Lindos/Athens)

Morning arrival in Rhodes, the Island of Roses, famed for its historical Old Town, home of Sun God Apollo and the Colossus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. St. Paul stopped at Rhodes near the end of his 3rd missionary journey (Acts 21:1. It was on the Isle of Rhodes where the crusaders gathered before sailing to the Holy Land. (Note: Shore excursion of Rhodes and Lindos are optional).

Sail back to Athens.
(Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner)

Day 9 Monday/27 april (Athens/Corinth/Athens)

Disembark after breakfast. Motorcoach for our tour of Athens and Corinth. We drive past the Academy, the University and the Parliament with the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Continue to Acropolis to visit the Parthenon, dedicated to the goddess Athena and the Acropolis Museum. On the slopes of the Acropolis we'll visit the Areopagus on Mars Hill, site of St. Paul's address to "the men of Athens" about their "unknown God" (Acts 17). then drive to Corinth taking the road along the Saronic Gulf, fairly the same route that St. Paul took.

Corinth was an important place and congregation in St. Paul's odyssey (Acts 18 and Letters to the Corinthians) with its Temple of Apollo ruins set against the Acrocorinth on which the Temple of Aphrodite was located. Corinth was the largest, richest and most pleasure-loving city of Greece in the 3rd century BC, so it gave St. Paul plenty to renounce when he came here in the 1st century AD. St. Paul worked here 3 years with Aquilla and Priscilla.

Back to Athens.
(Breakfast)

Day 10 Tuesday/28 April (Athens)

Today is at leisure to explore this fascinating city. Walk through the PLAKA, a little village within the city and a world renowned shopping bazaar for the delight of the "shopcoholics". Best time to catch up on some sights where you would like to spend more time and/or just rest and relax and enjoy the amenities of our hotel before our thanksgiving prayer followed by our farewell dinner with a folklore show.
(Breakfast/Farewell Dinner/Show)

Day 11 Wednesday 29 April (Athens/USA)

Check out - transfer to the airport for our flight back home.
(Breakfast)

"Home Sweet Home"