Journeys of Paul in Greece, 2024
Plus Optional 3 Day Greece Isle Cruise
Journey of Paul - October 18 - October 22, 2024
Tour with Airfare from DFW - $3,796. Ground Only - $2,198
vThis 8 day journey will take from Thessaloniki to Athens with many cities and sites inbetween.
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October 12, 2024 - Depart the USA from DFW (or your local airport
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October 13, 2024 - Arrive in Thessaloniki, Greece, where we will be met by an ETS reprsentative and transferred to our hotel for dinner and overnight
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October 14, 2024 - We start our exciting trip as we follow the footsteps of Paul and Silas to Amphipolis and explore the ruins of the many Christian basilicas there. In Philippi is the baptismal site commemorating where God opened the heart of Lydia (a seller of purple from Thyatira) to hear the words of Paul (Acts 16:13-15). Lydia and her household were the first Christian converts baptized on European soil. View the Roman-era crypt thought to have served as a prison for the Apostle Pau, and explore Philippi's famous Acropolis, marketplace, the Basilica of Paul and theater. Our last stop is Neapolis (Kavala), one of Greece's most Picturesque mainland ports, where Paul landed with his disciples, Timothy and Silas. See the Roman aqueduct and acropolis before returning to Thessaloniki for dinner and overnight.
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October 15, 2024 - We'll explore Thessaloniki, where Paul was accused of turning the world upside down with his preaching of Christ (Acts 17:3-6). As we explore St. George's Basilica, believed to be built over the synagogue where Paul preached, we'll have the opportunity to reflect on the two epistles the Apostle Paul wrote to the Thessalonian church here. We'll stroll through the archaeological museum and the beautiful basilicas of St. Sophia and St. Demetrios. St. Demetrios is dedicated to a distinguished Roman proconsul martyred for this Christian faith. Along the Via Egnatia stands the Galerius Arch where we can look out over the second-largest city in Greece from the Old City Ramparts, some dating back to Roman times. We'll follow the path of Paul when he fled Thessaloniki for the safety of Veria (Berea), where Jews and some honorable Greek accepted the new faith (Acts 17:10-12) We'll then continue on to Kalambaka for dinner and overnight.
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October 16, 2024 - As we visit the rock forest of Meteora (“in the heavens above”) in western Thessaly, we'll have a chance to imagine the Apostle Paul walking that treacherous terrain on his missionary journey. Gaze up at the breathtaking Byzantine monasteries spectacularly perched on soaring, sheer-sided gray sandstone pillars. In the 13th century, monks sought refuge in cliffside caves before fleeing higher to build the original wooden shelters that later became these monasteries. After a monastery tour, we'll travel to scenic Delphi, the religious center of the ancient Greek world and marked by the conical stone called the omphalos (“navel”). We'll walk the Sacra Via to the Athenian treasury, theatre, and the Temple of Apollo, where the oracle performed her prophetic rituals. As we consider the incredible amount of pagan influence just in Delphi alone, we will gain a new appreciation for the tremendous spiritual opposition the Apostle Paul faced in preaching the Gospel of Christ here. In the museum are many ancient treasures, including the fifth-century, bronzed charioteer so detailed you can see his eyelashes. Next we'll continue to Athens for overnight.
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October 17, 2024 - Today we'll tour the city of Corinth, where the Apostle Paul met fellow tentmakers Aquila and Priscilla and received a vision from the Lord saying, “I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city” (Acts 18: 10). As Paul spoke, Crispus (chief ruler of the synagogue) and many others believed and were baptized (Acts 18:8), establishing the church at Corinth to whom Paul later wrote his two epistles. We'll discover the archaeological museum, marketplace, and temples. As we walk among the ruins, we'll stand on the Bema, where the Apostle Paul stood before Gallio to face charges brought against him by the Jews. Next we'll stop briefly at the port town of Cenchreae, from which Paul later departed for Syria (Acts 18: 12-18). Then we'll return to Athens for dinner and overnight.
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October 18, 2024 - (Note – Cruise extension passengers will depart from the group this morning and head to Piraeus for their cruise ship - Click here for details of the cruise)
For Traveler's not extending their trip with the Greek Isle Cruise, today we'll enjoy the rich architectural splendor of the ancient city of Athens as your guide introduces you to the world-renowned Acropolis, the Propylaea, the Parthenon, and the Erectheum. We'll stand on Mars Hill as the Apostle Paul did when he proclaimed, “I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom, therefore, ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you” (Acts 17:23). As you stroll the agora (ancient marketplace and center of Athenian public life), recall that this was where the Apostle Paul preached “Jesus and the resurrection” (Acts 17:18) to the skeptical Athenians. Also, see the House of Parliament, the Presidential Palace, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This afternoon, we are free to explore Athens on our own or enjoy an optional journey to Sounion to visit the famous Temple of Poseidon (an additional $75). Dinner and overnight is spent in Athens. -
October 19, 2024 - Return home with a new understanding of the apostle Paul's life and inistry.