Footsteps of St. Paul Pilgrimage to Greece with John Edwards and Fr. James Clark

We depart on an overnight flight from JFK or Memphis to Thessaloniki. Dinner and breakfast will be served on the flights. Optional premium economy and business class upgrades are available upon request, starting 120 days before departure. We work with group airfare, which does not permit us to assign specific seats on the airplane. If this is an important feature for you, please reserve your own air and book a land only package with us.

Upon landing at Thessaloniki Airport, we pass through passport control and customs. Proceed to the arrival hall, where we will be greeted by Select International’s English-speaking tour guide and assisted to the motorcoach. Thessaloniki, the second-largest city in Greece, is named in honor of a half-sister of Alexander. The city, part of Macedonian Greece, is also known as Salonika. Paul’s first epistle to the Thessalonians, written in the middle of the first century, is his first known letter. His two letters urged the Thessalonian Christians to “live blamelessly” and to refrain from living idly while they wait for the second coming of Christ. We settle into our comfortable hotel for a good night’s rest. Overnight in Thessaloniki. Mass will be celebrated.

After breakfast, we visit the modern port city of Kavala, once the ancient Neapolis. Paul, Silas, Luke, and Timothy landed in this port when they sailed into Europe. Philippi, our next stop is where Saint Paul established the first church in Europe. “And from there (He went) to Philippi, which is the leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman Colony. We remained in this city some days…” (Acts 16:12-18). We visit the site where Saint Paul baptized a woman named Lydia, the first convert to Christianity in Europe. Mass will be celebrated. We visit the Roman Forum, where Saint Paul cast a spirit out of a fortune-telling woman. Here, we view the prison (now in ruins) where the owners of the fortune-tellers jailed Paul and Silas. Return to Thessaloniki for a delicious meal and restful overnight.

We visit Thessaloniki in-depth, and its Byzantine tradition is expressed in architecture, churches, and monasteries. We explore the Church of St. Sophia with its eighth-century mosaics; the Church of St. Demetrius, patron saint of the city; the fifth-century Rotunda to view its well-preserved mosaics; and the Arch of Galerius. We travel to Veria, a charming town with a Byzantine and Jewish presence, to visit small Byzantine churches and the Bema of St. Paul, where Mass will be celebrated. Then, we visit Vergina, the first capital of Macedonia. This is where Phillip II was assassinated in 336 B.C. We tour the remarkable underground museum, which has four tombs containing the tomb of Alexander the Great’s family. We continue to Kalambaka, where we check into our hotel for dinner and overnight.

After breakfast, we visit the Meteora Monasteries. In the eleventh century, monks settled within the caves. As the Ottoman occupation increased, the monks were forced to move their settlements higher upon the rocks until they were unreachable by any opposing enemy. The monks brought baskets of building materials and living supplies using ropes and ladders, transforming these settlements into monasteries. The Meteora Monasteries are known for preserving Greek Christianity and Hellenic academics and arts. During our visit, we view stunning Byzantine art and the breathtaking scenery surrounding the monastery. Women are expected to wear skirts and a headscarf and have their shoulders covered when entering Orthodox monasteries and churches. Following a break for lunch, we visit an icon workshop in the area, where we get to see how icons are made. In the afternoon, we drive to Athens, settle into our hotel, have dinner, and have a restful night of sleep. Mass will be celebrated.

Following breakfast, we have a morning Mass at a Catholic Church in Athens, followed by a walking tour of ancient Athens, including the Acropolis with its antiquities-filled Museum and Mars Hill, where St. Paul preached. The afternoon is at leisure to visit the local food market and explore Plaka, the old section of this bustling city. Dinner is at leisure. Overnight in Athens.

Following breakfast, we will celebrate Mass before we proceed to the Port to board our 4-day cruise aboard the Celestyal Olympia. Our first stop will be the Island of Mykonos, the most cosmopolitan Greek island, attracting visitors worldwide. After docking, we transfer to Hora, the island’s capital, where we have leisure time to explore the city’s narrow, cobbled streets. Pass by chic boutiques, elegant nightclubs, and whitewashed houses to arrive in Alefkandra. This section of Mykonos is known as the “Venice of Mykonos,” as the homes with wooden balconies are built on the sea. Historically, these homes were of wealthy merchants and captains. Return to the cruise ship for dinner and overnight.

After breakfast on board, we arrive at the lively Turkish port of Kusadasi. Transfer to the small village of Mt. Koressos, where we will visit the small stone chapel on the site where the Virgin Mary spent her last days following Christ’s crucifixion. Following Mass, we continue to ancient Ephesus and begin our walking tour, which takes us through the most magnificent excavations in the world. The last stop on the walking tour is the Great Theatre, which has a capacity of 25,000 people, where Saint Paul preached. On the return of our walking tour, we follow the exact route that Mark Anthony and Cleopatra once rode in procession via the Arcadian Way. This main street runs from the Great Theatre to the main city’s harbor. We will see the Basilica of Saint John on our return to Kusadasi. In the sixth century, Emperor Justinian erected this structure over the grave of St. John, the Evangelist. Upon arrival in Kusadasi, we enjoy some free time to explore on our own before returning to the ship. The next stop is Patmos, where we visit the Saint John the Theologian monastery. This marvelous structure was built nine hundred years ago and continues to be supported by the walls of a strong fortification. In addition to the stunning main church that contains outstanding frescoes, we will view the beautiful courtyard, dining room, and bakery. Our tour continues to the small museum, where we will view priceless ecclesiastical treasures such as books, manuscripts, mosaics, icons, textiles, vestments, and jewelry. We then board the bus, which will take us to the Monastery and Grotto of the Apocalypse. In this grotto, experience a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to view the site where the Book of Revelation was written. Return to the ship for dinner and overnight.

The Island of Rhodes is a mix of Roman and Byzantine architectural styles. Rhodes was one of the most important seafaring and trading centers in the Eastern Mediterranean during ancient times. Conquered in 1309 by the Knights of Saint John of Jerusalem, it is now under the protection of UNESCO. The day is at leisure in Rhodes, where you can explore the city on your own. We can either return to the ship for our included lunch or enjoy lunch on our own in town before we Celebrate Mass at Santa Maria Catholic Church (a 5-minute walk from the port).

Shore excursions for guided visits of Crete may be purchased on the ship. We recommend visiting Heraklion on your own or purchasing a guided tour of the island, which includes the ancient ruins of the Palace of Knossos. These ruins were discovered in 1899, and the palace is partially reconstructed. This ancient palace is believed to have been the mythical Labyrinth of King Minos and the seat of ancient Minoan culture. Additionally, it is the site where Saint Paul met the owner and captain of the ship, who warned him of continuing his journey to spread Christianity in Rome. If you choose not to purchase the optional excursion, your time in Crete will be spent at leisure. We return to the ship to sail to the idyllic island of Santorini, definitively the most breathtaking island of all the Greek Islands. We disembark via tender upon arrival in Santorini and take the cable car (€12 round-trip paid on the spot) to visit Thira, with its iconic white-washed houses, narrow streets, open-air cafes, and glittering boutiques that cling to steep cliffs. We celebrate Mass at St. John Catholic Church before returning to the ship for our last dinner and overnight on our cruise.

After disembarkation, we visit ancient Corinth. Under the shadow of the towering Acropolis, Saint Paul lived in Corinth for two years. While here, Saint Paul felt great grief over how the Gentile Church in Corinth had become. As a result, he was prompted to write four letters, all with the overarching theme of love. In Corinth, we will have the opportunity to view the remains of the first-century shops, the site of Saint Paul’s trial by Gallio, the Fountain of Peirene, and the Temple of Apollo. We celebrate Mass at the Steps of St. Paul in Ancient Corinth. Following our visit to Corinth, we enjoy lunch in a local restaurant and a wine tasting at a local winery where we learn about Greek wine production. Tonight, we have a festive dinner in the Plaka section of the city. (B.Special Lunch.Special dinner)

Today marks the end of our pilgrimage. We will say our heartfelt farewells to a journey that will last in our memory forever. We will be transferred to the Athens airport for our return flight home.