Christian Pilgrimage Tours
Dear Pilgrim:
We are pleased to introduce our BIBLICAL SITES TOURS to Turkey and Greece. Turkey and Greece are perfect destinations for discovering new horizons in the Christian Faith. Both countries, especially Turkey, are offering you many great trails of the past to see . The intriguing country: Turkey is considered as an important landmark of the Christian Faith. It is here that St. Paul and his companions, St. Barnabus and St. Andrew, spent most of their lives spreading the word the love of Jesus Christ. Their gallant efforts uplifted the masses and helped to establish Christianity into the strong faith that it is today. In fact, the first pronunciation of the word, Christian, was mentioned in Turkey in the city of Antioch. The apostle St. Paul was born in Turkey in the ancient city of Tarsus enlightening religious experiences.
We have designed these programs so that all may witness the great difficulties that were encountered by these courageous apostles. Despite all of the trials and tribulations they encountered as they traveled throughout the Asia Minor and Greece, St. Paul and his men vowed to continue spreading the word of Jesus Christ. In honor of St. Paul and the apostles, we offer four of our most requested and successful tour programs:
Footsteps of St. Paul in Anatolia 13 Days / 12 Nights
Saint Paul in Asia Minor 17 Days / 16 Nights
In the Footsteps of St. Paul 19 Days / 18 Nights
St. Paul’s Footsteps & Seven Churches 17 Days / 16 Nights
Seven Churches of Revelation 9 Days / 8 Nights
The Missionary Journeys of St. Paul
Antioch on Orontes, Ephesus, and Corinth, cities second in wealth and importance in the Roman Empire only to Alexandria in Egypt and to Rome, are inseparably linked with the early history of Christianity. According to the information supplied by Acts it was in Antioch that the word ‘Christians’ was first used to refer to the adherents to the new religion.
Yet it was not only in these great cities that Christianity found adherents, for it gathered them also in far distant towns and communities of Anatolia, Macedonia and Greece. From the Levant through the uplands of the Taurus and to the well settled valleys of western Anatolia, cities to the other side of the Aegean, to all these places, on foot or riding or by slow moving ships, St. Paul, the tireless apostle, carried the Gospel.
At each place he gathered into fellowships of churches men and women, Jews and Gentiles, rich and poor, who had accepted the message and he nurtured the faithful, both by his presence and his letters. Although born as a movement within Judaism, it was in Anatolia and the immediate lands on the other side of the Aegean that the Gospel first took root, largely as a result of St. Paul’s missionary work in about the middle of the first century. It was in these countries that Christianity developed away from its origins in Palestine to become a religion of the Greco-Roman world, and ultimately of the present.
St. Paul’s journeys through Anatolia, Macedonia and Greece are recorded in the second and longer part of the Ads of the Apostles, written in Greek by the evangelist Luke, author of the Third Gospel perhaps a few decades after the martyrdom of St. Paul. A sequel to his Gospel, Acts continues Luke’s history of Christian origins and tells us the story of the early church and how it spread from Jews to Gentiles, largely through the efforts of St. Paul. In regard to the subject matter of this book the absolute chronology of these journeys and their length are circumstantial.
The works of various Greek, Roman and Jewish authors and other contemporary sources, as well as discoveries in archaeology, help to shed light on this period and on the world in which St. Paul traveled. St. Paul’s journeys fall into the history of the Greco-Roman world when the spark of the Hellenistic period had come to an end. The Roman overtake of Macedonia, Greece, Anatolia and the eastern Mediterranean was followed by the economic collapse of these countries because of the exploitation of Roman tax farmers (Mt 11.19 and others) and the harshness of Roman laws of debt. In these countries the first century BCE is marked by other disasters brought by the Mithradatic wars, the feud between Pompey and Julius Caesar, the wars between the latter’s murderers Brutus and Cassius and his avengers Octavian (later Augustus) and Mark Antony, and finally between the avengers themselves.
Big earthquakes may be added to these conflicts. Still, beginning with Julius Caesar the economic conditions of the Roman provinces saw a relative rehabilitation which was best reflected in the architecture of big cities. Thus St. Paul could see what had been left from the Hellenistic age and what was built at the time of the early Roman rulers: Caesar, Augustus, Tiberius, Claudius and Nero, and by Herod the Great in the East.
St. Paul’s letters do not give any hint about the routes that he followed during his journeys. Apart from Acts 17.1 where two stations on the Via Egnatia, and 28: 15 two more on the Via Appia are mentioned we are not informed about the roads the apostle traveled. At some sites that St. Paul should have visited there has been little or no excavation, and in towns and cities that have been continuously inhabited there is sometimes virtually nothing to be seen, as the remains of earlier ages have either disappeared or lie beneath the existing structures.
Nevertheless, in one form or another, be it a stretch of Roman road and a milestone, or the remains of a synagogue, a bridge still in use after some two millennia, or a dedication to Artemis or Hermes, such evidence can help us to understand something of the Greco-Roman world in which St. Paul traveled and make so-called educated guesses about St. Paul’s routes.
Ultimately Anatolia, Macedonia and Greece became the most Christianized region in the Roman Empire and it was at the middle point of these countries, on the Bosphorus, at Byzantium that the victory of St. Paul’s missions was officially acknowledged by Constantine the Great, who would found his new and Christian capital as New Rome and dedicate it in 330.
Adramyttium Acts 27:2
Assos Acts 20:13,14
Attalia Acts 14:25
Bithniya Province (Nicaea) Acts 16:7, I Pet 1:1
Cappadocia Province Acts 2:9, I Pet 1:1
Carchemish II Chro. 35:20, Isa 10:9, Jer 46:2
Cnidus Acts 27:7
Colossae Col. 1:2
Derbe Acts 14:6 – 20;4
Ephesus Acts 18:19-24; 19:1-35; 20:16-17; 21:29, 1 Cor. 15:32; 16:8, I Tim. 1:3 II Tim. 1:18; 4:12, Rev. 1:11, 2:1
Hierapolis Col 4:13
Iconium Acts 13:51; 14:1-21; 16:2, II Tim. 3:11
Istanbul
Laodicea Col 2:1; 4:13-16, Rev. 1:11; 3:14
Lystra Acts 14:6-21; 16:1-2, II Tim. 3:11
Miletus Acts 20:15-17, II Tim. 4:20
Myra Acts 27:5-6
Nicea
Patara Acts 21:1-2
Perga Acts 13:13-14; 14:25
Pergamum Rev. 1:11; 2:12
Philadelphia Rev. 1:11; 3:7
Pisidian Antioch Acts 13:14; 14:19-21, I Tim. 3:11
Sardis Rev. 1:11; 3:1-4
Seleucia Acts 13:4
Smyrna Rev. 1:11; 2:8
Tarsus Acts 9:11; 9:30; 11:25; 21:39; 22:3
Thyatira Acts 16:14, Rev. 1:11; 2:18-24
Troas Acts 16:8-11; 20:5, 6, II Tim. 4:13 II Cor. 2:12
Troy Acts 16:8-11; 20:5, 6, II Tim. 4:13 II Cor. 2:12
Amphipolis Acts 17:1
Apollonia Acts 17:1
Athens Acts 17:15-16, 22; 18:1; 1 Thessalonians 3:1
Berea Acts 17:10, 13: 20:4
Cenchrea Acts 18:18, Romans 16:1
Coos (Kos) Acts 21:1
Corinth Acts 18:1; 19:1; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 2 Corinthians 1:1, 23; 2 Timothy 4:20
Cyprus Acts 4:38; 11:19,20; 13:4; 15:39; 21:3,16; 27:4
Neapolis (Kavala) Acts 16:11
Patmos Rev 1:9
Philippi Matthew 16:13; Mark 8:27; Acts 16:12, 22; 20:6; Philippians 1-4; 1 Thessalonians 2:2
Rhodes Act 21:1
Thessalonica Acts 17:1. 11. 13; 27:2; Philippians 4:16: 1 and 2 Thessalonians; 2 Timothy 4:10
Ecumenical Councils in Turkey
First Council of Nicaea (325)
First Council of Constantinople (381)
Council of Ephesus (431)
Council of Chalcedon (451)
Second Council of Constantinople (553)
Third Council of Constantinople (680-1)
Second Council of Nicaea (787)
CHRONOLOGY OF THE LIFE OF ST. PAUL
- PAULS EARLY LIFE – 36-45 A.D.
1. EARLY TRAINING
a. Ancestry and youth – Phil 3:4-6
b. Education – Acts 22:32. SAUL THE PERSECUTOR
a. Stephens death – Acts 7:57,58
b. General persecutions – Acts 8:3
3. PAULS CONVERSION, 36 A.D.
a. On the road to Damascus – Acts 9:1-9
b. Paul and Anasias – Acts 9:10-16
4. DAMASCUS AND ARABIA 37-39 A.D.
a. Paul preaches in the synagogues of Damascus. – Acts 9:17-22
b. Paul in Arabis. His return to Damascus and flight to Jerusalem – Gal. 1:15-18
5. JERUSALEM
a. Pauls first visit to Jerusalem to see Peter. He is warned in a vision to depart – Gal. 1:17-20
6. CAESAREA, TARSUS, SYRIA AND CILICIA
a. Paul leaves Jerusalem for Caesarea and Tarsus. He preaches in the regions of Syria and Cilicia, 39-43 A.D. , 4 or 5 years – Gal. 1:21-24
7. TARSUS AND ANTIOCH
a. Pauls visions – 2 Cor. 12:1-4
b. A year in Antioch with Barbanas, 46A.D – Acts 11:19-26
8. JERUSALEM AND ANTIOCH
a. Pauls second visit to Jerusalem, with alms – Acts 11:27-30
b. Paul and Barbanas return to Antioch, 47-48 A.D – Acts 12:25
B. PAULS FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY AND FURLOUGH-48 49 A.D.
1. ANTIOCH IN SYRIA
a. Paul and Barbanas preach in the synagogue Acts 19:1-3
2. SELEUCIA AND CYPRESS
a. SALAMIS. Paul and Barbanas preach in the Synagogues – Acts. 13:4-5
b. PAPHOS. Sergius Paulus. Elymas the sorcerer. Pauls change of name – Acts. 16:6-12
c. PERGA. In Pamphylia. John Mark forsakes the apostles – Acts. 13:13
3. ANTIOCH IN PISIDIA
a. Pauls address – Acts 13:14-41
b. Paul and Barbanas are rejected by the Jews and turn to the Gentiles – Acts 13:42-49
c. Pauls sickness and the kindness of the Galations – Gal. 4:13-15
d. The departure from Antioch because of Persecution – Acts. 13:50
4. ICONIUM
a. Paul and Barnabas flee to Lystra – Acts 14:1
5. LYSTRA
a. Paul heals a lame man. The people deify Paul and Barnabas – Acts 14:6-13
b. Pauls speech – Acts 14:14-18
c. Paul is stoned – Acts 14:19,20
6. DERBE AND RETURN VISITS
a. Departed to Derbe – Acts 14:20
b. Lystra , Iconium , Antioch in Pisidia, Perga – Acts 14:21-25
7. PAULS COMMENT ON HIS FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY – 2 Tim 3:10,11
8. ATTALIA TO ANTIOCH IN SYRIA
a. Paul and Barnabas abide a long time (two years) in Antioch: 49-50 A.D – Acts 14:25-28
GALATIANS WRITTEN FROM ANTIOCH 49 A.D
C. THE JERUSALEM COUNCIL AND PAULS STAY IN ANTIOCH 49 A.D.
1. ANTIOCH
a. Paul and Barnabas are sent to Jerusalem – Acts 15:1-3
2. JERUSALEM, PAULS THIRD VISIT
a. The formal reception by the Church of the delegates from Antioch – Acts 15:4
b. The private interviews of Paul – Gal. 2:2-5
c. The meeting of the Council proper – Acts 15:6-29
d. The mission of Paul and Barnabas to the Gentiles ratified – Gal. 2:3-1
3. ANTIOCH
a. The sojourn of Paul and Barnabas at Antioch some days – Acts 15:30-35
b. The quarrel between Paul and Peter – Gal. 2:11-14
D. PAULS SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY AND FURLOUGH 50-52 A.D.
1. ANTIOCH
a. Paul and Barnabas separate – Acts 15:36-39
2. SYRIA AND CILICIA
a. Paul and Silas confirm churches – Acts 15:40-4
3. DERBE AND LYSTRA
a. The circumcision of Timothy at Lystra . The Decrees delivered to the churches – Acts 16:1-5
4. PHRYGIA AND GALATIA – Acts 16:6
5. MYSIA AND TROAS
a. Pauls vision of the man from Macedonia – Acts 16:6-9
b. Luke joins Paul as a companion – Acts 16:10
6. SAMOTHRACE AND NEAPOLIS – Acts 16:11
7. PHILIPPI
a. The first European church founded – Acts 16:12-40
8. AMPHIPOLIS AND APOLLONIA – Acts 17:1
9. THESSALONICA
a. The work begins – Acts 17:1-9
b. The work supported – Phil. 4:16,1 – Thes.2:9
c. Pauls bond with them – 1 Thes. 1:1-8 – 2 Thes. 1:2-7
10. BEREA
a. Pauls ministry and opposition – Acts 17:10-13
b. Pauls departure – Acts 17:14
11. ATHENS
a. Their arrival – Acts :17:15
b. The debate – Acts 17:16-21
c. The Mars Hill message – Acts 17:22-34
12. CORINTH
a. Paul lives with Aquila and Pricilla – Acts 18:1-3
b. The conversion of Crispus, Gaius, and the house-hold of Stephanas – Acts 18:5-8; – 1 Cor. 1:14-16 – 1 Cor. 16:15
c. Pauls vision – Acts 18:9-11
d. Paul before Gallio – Acts 18:12-18
FIRST THESSALONIANS WRITTEN FROM CORINTH 51 A.D.
SECOND THESSALONIANS WRITTEN FROM CORINTH 51 A.D.
13. CENCHREA, EPHESUS, CAESAREA, JERUSALEM & ANTIOCH Acts 18:18-23
E. THIRD MISSIONARY JOURNEY, 53-57 A.D.
1. ANTIOCH, GALATIA, AND PHRYGIA – Acts 18:22-23
2. PAUL IN EPHESUS THREE YEARS – Acts 19:1-41
FIRST CORINTHIANS WRITTEN FROM EPHESUS 56 A.D.
3. PAUL VISITS CORINTH FOR THE SECOND TIME AND RETURNS TO EPHESUS – 2 Cor. 13:2
4. MACEDONIA AND GREECE – Acts 20:1-3
SECOND CORINTHIANS WRITTEN FROM MACEDONIA 56 A.D.
5. THE JOURNEY FROM CORINTH TO JERUSALEM – Acts 20:3-21:16
ROMANS WRITTEN FROM CORINTH 57 A.D.
F. PAULS FIFTH VISIT TO JERUSALEM 57 A.D.
1. PAULS VOW – Acts 21:17-16
2. PAUL SEIZED IN THE TEMPLE BY THE JEWS – Acts 21:27-39
3. PAULS SPEECH TO THE JEWS – Acts 21:40/22:29
4. PAULS SPEECH BEFORE THE SANHEDRIN – Acts 22:30 / 23:9
5. THE CONSPIRACY TO KILL PAUL
a. The plot and its discovery – Acts 23:12-22
b. The plan of escape – Acts 23:23-33
G. PAUL IN CAESAREA 57-59 A.D.
1. PAULS CONFINEMENT – Acts 23:31-35
2. PAUL BEFORE FELIX – Acts 24:1-23
3. PAULS PRISON LIFE IN CAESAREA – Acts 24:24-27
4. PAULS TRIAL BEFORE FESTUS – Acts 25:1-12
5. PAULS TRIAL BEFORE AGRIPPA – Acts 25:13/26:32
H. PAULS JOURNEY TO ROME AND BACK 59-60 A.D.
1. DEPARTS CAESAREA – Acts 27:1-4
2. MYRA – Acts 27:5-7
3. FAIR HAVENS – Acts 27:8
4. SHIPWRECK AT MALTA – Acts 27:9 / 28:10
5. DEPARTS MALTA – Acts 28:11-15
6. ARRIVAL IN ROME – Acts 28:16
I. PAULS FIRST ROMAN IMPRISONMENT 60-62 A.D.
1. BELIEVERS IN ROME – Romans 16:3-15
2. PAUL MEETS THE CHIEF JEWS OF ROME TWICE – Acts 28:16 – 29
3. PAUL LIVES TWO YEARS IN HIS OWN HIRED HOUSE, GUARDED BY A ROMAN SOLDIER – Acts 28:30-
4. PAULS EXPECTATION OF RELEASE – Phil 1:23-27;2:24
EPHESIANS WRITTEN FROM ROME 60 A.D.
COLLOSSIANS WRITTEN FROM ROME 61 A.D.
PHILEMON WRITTEN FROM ROME 61 A.D.
PHILIPPIANS WRITTEN FROM ROME 62 A.D.
J. FREEDOM FROM BONDAGE 62-67 A.D.
1. PAULS TRAVELS
Ephesus and Macedonia – 1 Tim 1:3
Crete – Titus 1:5
Miletos – 2 Tim 4:20
Ephesus – 2 Tim 1:16-18
Troas – 2 Tim 4:13
Corinth – 2 Tim 4:20
Nicopolis – Titus 3:12
1 TIMOTHY WRITTEN FROM MACEDONIA62 A,D. TITUS WRITTEN FROM ASIA66 A.D.
K. PAULS SECOND ROMAN IMPRISONMENT 67-68 A.D.
1. PAUL IS IMP0RISONED AS AN EVIL-DOER – 2 Tim 2:8-9
2. PAULS LONELINESS – 2 Tim 4:12,20 – 19,10 / 1:15
3. PAULS COMPANIONS – 2 Tim 4:11; 1:16
4. HIS LONGING FOR TIMOTHY AND MARK – 2 Tim 1:3-4 – 4:9,21
5. PAULS TRIAL BEFORE THE MAGISTRATES – 2 Tim 4:14-18
6. PAULS JOYOUS ANTICIPATION OF DEATH – I Tim 4:6-8
2 TIMOTHY WRITTEN FROM ROME 67 A.D.
* All our tours are done with stays in choosen hotels by deluxe airconditioned tour bus guided by specialist English speaking lecturer tour guides including all indicated meals in the program. * Prices are given upon request.
| 15-19 | 20-24 | 25-29 | 30-34 | 35-39 | 40-44 | S.S | |
| S | * | * | * | * | * | * | * |
| F | * | * | * | * | * | * | * |
| D | * | * | * | * | * | * | * |
1 group leader is free of charge only for land arrangements.
S.S = Single room supplement. In hotel categories S = Standard, F = First, D = Deluxe.
